Yesterday the Reverend Dr. William Barber, who is the Chair of the NAACP’s Legislative Action Committee, as well as a bishop, decided he’d had enough of people who actively work to stymie the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s goals and objectives and then selectively quote MLK. In this case it was Tennessee’s new governor Bill Lee. Including several gratuitous shots about what Dr. King would have thought of the President’s proposed wall. I’ll give Governor Lee credit, he sat their and took his medicine without so much as a spoon full of sugar. Here’s Bishop Barber bringing the heat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnHxPOEnu28
Every potential Democratic candidate for office in 2020, regardless of the office they’re running for, should be taking notes from Bishop Barber.
That’s going to leave several marks!
Open thread!
MomSense
Rev Dr Barber is a national treasure. He shows us what is possible with faith.
Adam L Silverman
@MomSense: When he took his coat of I thought he might also show us what is possible with a chair shot.
Suzanne
I just think the world of Dr. Barber. There are so many people who claim to be Christian for personal gain and aggrandizement and to use it as a social cudgel. It’s inspiring to see what real faith looks like and what it can do.
MomSense
@Adam L Silverman:
Ha! Like he said, he doesn’t play.
cmorenc
I hope Dr. Barber’s body is able to stay as healthy as his mind and voice – he’s a national treasure we need going forward. But he does look worrisomely like a heart attack waiting to happen during one of his righteous speeches.
His home church was in Goldsboro, NC – a very red area of N.C.
donnah
Mike Pence could use a little time with Dr Barber.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
“I’m too old to play”
Adam L Silverman
@cmorenc: He has a chronic inflammatory disease that cause the bloating and the hunch in his back: ankylosing spondylitis.
Mike in NC
Been following Reverend Barber’s actions in Raleigh for a few years now. Happily we got rid of spineless Governor Pat McCrory and the current Tea Party GOP legislature keeps losing seats. We’ll see what happens in 2020…
Mike E
@cmorenc: believe it or not, he’s lost a lot of weight! I do agree, though, he is our champion and hopefully can maintain his health for this fight
Jim, Foolish Literalist
oh man, his white politician voice…
at about 13 minutes
Sab
@Adam L Silverman: Yikes. How does he keep up the pace of his activities dealing with that?
zhena gogolia
@Sab:
The power of the Holy Spirit.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Mike in NC:
That McCrony was such a right-wing reactionary pretending to be a moderate empty suit. He’s such a dick he was complaining about the numbers of POC candidates/officials in Charlotte or something before the midterms, saying it was white discrimination.
I saw an article with some GOP functionary in NC and he was claiming that independents in the state traditionally voted for the GOP. Since they were an increasing share of the electorate, that meant it was all roses for the party.
Martin
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Yeah, that was perfect. Good on him.
Mike in NC
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: More Democrats than Republicans here but thanks to gerrymandering the Congressional districts are deeply screwed up. For now at least.
Adam L Silverman
@Sab: He’s got a lot of internal drive.
Adam L Silverman
@zhena gogolia: That too!
Ruckus
Not big on preachers.
Sometimes exceptions have to be made.
This is absolutely one of those times. If I was running for office I’d want him on my side. If I was running now or in the future and didn’t have him on my side, it would be best to just go home and ponder what the hell I was thinking.
Jackie
Amen Dr Barber!!!
I wish they’d scanned the crowd to show who stood. And who didn’t. All we can see is the one sitting directly behind him who stayed seated.
Eric NNY
He’s just amazing.
oldster
This should be the dictionary entry for the phrase “speak to truth to power.”
Jerry
@Jackie:
I believe that was the governor of Tennessee that remained in his seat.
mr gravity
@Jackie: Tennessee’s newly-elected republican governor Bill Lee. He looks very uncomfortable because he is a Trump supporter and a supposedly devout Christian who must be pretty conflicted in that particular setting.
The Fat Kate Middleton
I have never listened to a speech of his that has not lifted me up. He is an American hero.