Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases two video promos for the North Carolina Forward Together Moral Movement Promos February 14, 2015 march in Raleigh, North Carolina.
My transcriptions of these videos are also included in this post. Additions and corrections are welcome.
Other posts about Moral Monday can be found on pancocojams. Click the Moral Monday tag below to find those posts. Information and videos of the 2/14/2015 march will be added as an Addendum to this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, historical, political reasons.
Thanks to all the leaders and participants in this movement. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
****
FEATURED EXAMPLES
Example #1: MARCH FOR LOVE AND JUSTICE
"Let's March!" | 2015 March for Love & Justice Promo
NC Forward Together Moral Movement Channel, Published on Jan 19, 2015
January 19th, 2015 - In the spirt of Dr. Martin Luther King and the march from Selma to Montgomery, the Forward Together Moral Movement prepares for the 2015 March for Love and Justice in Raleigh, North Carolina on February 14th, 2015.
-snip-
Video transcription:
Flim clip of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:
“Let us march on ballot boxes. For this is the way we are gonna straighten up the South and the nation.
Let us march on ballot boxes, until 'brotherhood' is more than a meaningless word at the end of prayer, but the first order of business on every legislative agenda.
Let us march on ballot boxes."(Hand claps and voices of agreement are heard.)
**
Clip of Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II speaking:
"All elections have consequences. It’s up to the people in the states across this country to hold these elected leaders accountable.
Your work is not over. The people don’t go away after the election.
Politicians don’t get the right to just do whatever they want to just because they got elected.
Because even if you’re elected, it does not give you the authority to run roughshod over our constitution and the deepest moral value. And we will always plant our feet in those constitutional values. And plant our feet in those deep spiritual and religious values. And we will never retreat on those.
That is our role. We have shown what is possible to do in North Carolina.
We have only just begun.
We have NO intentions of letting up. We..will..work..together. Because there is much needless suffering that can be if we maintain and stay strong in an independent, moral movement that holds all political forces accountable.
**
Film clip of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” (Voices of agreement are heard.).
****
Example #2: From Selma to Raleigh | 2015 Moral March Promo
.
NC Forward Together Moral Movement Channel, Published on Feb 12, 2015
Just as people flocked to Selma in 1965 to fight for Love and Justice, the same is happening in 2015 as people flock to North Carolina for the Moral March on Raleigh.
NC Forward Together Moral Movement Channel
-snip-
Video Transcription:
[Speaker - Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II
President, North Carolina NAACP]*
"On a bridge in Selma, Alabama Black and White, and Catholic, and Christian, and Jewish people decided to take on Jim Crow in one of its most vicious forms- that was the denial of voting rights. They were beaten and beaten until they were beaten back. But they were not beaten down. Instead of the blood causing them to run, their blood inspired other people to run beside them. They marched and marched. and, by the summer, Congress was voting on a voting rights act.
If they marched then, if they fought then, if they pushed the nation forward then, we must resist the nation going backwards now.
And the reason I say that is because, my friends, everything they won on that bridge is under attack. (That’s right!”, “Yes!” and other voices of agreement are heard.)
Right here we’re getting ready to march again, and protest again, and litigate again, and raise our dissent again on Saint Valentine’s Day. When we remember the love that is always at the heart of justice our fusion coalition will gather in Raleigh for another mass moral march and people’s assembly. Our agenda is clear. Our partner organizations are more committed than ever (Hand clapping begins and continues until the end of this segment.) And we’re coming back to Raleigh in the dead of winter to say that we will still be here.
Together! Together!....Together!
(Voices of agreement are heard throughout this segment.)
We are Black.
We are White.
We are Latino.
We are Native American.
We are Democrats.
We are Republicans.
We are Independents.
We are people of faith.
We are not of faith.
We are natives and immigrants.
We are business leaders and workers and unemployed.
We are doctors and the uninsured.
We are gay.
We are straight.
We are students.
We are parents.
We are retirees.
We are North Carolina
And we ain’t goin no where.
-snip-
* The speaker isn't identified in this video. However, another Moral Monday movement video shows Rev. Barber,II giving a portion of this speech. The North Carolina NAACP is a key architect for the Moral Monday movement (Forward Together Moral movement).
The sound changes in this speech three or four times suggests that it may be a compilation of a number of Rev. Dr. Barber, II's speeches. I've referred to some of what I think are different speeches as "segments" of this speech.
