Religious leaders look to carry the burden of political failings as a rally led by churches against the Trump administration’s actions will take place this Saturday in downtown Madison.
The protest — “Resist Gov’t Cruelty” — is a silent protest organized by local Christians. Its message is to love thy neighbor as yourself, as the commandment states, in an effort to call for empathy against rising militarism, climate destruction, Christian nationalism, erosion of democracy and masked ICE agents.
David Couper, former Madison Police chief who is now a priest in the Episcopal Church, brought together four other semi-retired members who attend the Holy Wisdom Monastery Sunday Assembly. They looked at the current political climate and they decided to take some action.
“What we really intend here is to try to spark a fire,” Couper said. “Progressive people who identify themselves as lovers of democracy and civil rights and community and acceptance of diversity as the strength of this nation will come together and say, ‘This has got to stop.’”
Couper highlights the historical intersection of the church with protest and democracy. He points to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He grew up in a time when there was great respect from the community for religious leaders with the expectation for them to speak up on behalf of the people.
While times have changed, Couper feels and believes he is with the general consensus of the people and that our current representatives are not taking up their responsibilities to speak out.
“Who will speak for us? Do we look to Congress? I mean the public support of Congress is now what, 10%, 15% less in the last Gallup poll,” Couper said. “We don’t see our leaders as leading us anymore. If not now, when? Who among us will do it, or who will step forward to?”
A demonstration — “Take Up Your Cross” — will take place during the protest, symbolizing the weight of responsibility to bear by religious leaders for the people. Couper and the other members will carry a large wooden cross they built, “taking up a cross” as he called it, from Lake Street to the Wisconsin State Capitol.
“I think the idea of the concept of taking up your cross is, in fact, for everyone,” he said. “What are the burdens that we bear that we will stand up for and even suffer for? That’s Christian interpretation of that.”
The action is symbolic of taking a stand for justice, Couper said. He thinks it may turn some people off, using a holy symbol in protest form, but hopes people can look past only its religious significance and understand its historical power in its use to work against oppressive political powers of the past.
Resist Gov’t Cruelty will kick off with Take Up Your Cross at 11 a.m. at the intersection of State and Lake Street on Aug. 2.
