Rev. William Barber II is the Voice of the Moral Minority

Rev. William Barber II is the Voice of the Moral Minority June 6, 2017

I had this whole post in my head… about Trump’s unbelievable Tweet criticizing the mayor of London. Our president implied that Mayor Khan dismissive of the recent terror attacks, saying that they were “Nothing to worry about.” When in fact, the Mayor actually said that London citizens should “not be alarmed” by the increased police presence. I was going to write a post discussing the importance of context in all things. In addition to being insensitive and opportunistic, Trump’s statement was willfully ignorant of a broader ongoing conversation. Which, in the grand scheme of things, is the problem with much of our ongoing political discourse these days.

So anyway, that’s the post I was going to write. Though I would have said it in 10 paragraphs instead of 1, (including some allusions to the dangers of “literal” readings of scripture). And then you’d have been like, “you could have said all that in a single paragraph!” But the truth is, I don’t want to write that post any more.

I don’t want to give another ounce of my energy to the gibberish that spews from that Twitter account. Tell it to the judge, you know? Add it to the growing pile of junk from his own mouth (or fingers) that will be included in the body of evidence when this business finally hits the fan. Until then, let the rest of us dwell in places of higher consciousness. I’m weary of the drivel. It is not worthy of us.

Instead, I’d like to turn your attention to last night’s episode of The Daily Show, and Trevor Noah’s interview with Rev. William J. Barber II. The man speaks more truth in a 12 minute late night spot than Trump has uttered in his whole life on the public stage. “Tells it like it is?” That would be Rev. Barber. When he speaks about the poor, you sit up and listen. When he talks about the evils of racism, you pay attention. When he calls out the growing gap that favors the 1% at the expense of all others–at the expense of life itself–you will find yourself in the amen corner.

Of your couch.

I’ve heard Barber in person. People do not exaggerate when they say he is the MLK of our time, or at least the closest we are likely to witness. He’s been on the front line of the social justice movement for years, instituting Moral Mondays at the North Carolina state capital, and spearheading Repairers of the Breach. He’s also the chair of the NAACP in North Carolina. And he pastors a church, you know, in his spare time. Which is to say, this short interview–during which he is seated–does not even come close to invoking the power that he exudes in person. The physical stature, the volume, the Holy Spirit that flows through his every word and movement–none of that exactly translates in a 10 minute soundbite.

But. The depth of the message is the same. And the difference between his public appearances and this video is: mass consumption. This video is packaged for all. It can be live streamed to your TV or office p.c. It can be heard through ear buds at the gym, or while you wait in the car pickup line at your kids’ school. It can be broadly shared on social media, and replayed over and over. And while most people you know will probably not show up for a justice march or a demonstration at the state capital, they might just have ears to hear this good word.

We live with an awareness of the Moral Majority, a right-wing movement primarily responsible for the culture wars. This group has long claimed to speak for the faith-based masses, as they seek to write a restrictive rhetoric of “family values” into law. But when I hear Barber speak–whether in person or through the air waves–I hear the true voice of morality. Perhaps he represents a moral minority, dismissed by many as leftist fringe. If so, it is a minority that needs to be given voice, and I’m grateful that Trevor Noah handed him the mic, if only for a moment.

The collective conscience of our nation–if we can still claim to have one–needs a spokesperson right now, more than ever. We can have more than one, and in fact, it may be critical that we have many. But if I were going to pick one loud, clear, faithful and visionary figure to represent all the best of us, he would be it. Listen for yourself and see what I mean. And then get to sharing, far and wide. And then, get to work–for the new version of American values he embodies so well.

Step away from the Twitter trauma. Ignore the prosperity mega-preachers telling you that God wants you to be rich (and, preferably, white). Lay down the remote, and the reality tv, and the alarmist 24-hour news cycle. Tell them all to get off your shoulder, and listen instead to an angel of our better nature.

“[whispers] It wasn’t the Russians. Racism hacked this system, long before Trump and Putin ever got together.” It just gets better from there. Enjoy.

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