****
ADDENDUM
Here's a link to a dailykos.com photo-article about the 2/15/2015 North Carolina Forward Together Moral Movement march: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/02/15/1364475/-Fusion-Power-Throngs-march-on-North-Carolina-s-capitol-for-justice-equality-and-sustainability.
That blogger estimates that about 12,000 people participated in that march.
****
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Visitor comments are welcome.
Pancocojams showcases the music, dances, language practices, & customs of African Americans and of other people of Black descent throughout the world.
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Showing posts with label North Carolina Moral Monday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label North Carolina Moral Monday. Show all posts
Friday, February 13, 2015
Sunday, January 5, 2014
More Protest Chants From North Carolina's Moral Monday Movement
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post includes a list of Moral Monday chanted slogans that were included in Bill Moyer's televised documentary State of Conflict: North Carolina (January 5, 2013). A YouTube video of that documentary is also provided in this post.
This content of this post is presented for cultural, historical, sociological, and inspirational purposes.
This serves as a companion to this June 5, 2013 pancocojams post http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/06/words-songs-in-north-carolina-s-moral.html
"Words & Songs From North Carolina 's Moral Monday Movement".
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT MORAL MONDAY
"Moral Monday" is the name of a broad based, multi-racial coalition of organizations and individuals that since April 2013 have been protesting the agenda of the Republican led General Assembly of North Carolina (United States). Persons supporting this movement convene on Mondays at the North Carolina General Assembly to protest Republican policies on social programs, health care, education, voting rights, criminal justice, and taxes.
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_Mondays
for more information about Moral Mondays.
****
FEATHRED VIDEO: State of Conflict: North Carolina | Bill Moyers
Eric Preston, Published on Jan 4, 2014
January 4th, 2013 - Fusion Films is proud to have provided footage for this important report by veteran journalist Bill Moyers.
This version identifies the footage that Fusion Films provided.
"State of Conflict: North Carolina" offers a documentary report from a state that votes both blue and red and sometimes purple (Romney carried it by a whisker in 2012, Obama by an eyelash in 2008). Now, however, Republicans hold the governor's mansion and both houses of the legislature and they are steering North Carolina far to the right: slashing taxes on corporations and the wealthy, providing vouchers to private schools, cutting unemployment benefits, refusing to expand Medicaid and rolling back electoral reforms, including voting rights.
****
LIST OF MORAL MONDAY PROTEST CHANTS INCLUDED IN "STATE OF CONFLICT: NORTH CAROLINA" DOCUMENTARY
The time in brackets indicates where the chant is found in the video. The type of chant (chanted in unison or in a call & response pattern) is given after the time.
These chants are numbered for reference purposes.
Excerpts from Rev. Barber's speeches to participants at Moral Monday rallies are identified as such within the brackets. Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II is the President of North Carolina NAACP, and is one of the leaders of North Carolina's Moral Monday movement. My transcription of these chants may not represent the chant in its entirety. That is particularly the case with the chants which are part of speeches given by Rev. Barber. Additions and corrections are welcome.
Information about individuals mentioned in two specific chants is given below those chants.
1. [4:38, unison]
Day or night
We stand for what is right.
****
2. [4:52, call & response]
Fed up
Response- Fed up!
Fired Up!
Response- Fired up!
****
3. [9:32, call & response, Excerpt of speech led ]
We’re gonna walk together
Crowd response - walk together!
And go forward
response – Go forward!
Until
response- Until
Until
response- Until
Until
Response- Until love is lifted
Response – Love is lifted
Until
Response- Until Justice is realized
response- Justice is realized
****
4. [10:05, call and response]
Same struggle, same fight
Response- Same struggle Black or White
****
6. [10:37 call and response]
Hey Hey
Response- Hey Hey
Ho Ho
Response - Ho Ho
All- Art Pope has got to go.
-snip-
Art Pope is a conservative multi-millionaire who is North Carolina's Budget Director. He is considered by many to be the master mind behind the right wing take-over of North Carolina.
****
7. [29:51, call and response]
(Say) Hey Hey
response- Hey Hey
Ho Ho
Response - Ho Ho
All- Pat McCory has got to go.
-snip-
Pat McCory is the Republican Governor Of North Carolina.
****
8. [30:12, call and response]
When voting rights are under attack, what do we do?
