Opinion: Why now is the time for North Carolina Democrats to break the silence

Greensboro pastor C.J. Brinson says Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s infamous—but ultimately correct—anti-Vietnam speech should encourage North Carolina Democrats like Gov. Josh Stein to have more courage. 

In a time when we are all looking for our leaders to stand up for us and set an example of what our society can and should be, I want to remind people of the example of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The anniversary of his murder this month — April 4, 1968 — should remind all of us of his sacrifice and courage. 

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And I want to contrast that with the recent actions of Democrats across the country, but particularly North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein.

Gov. Stein gave his “State of the State” address last month. To hear him tell it, North Carolina is “strong” and things seem to be going well. While he rightly calls out the devastating healthcare cuts being considered by Congress, he has been mostly silent around core issues that face us as North Carolinians. 

We need strong leadership for a truly bold education plan, a commitment to protect immigrants at a time when federal law enforcement is bypassing the rights of those in our country — and a clear vision for criminal justice reform. 

Stein closed his address with unquestionable support for law enforcement. Yet there was no mention of addressing intra-communal violence as a public health concern or continued funding to combat it. Our court system disproportionately convicts innocent people of color while protecting law enforcement officials who kill Black people.

You might say, Gov. Stein has no real power because of the General Assembly’s large Republican majorities. So what’s the point? 

For years, Democrats have promised the world to Black and brown communities and then worked hardest to secure the votes of moderate or even conservative white people. The state of our world shows us that the time to break away from the tradition of these racist-infused politics in the Democratic Party is now. 

The time is now for us, like Dr. King, to stand in the tradition of breaking the silence. 

Last week was the anniversary of Dr. King’s infamous speech “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break the Silence.” A speech delivered at the historic Riverside Church in Manhattan, New York on  April 4th, 1967  — one year before his death. “Beyond Vietnam” angered many Americans and may have led to his murder. King had a 75% disapproval rating  at the time of his death, attributable to his anti-Vietnam War stance.

Of course, Dr. King would later be vindicated on Vietnam and its toll on America and the Black community. 

It was his and others’ bold actions that began to turn the tide at incredible personal sacrifice. 

How does this relate to our politics today? We have to be unafraid to be vocal about what most Americans and North Carolinians want. Most voters of both parties agree on marijuana legalization, a higher minimum wage, more effective gun control and stronger unions, for example. As North Carolina’s attorney general in 2020, Gov. Stein said he wanted to take steps toward legalizing marijuana.   

Yet there is now complete silence surrounding the decriminalization of marijuana and criminal justice reform. Gov. Stein and others should be asking why North Carolinians can’t have a society that works for all of us while showing us how power works in Raleigh.

By failing to fight for us, Gov. Stein is selling out our most vulnerable communities to assuage racial insecurities held by many white folks. 

Democrats’ inability to stake out their positions and be bold in telling us about their vision of the future won’t bode well for them. If we as a nation seek to have any semblance of a democracy, we cannot continue in this tradition.

I fear history repeating itself.  As the national Democratic Party leadership moves to squash its progressive surge, they will look to states like North Carolina, which pride themselves on moderate racial politics, as a means to maintain social order. However, Dr. King referred to this style of politics as a barrier to social justice. The time comes for us to break away from this style of governance and build consensus around what King termed the three evils: racism, poverty, and militarism.  

King’s risk of breaking the silence was a break from the moderate politics of the Democratic Party, and the same courage is needed today right here in North Carolina. 

As we commemorate the anniversary of his innocent life being struck down, let us realize that democracy is on the line: Let North Carolina be the one be willing to break the silence on injustices that are hindering all of us. Only then can we truly usher in a time when there is “Liberty and Justice for All.”

Rev. C.J. Brinson is the Pastor of Umoja Church and is a clergy organizer in Greensboro, N.C. Follow him on Instagram. Contact [email protected] with comments or questions. This column is syndicated by Beacon Media and can be republished anywhere online or in print for free under Beacon Media’s guidelines.