BY ALISE CHAFFINS
On Sunday afternoon, Mountaineers Indivisible Citizen Action hosted the Good Neighbors Rally for Faith and Democracy. There was a march from the Farmer’s Market Pavilion on Spruce Street to the Ruby Amphitheater at Hazel Ruby McQuain Park. This event was a response to the May 17th event in Washington, D.C., where America was publicly rededicated as a Christian nation.
The rally, meant to highlight the rise of Christian Nationalist ideology in American politics, was emceed by local musician and radio host Aristotle Jones. It featured music, food trucks, tables for various local and state organizations, and speakers from various religious traditions in and around Morgantown.
Some of the tables at the event included Rainbow House, Justice and Jubilee, and the ACLU, all offering opportunities for community involvement. Democratic candidates Ace Parsi and Rachel Fetty Anderson were also in attendance.
The primary purpose of the rally was for the speakers. While each of the speakers focused on specific areas they deemed as under attack by the Trump administration, all emphasized the necessity of the separation between church and state. Reverend Jenny Williams of Justice and Jubilee spoke about John Wesley, the father of the Methodist Church, who preached in the streets rather than in church buildings, saying he committed to being “more vile.”
Monsignor Paul Hudock of Immaculate Conception in Clarksburg spoke about the four guiding principles of the Roman Catholic Church’s social teachings concerning the rights of workers. The third speaker was Father Michael Delk, Rector at St. Thomas à Becket Episcopal Church. He spoke about the Episcopal tradition’s desire to uplift the dignity of every human being.
Following a performance from the Osage Gospel and Soul Choir, there were an additional three speakers. Rabbi Joe Hample of the Tree of Life Congregation in Morgantown spoke about immigration and the words from Jewish poet Emma Lazarus engraved on the Statue of Liberty. Reverend Zac Morton of First Presbyterian focused on the value of education, while Reverend Stephen Lowe of the Morgantown Church of the Brethren spoke about the need to approach those on the margins of society with care and dignity.
To close out the rally, the local chapter of Beer and Hymns performed a blend of hymns and protest songs.
MICA is a peaceful, grassroots citizen organization based in Morgantown. Its mission is to safeguard democratic principles and institutions through organized citizen action, informed advocacy and community engagement. The event was also sponsored by the WV Faith Collective, the Morgantown/Kingwood chapter of the NAACP, and the Community Coalition for Social Justice. You can visit MountaineersIndivisible.org for more information about their organization.
