Moral Mondays inspire NYC action

The summer Moral Monday demonstrations at the N.C. General Assembly served as inspiration for protesters across the country, including in New York City — which saw its own demonstration Monday.

Protesters gathered at Federal Hall in New York City in response to the federal shutdown and spoke about social justice issues like poverty, environmental justice and reproductive rights.

The event was started by Occupy Faith NYC. The Rev. Donna Schaper, senior minister at Judson Memorial Church, which has been central to the Occupy Faith movement, and an organizer of the event, said she heard about the protests from friends in North Carolina and was encouraged to start Moral Mondays in New York.

“This is a moral issue to see if my life as a middle-class person is linked to a person with not many choices,” she said.

Schaper said there were about 200 people at the event, with a mix of religious advocates and former Occupy Wall Street protestors. She also said later protests might move to Tuesday.

Kaori Sueyoshi, a UNC junior who was arrested in North Carolina’s protests during the summer, said she is excited the demonstrations are spreading.

“That kind of protest and urgency is universal across state lines,” Sueyoshi said.

Activist Jamie Sohn, who participated in North Carolina’s demonstrations, said she planned to see a protest the next time she visits her family in New York.

“If nonviolent peaceful protest can spread, I’m psyched,” she said.

While the New York event’s Facebook page said there were no plans for civil disobedience, Schaper said that option was not off the table.

“Civil disobedience says you are morally furious,” she said. “We want to add moral furiousness.”

She said her event is one of many other Moral Monday-style events acrosss the country.

The Rev. William Barber, N.C. NAACP president, said he thinks the message of Moral Mondays makes it universally appealing.

He said he’s heard from people in California, Ohio and Washington, D.C., who are interested in holding Moral Monday demonstrations in their areas.

“This notion of treating issues with our deepest morality and consistent with our values has deep resonance,” he said.

Barber said that his organization will host a summit for those interested in holding versions of Moral Monday in late November.

“What I say to people is you really have to think about what you are focusing on — think about people,” he said.

The next such protest in New York City is scheduled for Oct. 21. Schaper said she wants New York’s demonstrations to reach out to political moderates, like North Carolina’s protests did.

“We want to unmuddle the middle and help them understand how rough life is for people already knocked down.”

state@dailytarheel.com