I've just read that Reverend Barber is coming to Asheville for Mountain Moral Monday on August 5 from 5:00 to 7:00 at Pack Square Park. I had previously received an email announcing the event, but I now see that the event's facebook page states that Reverend Barber will be there! I don't yet have another confirmation, but the source seems reliable.
I imagine that all of you have by now at least seen videos of Reverend Barber speaking, and know him to be an inspirational, and broadly inclusive, leader for social, economic, and environmental justice in North Carolina. And many of you here in North Carolina have attended, or at least seen videos or commentary on, the Moral Monday events at our state general assembly building in Raleigh.
The protests in Raleigh have been inspirational; and in my view, they have laid a foundation upon which we can work to retake the legislature and the governor's office. The work of the North Carolina NAACP, and the broad coalition with whom they are working, in making these protests the success that they are, has brought statewide and national attention upon the extreme bills introduced and passed by the Republicans who have taken control of our state government.
We have a wonderful opportunity to experience this social justice movement here in Western North Carolina, and to stand up and be counted in defiance of the destruction being brought by this government.
If there is any chance that you can make it to this event, please put it on your calendar now. The progress that this movement makes now will go a long way towards how successful we will be in November 2014 and November 2016. This has the potential to be one of the biggest political protests in Asheville in quite a long time; we can bring a lot of attention to the activities of this legislature simply by showing up and standing up. This will make a difference in November 2014.
Please come if you possibly can. Thank you. And in the words of the movement ...
Forward together
Not one step back