Response- Stand up. Fight back.
****
9. [43:45, type of chant?; Excerpt of speech by a Rev. Barber’s Moral Monday speech
There is No
Going
Back!
****
RELATED LINK
http://www.camelcitydispatch.com/bill-moyers-documentary-blacked-out-in-nc/
****
Thanks to all those involved in the Moral Monday movement. Thanks also to Bill Moyer's for producing this documentary. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This post includes a list of Moral Monday chanted slogans that were included in Bill Moyer's televised documentary State of Conflict: North Carolina (January 5, 2013). A YouTube video of that documentary is also provided in this post.
This content of this post is presented for cultural, historical, sociological, and inspirational purposes.
This serves as a companion to this June 5, 2013 pancocojams post http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/06/words-songs-in-north-carolina-s-moral.html
"Words & Songs From North Carolina 's Moral Monday Movement".
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT MORAL MONDAY
"Moral Monday" is the name of a broad based, multi-racial coalition of organizations and individuals that since April 2013 have been protesting the agenda of the Republican led General Assembly of North Carolina (United States). Persons supporting this movement convene on Mondays at the North Carolina General Assembly to protest Republican policies on social programs, health care, education, voting rights, criminal justice, and taxes.
Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_Mondays
for more information about Moral Mondays.
****
FEATHRED VIDEO: State of Conflict: North Carolina | Bill Moyers
Eric Preston, Published on Jan 4, 2014
January 4th, 2013 - Fusion Films is proud to have provided footage for this important report by veteran journalist Bill Moyers.
This version identifies the footage that Fusion Films provided.
"State of Conflict: North Carolina" offers a documentary report from a state that votes both blue and red and sometimes purple (Romney carried it by a whisker in 2012, Obama by an eyelash in 2008). Now, however, Republicans hold the governor's mansion and both houses of the legislature and they are steering North Carolina far to the right: slashing taxes on corporations and the wealthy, providing vouchers to private schools, cutting unemployment benefits, refusing to expand Medicaid and rolling back electoral reforms, including voting rights.
****
LIST OF MORAL MONDAY PROTEST CHANTS INCLUDED IN "STATE OF CONFLICT: NORTH CAROLINA" DOCUMENTARY
The time in brackets indicates where the chant is found in the video. The type of chant (chanted in unison or in a call & response pattern) is given after the time.
These chants are numbered for reference purposes.
Excerpts from Rev. Barber's speeches to participants at Moral Monday rallies are identified as such within the brackets. Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II is the President of North Carolina NAACP, and is one of the leaders of North Carolina's Moral Monday movement. My transcription of these chants may not represent the chant in its entirety. That is particularly the case with the chants which are part of speeches given by Rev. Barber. Additions and corrections are welcome.
Information about individuals mentioned in two specific chants is given below those chants.
1. [4:38, unison]
Day or night
We stand for what is right.
****
2. [4:52, call & response]
Fed up
Response- Fed up!
Fired Up!
Response- Fired up!
****
3. [9:32, call & response, Excerpt of speech led ]
We’re gonna walk together
Crowd response - walk together!
And go forward
response – Go forward!
Until
response- Until
Until
response- Until
Until
Response- Until love is lifted
Response – Love is lifted
Until
Response- Until Justice is realized
response- Justice is realized
****
4. [10:05, call and response]
Same struggle, same fight
Response- Same struggle Black or White
****
6. [10:37 call and response]
Hey Hey
Response- Hey Hey
Ho Ho
Response - Ho Ho
All- Art Pope has got to go.
-snip-
Art Pope is a conservative multi-millionaire who is North Carolina's Budget Director. He is considered by many to be the master mind behind the right wing take-over of North Carolina.
****
7. [29:51, call and response]
(Say) Hey Hey
response- Hey Hey
Ho Ho
Response - Ho Ho
All- Pat McCory has got to go.
-snip-
Pat McCory is the Republican Governor Of North Carolina.
****
8. [30:12, call and response]
When voting rights are under attack, what do we do?
Response- Stand up. Fight back.
****
9. [43:45, type of chant?; Excerpt of speech by a Rev. Barber’s Moral Monday speech
There is No
Going
Back!
