We move forward

After the euphoria of Moral Monday in Asheville (I had the privilege of providing the music for the event), we have now started to get to the nuts and bolts of trying to actually "Move Forward,” now that the folks who just wanted a photo op and politicians who wanted to appear to have been involved have faded into the background, as expected.

Sad that my African-American clergy, my African-American mayor and the clergy in general who have traditionally been the spearhead of these movements have not found the moral courage to [get involved] in the issue of our times.

So, for what it's worth, I'm calling them out. Shame on you for your silence, shame on our local NAACP and its president, John Hayes, for his lack of leadership. Shame on our African-American clergy for not making the voting-rights issue the sermon on the mount every Sunday. Shame on the clergy, with some exceptions, for lacking the spirit and courage of the clergy of the civil rights movement.

Your lack of involvement is duly noted.

Thank you, Valerie Hoh, Carmen Ramos-Kennedy, Charlie Thomas, Vicki Meath, Lisa Bovee-Kemper at Unitarian Universalist Church who kept the faith and all the others too numerous to mention.

— Jesse Junior
Arden

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Webmaster
Mountain Xpress Webmaster Follow me @MXWebTeam

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.