This was Moral Monday 18. This one was a “Youth” led event complaining about SB 589 also known as VIVA. The turn out was the biggest event ever! About two dozen turned out from the looks of the ABC 11 shot:

#MoralMonday 18 underway at Baptist church on Wilmington #NAACP #ABC11 pic.twitter.com/qzISocX73o

— AngelicaAlvarezABC11 (@AlvarezABC11) September 16, 2013

Protest Fatigue or have they worn out their welcome like Occupy? Maybe both.
I found two live streams of the event and both kept the camera zoomed in on the speaker. When they did pan, all 3 or so dozen people were clapping wildly and I am including the throng around the podium in that assessment. (Stream 1, Stream 2)

By the way, Reverend Barber got up last and went on to talk about the Birmingham bombing. Barber went on to say that the blood of those 4 girls who were murdered in Birmingham 50 years ago was now on the hands of the members of the NCGA, Speaker Tillis and Governor McCrory.

“The blood of the martyrs and these four girls still cry out..it cries out against you today Governor McCory, Speaker Tillis, Senate Leader Berger…for attacking voting rights and defunding public education.

This blood cries out against you, Senator Apodaca, when you refer to the voting rights act as a headache.

This blood cries out against you Representative Lewis – who chaired the committee…to roll back voting rights.”

– Reverend Barber, Moral Monday 18, 9/16/13

SERIOUSLY?

Barber got up and used the memory of the horrible events that took those girls lives and exploited it for his own immediate political purposes; total lack of self awareness that he was in turn using those kids up on that stage with him. As I stated previously, that event 50 years ago has ZERO to to with VIVA, voter ID or students voting in North Carolina. It is merely Barber’s hallmark shameless race baiting instead of actually using facts of the case at hand.  I know, I know.. SHUT UP YOU RACIST.

Well, the sermon then adjourned and the 3 or so dozen headed up the street to protest at the Governors mansion. Here’s a shot of the “youth led” gang departing:

The NAACP says HUNDREDS turned out. No, maybe 50 though:

100s of people march on #MoralMonday to gov’s mansion to demand #studentvotingrights and #defendpubliceducation pic.twitter.com/PJc2jijwy4

— NC NAACP (@ncnaacp) September 16, 2013

ABC 11 isn’t estimating at this point but point out the caskets. Yes, CASKETS. Serious drama folks – kids AND props today. What a sideshow.

They’ve reached the Executive Mansion, caskets and all #MoralMonday #ABC11 pic.twitter.com/teu6mx5p36

— AngelicaAlvarezABC11 (@AlvarezABC11) September 16, 2013

If you can’t see the picture well in that tweet, here it is larger:

After this, the bullhorn came out and “FORWARD! NOW!” and “EDUCATION” were shouted with a crowd chorus that sounded unenthused. Can’t blame them.

THANK YOU to Carolina Plott Hound for linking!