****
RELATED LINK
http://www.camelcitydispatch.com/bill-moyers-documentary-blacked-out-in-nc/
****
Thanks to all those involved in the Moral Monday movement. Thanks also to Bill Moyer's for producing this documentary. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Words & Songs From North Carolina 's Moral Monday Movement
Edited by Azizi Powell
"Moral Monday" is the name of a broad based, multi-racial coalition of organizations and individuals that since April 2013 have been protesting the agenda of the Republican led General Assembly of North Carolina (United States). Persons supporting this movement convene on Mondays at the North Carolina General Assembly to protest Republican policies on social programs, health care, education, voting rights, criminal justice, and taxes. To date, more than 300 people have been arrested for unlawful assembly during these protests.
This post presents my transcriptions of three excerpts of Moral Monday speeches that were made by the head of that coalition, Rev. Dr. William Barber,II. Rev. Dr. Barber is also the head of the North Carolina NAACP.
These speech excerpts are found in a video that was published on YouTube on May 24, 2013. That video is also included in that post.
In my opinion, these speech excerpts-and particularly the last one-should be considered in the same category of great civil rights speeches as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have A Dream Speech".
This post also includes my transcription of a song which is partially sung three times during that same video. I think that song is entitled "Walking On In Love".
**
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and inspirational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Disclaimer: Although I fully support the goals of this movement, I'm not directly involved in the Moral Monday Movement. I'm transcribing these excerpts on my own, with no coordination from or prior knowledge of that movement.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO:
Crowds Grow and Arrests Continue at NC General Assembly | Moral Monday 4th Wave
William J. Barber, II, Published on May 24, 2013
May 20th, 2013 - In this 4th week of public protests on what has come to be known as "Moral Mondays", 57 are arrested and larger crowds gather at the North Carolina General Assembly to voice their opposition to regressive legislation.
****
WORDS FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA MORAL MONDAY MOVEMENT
The titles of these excerpts were given by me. The time stamps given in parenthesis indicate when these excerpts were said on the video which is embedded above.
Each of these excerpts were part of speeches [spoken word/exhortations] that were made by Rev. Dr. William Barber,II, Head of North Carolina's NAACP. Transcription by Azizi Powell from the video. Additions & corrections are welcome.
Here's biographical information about Rev. Dr. William Barber from http://www.law.unc.edu/documents/poverty/conference/speaker_bios_summit.pdf [retrieved 6/4/2013]
"Rev. Dr. William Barber is president of the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP. He serves as pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church Disciples of Christ in Goldsboro, a 120-year-old congregation with over 400 members and 30 active ministries. He is chairperson of the Rebuilding Broken Places Community Development Corporation, a non-profit organization involved with building affordable single family homes and senior citizen housing and providing job training, affordable child care, and inner city revitalization in Goldsboro.
Barber has held adjunct faculty positions at both Duke University and North Carolina Central University, and is the author of the book Preaching Through Unexpected Pain. He graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Public Administration from NC Central University, earned his Master of Divinity from the Duke Divinity School, and his doctoral degree from Drew University in Madison, NJ. He has served as executive director for the NC Human Relations Commission, appointed by Governor James B. Hunt, and is a noted advocate for social justice issues in North Carolina."
-snip-
Rev. Dr. Barber is a tall, middle aged Black man who In this video he wears a black clerical robe with a red stole, each side of which has an embroidery of a white intricate cross inside a golden crown.
RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW (.011-.022)
[Rev. Dr. William Barber,II, May 20, 2013 outside the building of the North Carolina General Assembly; The crowd's words are given in parenthesis]
It feels like a movement.
(It feels like a movement)
Right here in North Carolina
(Right here in North Carolina)
Right here
(Right here)
Right now
(Right now)
Right here
( Right here)
Right now
(Right now)
Right here
( Right here)
Right now
(Right now)
*The video started with the second line. This first line is what I presume was said.
****
FORWARD TOGETHER (.023-1:04)
[Speaker - Rev. Dr. Barber; Place: indoor auditorium or room, no date not indicated]
"Love and justice has never lost.
It might get crucified.
[a crowd of mostly White people of various ages makes affirmative responses such as “That’s right.” and “Yes”]
It might get beat down.
But at the end of the day
When the game is over,
And the dust settles,
Justice and love always win.
[crowds clap and cheers]
So get your head up.
It’s time to walk. It’s time to march. It’s time to say
FORWARD TOGETHER
(crowd responds: Forward Together!)
Not one step back.
(Not one step back.)
FORWARD TOGETHER
(Forward Together!)
