NC Religious Leaders and NC NAACP To Issue Moral Call to Action

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

21 April 2013

For More Information:        Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, President, 919-394-8137

      Mrs. Amina J. Turner, Executive Director, 919-682-4700

For Media Assistance:        Rob Stephens, Field Secretary, 336-577-9335

"What does the Lord require of you?  Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God."-Micah 6:8

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."-Matthew 25:40

We are at a Moral Crossroads. Join us as we call our people to prayer.  Join us to call the General Assembly to reject the Moral Low Ground.  Join us to discuss the Moral High Ground of Nonviolent Protest and Peaceful Assembly to Reject the Old South.

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RALEIGH - A group of clergy, theologians and North Carolina NAACP President Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II will hold a news conference on Monday morning, April 22, 2013 at 10 a.m. at the N.C. General Assembly Press Room, 16 W. Jones Street, Raleigh, NC.

            The faith leaders will issue a Call To Action to all People of Good Will of North Carolina to protest the immoral, mean-spirited, extremist and unconstitutional attacks against African-Americans, Latinos, poor and working people, women, students, and the elderly launched by the far right.  These immoral attacks must be met with peaceful, non-violent moral witnesses, led by women and men of the Cloth. All clergy are also invited to sign on to an Open Letter issued by clergy last week by clicking here. 

"The Moral Crossroads"

            On July 1, 2013, over 170,000 out of work North Carolinians will be cut off from their unemployment insurance, and more jobless people are targeted in the months to come.  The extremists rejected $700 million from the U.S. Government, based on political petulance.

            On January 1, 2014, over 500,000 North Carolinians will wake up without health insurance, because the extremists rejected U.S. Government funds that would pay 100% of the bill for the next 3 years and 90% for the next 10 years, based on petty ideological politics.

            While the extremists lower taxes for the rich and big corporations, they raise taxes on 900,000 poor and working people by reducing Tax Credits that give more take home money for working families.

            Although the Speaker of the NC House of Representatives said there was no problem with voter fraud on national TV, he could not control the extremists' efforts to place roadblocks on the path to the polls for people they are targeting with their mean-spirited policies.  They plan to vote on their new "poll tax" plan this week--disguised as voter photo ID.  All objective observers say their plans, which include reducing early voting, banning Sunday voting, ending same day registration, and requiring a photo ID, are a clear attack on students, minorities and the elderly.    

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Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.