Justice

"Justice is what love looks like in public"

An alert pops up on my computer...It's July 2, and the NC House has just attached an anti-choice bill to an anti-sharia bill. My 17 yo stepson sits next to me on the couch, patting my arm and listening to me rant.

"I'll go put gas in the car," he says, "What time do you want to leave?"

We start the three hour drive the next morning. Among the way we discuss being arrested. To ask for a lawyer, say nothing else. Don't fight or resist. Call your Dad, he's waiting by the phone...we don't know what we are heading into.

We were heading into the most amazing experience of a lifetime.

"Tell me what you want, what you really want...JUSTICE!"

Moral Monday had become a driving force in North Carolina, and was moving into national awareness. Gathering up those from every walk of life, it served to contrast with the decided immoral actions of the legislature. Voter suppression laws, some of the worst in the country. Cutting unemployment in half. Education cuts that demolishes any illusion of caring for the children. Bringing back fracking. Allowing guns on playgrounds...the list is long.

And here we were, two atheists from hours away. And we belonged.

Our first Witness Wednesday

"Tell me what democracy looks like...THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE"

We walked around the crowds of thousands, gathering signatures on a petition. We passed out buttons and signs. We stood in the sun and the heat, and when Rev. Barber, the leader of the NC NAACP, asked us to turn to our neighbor and thank them and make sure they were okay in the heat, we did.

My baby. "Do they realize that I'll get to vote in October when I turn 18?" he asks me, "Do they realize I won't vote for them?"

NC Legislature hurting thousands

"A people united can never be defeated"

We are standing a vigil in front of the governor's mansion. Cars honk and people wave as they drive by. Tomorrow McCrory will actually talk to us--after signing the anti-abortion bill--by walking across the street with a plate of chocolate chip cookies, and say, over and over, "God bless."

But today we standing vigil, my teen and I. A reporter comes by, does her interviews...she asks my kid "So, has being here changed anything for you?"

His eyes flash. "Yes, my goals have changed."

"Oh? How so?"

His head turns, and he gives the mansion a hard stare. "One day I'm going to live in there," he says, then turns back to the reporter, "and I'm going to help change the world."

"Forward together"

The crowd was well over 5000 strong. Pride flags waved next to Veterans for Peace flags. The red shirts were the teachers. Pink and purple was Planned Parenthood. The ACLU was there, so was Greenpeace. The NAACP was organizing everything. Religious leaders of all stripes were there. So many causes, so many people...united for justice.

We march through Raleigh. Ten across. It took 20 minutes for us to get to the street. Before us, behind us...people. We pass the legislative building...

"Tell me what hypocrisy looks like? THAT is what hypocrisy looks like!"

The March was lead by many of the over 900 people who had been arrested for civil disobedience in the previous weeks. Standing with them were those legislators that had fought against the bills being pushed through.

Moral Mondays in Review

"Read the end of the story..."

"I'm part of history." says my teen. "Look at all these people. I've gotten fired up at sporting events, but this..." He takes a breath, "this is amazing."

The march ends in front of the Capitol building. "Do we have to go home yet? I want to go back to the vigil in front of the mansion."

I am tired. Sore. My kid is asking to spend another few hours in front of the governor's mansion with a bunch of strangers. To speak up for women's rights.

"Of course we can go back!"

There are those who think religion is the only basis for morality. Who think a person without beliefs can have no moral compass.

"FORWARD TOGETHER"

Justice is the basis of morality. Speaking out against injustice is a moral duty. Holding your government accountability is how we protect our rights.

"NOT ONE STEP BACK"

What did we do on our summer vacation? This atheist, homeschooling family did civics in a big way. We marched. We protested. Signed petitions. As part of a larger community. For all our human rights. This summer a child became a man--because he understood human dignity. Because he stood up when others back away. He exercised his constitutional rights on behalf of others. Civics 101? Been there, have the t-shirt. Seriously, he has the t-shirt.

"FORWARD TOGETHER, NOT ONE STEP BACK"