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U.S. NEWS Monday 5 February 2018

‘Poor People’s Campaign’ readies nationwide mobilization

By MARTHA WAGGONER “I feel very positive that the
Associated Press real heroes and heroines of
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The our country are coming to-
renewed version of the gether to cross all kinds of
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s lines that usually divide us
campaign to lift poor peo- like race, gender, econom-
ple is holding its first nation- ic status, political party.”
al mobilization, with actions Leslie Boyd of Candler has
and events planned Mon- followed Barber since he
day in 32 states and the na- began the “Moral Mon-
tion’s capital. day” protest movement in
Poor people, clergy and North Carolina almost five
activists in the Poor Peo- years ago. Her son, Mike
ple’s Campaign plan to Danforth, was 33 when he
deliver letters to politicians died of colon cancer in
in state Capitol buildings 2008 because he lacked
demanding that leaders insurance even though he
confront what they call sys- had a job and couldn’t af-
temic racism evidenced in ford the yearly colonosco-
voter suppression laws and pies that he needed.
poverty rates. Her hope for the campaign
Among those who have is that it changes what she
signed on to the campaign sees as a national narrative
is the Rev. John Mendez, that not only blames the
pastor of Emmanuel Bap- poor for the poverty but
tist Church in Winston-Sa- uses religion to do so. Too
lem, North Carolina, who In this March 28, 1968, file photo, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rev. Ralph Abernathy, right, lead a many people believe that
recalled protesting in New march on behalf of striking Memphis, Tennessee, sanitation workers. “if you were a good per-
York City in the 1960s. Associated Press son, Jesus would bless you,”
“I’ve been waiting for al- few months later and “no- Senate Majority Leader anniversary of the sanita- she said.
most 50 years for this to ac- body really picked it up” Mitch McConnell, said the tion workers’ strike that U.S. Census figures show
tually happen,” said Men- until now, Mendez said. campaign is building to- brought King to Memphis, that the poverty rate
dez, 68. The letters to politicians call ward a “season of direct where he was assassinated among blacks was 22 per-
The campaign is especially for a new course in govern- action and civil disobedi- — fast-food cooks and ca- cent in 2016, while it was
important now because ment. ence” that begins on May shiers plan to walk off their almost 9 percent among
the leaders who don’t want “Our faith traditions and 13 and continues through jobs in Memphis to support whites.
to help the poor “should state and federal constitu- June 21, the anniversary higher wages and union But in sheer numbers, al-
not have a free hand to tions all testify to the immo- of the slayings of three civil rights. most 17.5 million white peo-
say and do whatever they rality of an economy that rights workers in 1964 in Phil- Protesters plan to march ple are classified as living in
want and there be no resis- leaves out the poor, yet our adelphia, Mississippi. from Clayborn Temple poverty, compared to 8.7
tance,” he said. political discourse consis- The actions, including a to Memphis City Hall, the million blacks.
Led by the Revs. William tently ignores the 140 mil- poverty tour, will be fol- same route the sanitation The U.S. poverty rate was
Barber of North Carolina lion poor and low-income lowed by more work as part workers took. almost 13 percent in 2016.
and Liz Theoharis of New people in America,” the of a multiyear campaign to The most important part of “It’s not immoral to be
York, the campaign official- letter states. build power “among the the campaign is that the poor,” said Boyd, 65.
ly began Dec. 4, 50 years Barber, who will be among poorest and most power- people who are hurting be- “It’s immoral to make peo-
after King started the first the group that delivers let- less communities,” he add- cause of poverty and rac- ple poor with our actions
Poor People’s Campaign. ters to the office of House ed. ism are its leaders, Theoha- as a government and as a
King was assassinated a Speaker Paul Ryan and And on Feb. 12 — the 50th ris said. people.”q

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