Not
one
step
back.
(Not one step back.)
AAAAH!"
****
IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP! (7:05 -8:46)
[Speaker - Rev. Dr: Barber; Place & date same as above.]
"They are making it harder for poor and working people and those who get sick to get health care.
They are making it harder for children to get an education.
They are making it harder for the incarcerated to be redeemed.
They are making it harder for people to vote.
And then they are tryin to make it easier for the wealthy to get wealthier,
for the sick to get sicker, for the private schools to flourish, and to implement a flawed death penalty.
And they are tryin to make it easier to get guns.
This is cruel.
[One male voice from the audience - "Yeah!"
It’s unusual.
[Same voice - "Yeah!"
It’s mean.
[Same voice - "Yeah!"
It’s extreme.
[A number of voices - "Yeah!", "That's right."
And it’s a denial of equal protection under the law.
[Audience applauds with some affirmations.]
And it’s time for all North Carolinians to wake up. Whether you’re red, black, yellow, or white,
it’s time to WAKE UP!
[Audience begins cheering]
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
[The audience begins a call & response chant:
1st group begins -Wake up! (clap clap)
2nd group responds “Wake up!” (clap clap)
Reverend - Wake up!
Audience: Wake up (clap clap)
Wake up (clap clap)
One person (Reverend?) says Wake up!
Wake up (clap clap)
Wake up (clap clap)
People*, the matter is that they are driving us down a road backwards
with old South politics.
These are the George Wallace type of interposition and nullification in the 21st century.
We are in the fight now because this is no game.
Real people’s lives will be affected.
Don’t make this about Black or White. This is about right and wrong.
So If you thought that you had a fight a month ago , you ain’t seen nothing yet. "
[Audience cheers.]
*I'm unsure of this transcription. Reverend Dr. Barber may have said "The truth of the matter is..."
****
SONG FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA MORAL MONDAY MOVEMENT
WALKING ON IN LOVE
[Two African American women sing portions of this song three times during the video embedded above.
Transcription by Azizi Powell from the video. Additions & corrections are welcome.]
(1:07 -1:22)
I’m gonna hold my head up.
Walking on in love
My mind is made up
I’m on my way up
First singer -I gonna hold
Second singer overlaps first singer with the words - head up
Both -Walking on in love
****
(3:52-4:22)
Walking on in love
My mind is made up
I’m on my way up
I gonna hold my head up
Walking on in love
my mind is made up
I said I’m on my way up
I gonna hold my head up
Walking on in love
****
(8:49-to end of the video)
We’re gonna hold our heads up
Walking on in love
-snip-
I've not found any information about this song online. If you know something about this song & the name of its composer/s and its singers, please add a comment to this post.
RELATED VIDEOS
[Updated July 9, 2013]
Example #1: "Change is Coming!" | June 17th Moral Monday Protest
William J. Barber, II, Published on Jun 19, 2013
June 17th, 2013 - In this 7th Wave of Moral Monday Protests, thousands gather and 84 people are arrested for speaking out against regressive legislation at the North Carolina General Assembly.
-snip-
Here's a summary of a no longer available video about the Moral Monday Movement:
151 People Arrested at NAACP Protest Against North Carolina GOP Policies!!
posted by TheDiseasedManiac, Published on Jun 4, 2013
RALEIGH, N.C. — A growing group of protesters converged on the state legislature Monday, in what some are calling "Mega Moral Monday," to protest the agenda of the Republican-led General Assembly.
It was the fifth and largest demonstration planned by the state chapter of the NAACP and other civil rights groups to protest GOP policies on social programs, education, criminal justice and taxes.
Police estimated that roughly 1,000 people attended a rally late Monday afternoon behind the Legislative Building on Halifax Mall. Hundreds then entered the building. Upwards of 150 people were arrested outside the doors to the state Senate chambers, where demonstrators chanted, sang and delivered speeches decrying what they called a regressive agenda that neglects the poor.
Activist groups estimated the crowd at about 1,600.
The NAACP has been holding weekly protests in Raleigh since mid-April, and what started with 17 arrests and tens of supporters back then has grown every week, bringing the total number of arrests to nearly 300 after five weeks of protests.
"The people are awake now, and we have decided to stand up," state NAACP chapter president Rev. William Barber told the crowd Monday. "We are a movement. This is not a moment."
