A solemn silence surrounded State Street as Madison’s religious community marched to the Wisconsin state Capitol quietly in protest of government cruelty under the Trump administration on Aug. 2.
The protest, dubbed “Resist Government Cruelty: Take Up Your Cross,” was held this weekend as a few hundred protesters called for an end to actions by the current presidential administration that they deem cruel. Protesters called for elected officials to show empathy and fight against militarism, climate destruction, Christian nationalism, the erosion of democracy and masked ICE agents.
The groups met up at 11 a.m. at State and Lake Street with a wooden cross made by a few members of the Holy Wisdom Monastery Sunday Assembly. They marched, in complete silence with the heavy cross in hand, through the weekend’s busy farmers market as onlookers looked confused as to what was happening.
The protest was different from those in the past. Typically, protests are loud, bright events with chants that can be heard from blocks away. For Take Up Your Cross, it looked to embody the power and historical precedent of religious-led protests similar to those during the Civil Rights Era, from which its organizers pulled some inspiration.
“We’re standing in resistance of what we’re seeing in our nation, in our world, trying to carry a different picture into the future that includes all people that is a non-violent world, instead of a violent world,” said Femi Akinmoladun, a representative of Wisconsin Poor People’s Campaign and one of the few who held the cross at the rally.
Akinmoladun sees the current state of the nation as an inflection point where the meaning behind religious teachings has been misconstrued. He labels actions of the current administration as “blasphemy” and contrary to the teachings of Jesus.
“It’s backwards,” Akinmoladun said. “We have people lifting up Christian symbols and Christian identity and labeling it Christian, calling it Christianity, while putting a stamp on taking away Medicaid, or taking away food or taking away aid and resources that are causing people to literally die because of what we’re calling Christian.”
However, he still sees hope as more protests with strong community ties come together. He believes that changes will come through intergenerational solidarity and standing up for what is right.
Laureen Lusk notes how un-Christian-like cruelties have crept into her and her daughter’s lives.
Her daughter is 45 years old with autism and physical disabilities. She owns a condo on the west side, where she has worked two jobs for the past 28 years, to support herself, but still needs around 50 hours of support, Lusk said.
“Without that, she wouldn’t be safe in the community,” Lusk said. “We know that we’re fighting for her life and the lives of millions of people, elders who are going to be thrown out of nursing homes.”
Her daughter is reliant on help with cleaning herself, buying groceries, cooking, keeping up her home and transportation to and from her jobs. Lusk, who is in her mid-70s, cannot feasibly take care of their daughter in all that she needs help with at their age.
“I’m aging, and what happens if I can’t make it up the steps at her place?”
Lusk finds that the current elected officials are not living up to their promise to represent the people. She remembers in the ’60s, during the Vietnam War, how religious leaders would organize and protest with the people.
“I’m thinking, why isn’t it happening yet?” Lusk asked. “We’re going to let our voices be heard, and the fact that we’re joining now with all these communities is exactly what needs to happen to all the people that have had their blinders on.”
The protest broke up around noon. Many signed the cross that was planted on the state Capitol building lawn.
