Following a year marked by hundreds of arrests and national publicity but few policy victories, leaders of the movement opposing the Republican agenda in North Carolina vowed Saturday to keep fighting and to speak clearly at the ballot box in 2014.
Thousands of people angry with GOP policies approved in 2013 were energized while attending the “Moral March on Raleigh,” the largest gathering of its kind since weekly Monday protests began last spring at the Legislative Building.
“We return to Raleigh with a renewed strength and a renewed sense of urgency,” the Rev. William Barber, president of the state NAACP shouted to a packed crowd that extended at least three blocks along Fayetteville Street south from the old Capitol building. “This Moral March inaugurates a fresh year of grassroots empowerment, voter education, litigation and nonviolent direct action.”
Event organizers said people from more than 30 states planned to attend the rally, a reflection of the spread of the “Moral Monday” protests to nearby Southern states. It was a diverse group of rally participants who chanted, sang and danced at the end, waving placards on topics ranging from campaign finance and education funding to gay rights and abortion rights.
“Someone can say, ‘what can one man or one woman do?” asked Kirkland Carden, 25, a Georgia State University student who traveled with Planned Parenthood organizers to participate. “But when everybody comes here, you get waves like this.”
These marches have been going on for the last seven years or so, but now they are growing in number, and Saturday's was the biggest thus far.
There is a lot to like about this movement.
It is an indication that the progressives in red states are fed up and not going to take it anymore, which is good news for all of us.
It is also an indication that despite the lack of news coverage, until recently that is, they have no intention of giving up.
But my favorite thing about the movement is that they are taking back ownership of the word "moral."
No longer will those on the Right be able to claim moral superiority (Which of course they never really had.) over those of a different political persuasion.
In fact, considering the policies they have passed to oppress women, the LGBT community, and minorities, I think a strong case can be made that just the opposite is true.
NC has been in a state of turmoil since January 2012. This administration has an extremist agenda and vindictive policies. The one point I would like to make here is that the lawmakers are unapproachable and lash out at criticism. Phone calls are not returned, petitions dismissed, meetings not scheduled. Two, maybe three of NC lawmakers called the protests "Moron Mondays."
ReplyDeleteSen. Tommy Tucker of Waxhaw last session telling a newspaper publisher who confronted him on a bill: “I am the senator. You are the citizen. You need to be quiet.” (Ever hear Mark Basnight say that?)
• Sen. Bob Rucho of Matthews calling a Raleigh resident “a moron,” and Sen. Thom Goolsby of Wilmington referring to “Moral Monday” mass protests as “Moron Monday.” (Can you imagine Jim Hunt calling his opponents morons?)
Our teachers were ignored and we have lost and continue to lose them. Only after the protests and an extra 2500+ protests by educators did the yconsider a pay raise. It took a year for them to even meet with a few eductors. Again, that was after protests!
The list is very long as to the turmoil in our State.
I'm a NY transplant to NC, have been here 10 years and have never seen anything like it in my 64 yrs. As a retired teacher from NY {union state} to 8 yrs. as a NC teacher {right to work state} what the legislature & Gov.
Deletehave done to teachers is beyond the pale.
What has been done to voter suppression is archaic BUT there are signs of hope. Rachel Maddow came to Elizabeth City, NC {where I reside} and told this story:
http://www.southerncoalition.org/montravias-king-first-the-right-to-run-then-election-victory/
I could go on & on...I could write a book about all the negative experiences I have had in the last 10 years but I'm going to expend my energy getting out of this god-forsaken state.
Estimates are as high as 80,000 attendees. My whole family was there! Power to the people...
ReplyDeleteI read someone's comment on HP that says the teaparty farts and it's all over the mainstream news, Moral March with thousands, not so much
ReplyDeleteI hope this movement grows to other cities across the nation so the Republican's hear it loud and clear.
ReplyDeleteRepublicans are going to be in for one rude awakening in the upcoming election! I can hardly wait to mark mine for Independents and/or Dems....
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 7:45 -- I was there too!! It was great to be among such a diverse, determined crowd. I have been amazed that there are so many pissed off Republicans. Who'd a thunk?
ReplyDeleteMy local group is doing our damnedest to educate about voting rights and issues. Forward Together, Not One Step Back!!!!
RAinNC
I work across the street from the Legislative bldg, and have attended many Moral Mondays. I loved how diverse the crowds were each time; people of all ages, from all walks of life, but what surprised me and pleased me was how many people in their 60s and 70s were participating!
ReplyDeleteAt one event, a Republican lawmaker came out on the balcony and flipped everyone off and was yelling at them. I know people here who voted for the Republican Governor who are sorry they voted for him, and feel he portrayed himself as less extreme than he is. I hope he is voted out of office.
R in NC
Interesting how demonstrations like this, and the ones in Wisconsin a couple of years ago in the recall-Walker effort draw so many more average citizens than those dumb RWNJ/Tea Party protests like the "Truckers To Shut Down America" in Washington DC that fizzled...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/10/11/dozens-not-thousands-show-up-for-dc-trucker-protest/
...and some rather disorganized protests back in 2009.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/10/tea-party-video-right-win_n_185577.html
There have also been dozens (maybe hundreds) of arrests of protesters at Moral Mondays. I have no idea what trumped-up basis was used for the arrest, but the ACLU needs to get involved about that. The MM protesters have also been painted by conservatives as lazy, jobless moochers. I live here but don't like it very much right now. It is very hard to find people with liberal politics. I know they are here but when we try to speak, we run the risk of being shouted down by the loudmouth aggressive conservatives or having it insinuated that we should be shot.
ReplyDeleteOur own governor and some lawmakers have called the protesters morons. Need I say more?
DeleteNPR Host Speaks Out About Her Illegal Abortion: ‘I Am Saying To All Women, Stand Up For Your Rights’
ReplyDeletehttp://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/02/07/3265331/dee-dee-abortion-draw-line/
‘A Historic Turning Point’: Native American Women Finally Gain More Protection From Rape And Abuse
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/02/07/3263231/vawa-native-american-tribes/
Could it be that the pendulum is finally beginning to swing the other way in the deep red states?
ReplyDeleteCould there possibly be hope that the radical right wing has burned enough bridges that they will begin to lose elections and power, and even gerrymandering and voter suppression won't work anymore?
Could it be that people who have always voted GOP are FINALLY realizing that, unless they're rich, white and male, the GOP doesn't give a crap about them and will take their last penny and give it to a mega-corporation?
This is great news. Maybe it will get folks to wake up and vote in November. When turnout is high, the D's win. When the D's win, we all win (well, 98% of us anyway).
ReplyDeleteWhy is it that the top 1 or 2% are the "bad" guys, yet, many of Obama's policies benefit them?!?
DeleteThis is an excellent sign, especially in red states. It'll help tremendously to GOTV and at the same time, strip the word "Moral" from the GOP and make it a term that never again applies, because they're in the pockets of big oil, big pharm, and big business. The "Moral Majority" was neither back then, and to this day, thanks to how the GOP has conducted itself, never again.
ReplyDeleteI know that they were protesting GOP policies, including voter ID laws, but why is it a burden for the general citizenry to have ID to vote, but if you want to protest this past weekend, one of the specifics was that you MUST have your ID on you, at all times.
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong, I think it's a good idea to have an ID on you at that type of event, but I do think it is a bit of a hypocracy.