Groups ranging from abortion-rights supporters to environmentalists and public educators have joined the rallies, which have attracted people from Greensboro to Rocky Mount.
Protesters have been seeking to call attention to the rightward shift of the state legislature, which was dominated for decades by moderate Democrats.
Thus far, Republican lawmakers say those groups have a right to protest but are not swaying lawmakers.
"We are keeping our promises to voters, and that is what we are doing," said state Sen. Thom Goolsby, a Republican from Wilmington. "The Democrats totally bankrupted our state and we were trying to fix it."
-snip-
It's interesting to see protesters including African American Spirituals as part of their protest repertory -along with call & response chants & unison chants. In one brief portion of this video, the protestors can be heard singing the Spiritual", "This Little Light Of Mine".
Adapted spirituals were an integral part of the civil rights movement of the mid 1960s, but, according to my recollection, the use of Spirituals in protests in the United States was discontinued after that.
****
Example #2: Forward Together
Mary Ray WorleyPublished on Jun 5, 2013
Dedicated to the Moral Mondays protesters in
Raleigh, North Carolina
With love and solidarity from the Madison Song Circle
and the Solidarity Sing Along, Madison, Wisconsin
chorus:
Forward together!
Forward together!
Forward together!
Not one step back! (x2)
Those who went before us
Fought and died for our civil rights.
We're not gonna let 'em go,
Not without a fight!
Those who went before us
Thought voting was a civil right.
We're not gonna let it go,
Not without a fight!
Those who went before us
Thought education was a human right.
We're not gonna let it go,
Not without a fight.
Those who went before us
Thought clean water was a human right.
We're not gonna let it go,
Not without a fight!
NEW VERSE (June 14, 2013):
Those who went before us
Thought choice was a woman's right
We're not gonna let it go,
Not without a fight!
~Mary Ray Worley ©2013
****
RELATED LINK
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/04/1213181/-Black-Kos-Tuesday-s-Chile
Mega Moral Monday—the "Forward Together" movement grows.
Commentary by Black Kos Editor Denise Oliver-Velez.
Hat tip to Denise Oliver-Velez & her post for alerting me to the Moral Monday Movement.
****
Thanks to all who are involved in the North Carolina Moral Monday Movement. Thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
"Moral Monday" is the name of a broad based, multi-racial coalition of organizations and individuals that since April 2013 have been protesting the agenda of the Republican led General Assembly of North Carolina (United States). Persons supporting this movement convene on Mondays at the North Carolina General Assembly to protest Republican policies on social programs, health care, education, voting rights, criminal justice, and taxes. To date, more than 300 people have been arrested for unlawful assembly during these protests.
This post presents my transcriptions of three excerpts of Moral Monday speeches that were made by the head of that coalition, Rev. Dr. William Barber,II. Rev. Dr. Barber is also the head of the North Carolina NAACP.
These speech excerpts are found in a video that was published on YouTube on May 24, 2013. That video is also included in that post.
In my opinion, these speech excerpts-and particularly the last one-should be considered in the same category of great civil rights speeches as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have A Dream Speech".
This post also includes my transcription of a song which is partially sung three times during that same video. I think that song is entitled "Walking On In Love".
**
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and inspirational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Disclaimer: Although I fully support the goals of this movement, I'm not directly involved in the Moral Monday Movement. I'm transcribing these excerpts on my own, with no coordination from or prior knowledge of that movement.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO:
Crowds Grow and Arrests Continue at NC General Assembly | Moral Monday 4th Wave
William J. Barber, II, Published on May 24, 2013
May 20th, 2013 - In this 4th week of public protests on what has come to be known as "Moral Mondays", 57 are arrested and larger crowds gather at the North Carolina General Assembly to voice their opposition to regressive legislation.
****
WORDS FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA MORAL MONDAY MOVEMENT
The titles of these excerpts were given by me. The time stamps given in parenthesis indicate when these excerpts were said on the video which is embedded above.
Each of these excerpts were part of speeches [spoken word/exhortations] that were made by Rev. Dr. William Barber,II, Head of North Carolina's NAACP. Transcription by Azizi Powell from the video. Additions & corrections are welcome.
Here's biographical information about Rev. Dr. William Barber from http://www.law.unc.edu/documents/poverty/conference/speaker_bios_summit.pdf [retrieved 6/4/2013]
"Rev. Dr. William Barber is president of the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP. He serves as pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church Disciples of Christ in Goldsboro, a 120-year-old congregation with over 400 members and 30 active ministries. He is chairperson of the Rebuilding Broken Places Community Development Corporation, a non-profit organization involved with building affordable single family homes and senior citizen housing and providing job training, affordable child care, and inner city revitalization in Goldsboro.
Barber has held adjunct faculty positions at both Duke University and North Carolina Central University, and is the author of the book Preaching Through Unexpected Pain. He graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Public Administration from NC Central University, earned his Master of Divinity from the Duke Divinity School, and his doctoral degree from Drew University in Madison, NJ. He has served as executive director for the NC Human Relations Commission, appointed by Governor James B. Hunt, and is a noted advocate for social justice issues in North Carolina."
-snip-
Rev. Dr. Barber is a tall, middle aged Black man who In this video he wears a black clerical robe with a red stole, each side of which has an embroidery of a white intricate cross inside a golden crown.
RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW (.011-.022)
[Rev. Dr. William Barber,II, May 20, 2013 outside the building of the North Carolina General Assembly; The crowd's words are given in parenthesis]
It feels like a movement.
(It feels like a movement)
Right here in North Carolina
(Right here in North Carolina)
Right here
(Right here)
Right now
(Right now)
Right here
( Right here)
Right now
(Right now)
Right here
( Right here)
Right now
(Right now)
*The video started with the second line. This first line is what I presume was said.
****
FORWARD TOGETHER (.023-1:04)
[Speaker - Rev. Dr. Barber; Place: indoor auditorium or room, no date not indicated]
"Love and justice has never lost.
It might get crucified.
[a crowd of mostly White people of various ages makes affirmative responses such as “That’s right.” and “Yes”]
It might get beat down.
But at the end of the day
When the game is over,
And the dust settles,
Justice and love always win.
[crowds clap and cheers]
So get your head up.
It’s time to walk. It’s time to march. It’s time to say
FORWARD TOGETHER
(crowd responds: Forward Together!)
Not one step back.
(Not one step back.)
FORWARD TOGETHER
(Forward Together!)
Not
one
step
back.
(Not one step back.)
AAAAH!"
****
IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP! (7:05 -8:46)
[Speaker - Rev. Dr: Barber; Place & date same as above.]
"They are making it harder for poor and working people and those who get sick to get health care.
They are making it harder for children to get an education.
They are making it harder for the incarcerated to be redeemed.
They are making it harder for people to vote.
And then they are tryin to make it easier for the wealthy to get wealthier,
for the sick to get sicker, for the private schools to flourish, and to implement a flawed death penalty.
And they are tryin to make it easier to get guns.
This is cruel.
[One male voice from the audience - "Yeah!"
It’s unusual.
[Same voice - "Yeah!"
It’s mean.
[Same voice - "Yeah!"
It’s extreme.
[A number of voices - "Yeah!", "That's right."
And it’s a denial of equal protection under the law.
[Audience applauds with some affirmations.]
And it’s time for all North Carolinians to wake up. Whether you’re red, black, yellow, or white,
it’s time to WAKE UP!
[Audience begins cheering]
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
WAKE UP!
[The audience begins a call & response chant:
1st group begins -Wake up! (clap clap)
2nd group responds “Wake up!” (clap clap)
Reverend - Wake up!
Audience: Wake up (clap clap)
Wake up (clap clap)
One person (Reverend?) says Wake up!
Wake up (clap clap)
Wake up (clap clap)
People*, the matter is that they are driving us down a road backwards
with old South politics.
These are the George Wallace type of interposition and nullification in the 21st century.
We are in the fight now because this is no game.
Real people’s lives will be affected.
Don’t make this about Black or White. This is about right and wrong.
So If you thought that you had a fight a month ago , you ain’t seen nothing yet. "
[Audience cheers.]
*I'm unsure of this transcription. Reverend Dr. Barber may have said "The truth of the matter is..."
****
SONG FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA MORAL MONDAY MOVEMENT
WALKING ON IN LOVE
[Two African American women sing portions of this song three times during the video embedded above.
Transcription by Azizi Powell from the video. Additions & corrections are welcome.]
(1:07 -1:22)
I’m gonna hold my head up.
Walking on in love
My mind is made up
I’m on my way up
First singer -I gonna hold
Second singer overlaps first singer with the words - head up
Both -Walking on in love
****
(3:52-4:22)
Walking on in love
My mind is made up
I’m on my way up
I gonna hold my head up
Walking on in love
my mind is made up
I said I’m on my way up
I gonna hold my head up
Walking on in love
****
(8:49-to end of the video)
We’re gonna hold our heads up
Walking on in love
-snip-
I've not found any information about this song online. If you know something about this song & the name of its composer/s and its singers, please add a comment to this post.
RELATED VIDEOS
[Updated July 9, 2013]
Example #1: "Change is Coming!" | June 17th Moral Monday Protest
William J. Barber, II, Published on Jun 19, 2013
June 17th, 2013 - In this 7th Wave of Moral Monday Protests, thousands gather and 84 people are arrested for speaking out against regressive legislation at the North Carolina General Assembly.
-snip-
Here's a summary of a no longer available video about the Moral Monday Movement:
151 People Arrested at NAACP Protest Against North Carolina GOP Policies!!
posted by TheDiseasedManiac, Published on Jun 4, 2013
RALEIGH, N.C. — A growing group of protesters converged on the state legislature Monday, in what some are calling "Mega Moral Monday," to protest the agenda of the Republican-led General Assembly.
It was the fifth and largest demonstration planned by the state chapter of the NAACP and other civil rights groups to protest GOP policies on social programs, education, criminal justice and taxes.
Police estimated that roughly 1,000 people attended a rally late Monday afternoon behind the Legislative Building on Halifax Mall. Hundreds then entered the building. Upwards of 150 people were arrested outside the doors to the state Senate chambers, where demonstrators chanted, sang and delivered speeches decrying what they called a regressive agenda that neglects the poor.
Activist groups estimated the crowd at about 1,600.
The NAACP has been holding weekly protests in Raleigh since mid-April, and what started with 17 arrests and tens of supporters back then has grown every week, bringing the total number of arrests to nearly 300 after five weeks of protests.
"The people are awake now, and we have decided to stand up," state NAACP chapter president Rev. William Barber told the crowd Monday. "We are a movement. This is not a moment."
Groups ranging from abortion-rights supporters to environmentalists and public educators have joined the rallies, which have attracted people from Greensboro to Rocky Mount.
Protesters have been seeking to call attention to the rightward shift of the state legislature, which was dominated for decades by moderate Democrats.
Thus far, Republican lawmakers say those groups have a right to protest but are not swaying lawmakers.
"We are keeping our promises to voters, and that is what we are doing," said state Sen. Thom Goolsby, a Republican from Wilmington. "The Democrats totally bankrupted our state and we were trying to fix it."
-snip-
It's interesting to see protesters including African American Spirituals as part of their protest repertory -along with call & response chants & unison chants. In one brief portion of this video, the protestors can be heard singing the Spiritual", "This Little Light Of Mine".
Adapted spirituals were an integral part of the civil rights movement of the mid 1960s, but, according to my recollection, the use of Spirituals in protests in the United States was discontinued after that.
****
Example #2: Forward Together
Mary Ray WorleyPublished on Jun 5, 2013
Dedicated to the Moral Mondays protesters in
Raleigh, North Carolina
With love and solidarity from the Madison Song Circle
and the Solidarity Sing Along, Madison, Wisconsin
chorus:
Forward together!
Forward together!
Forward together!
Not one step back! (x2)
Those who went before us
Fought and died for our civil rights.
We're not gonna let 'em go,
Not without a fight!
Those who went before us
Thought voting was a civil right.
We're not gonna let it go,
Not without a fight!
Those who went before us
Thought education was a human right.
We're not gonna let it go,
Not without a fight.
Those who went before us
Thought clean water was a human right.
We're not gonna let it go,
Not without a fight!
NEW VERSE (June 14, 2013):
Those who went before us
Thought choice was a woman's right
We're not gonna let it go,
Not without a fight!
~Mary Ray Worley ©2013
****
RELATED LINK
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/04/1213181/-Black-Kos-Tuesday-s-Chile
Mega Moral Monday—the "Forward Together" movement grows.
Commentary by Black Kos Editor Denise Oliver-Velez.
Hat tip to Denise Oliver-Velez & her post for alerting me to the Moral Monday Movement.
****
Thanks to all who are involved in the North Carolina Moral Monday Movement. Thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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