| The Rev. William J. Barber II recently visited Brunswick, Ga., to pray with the family of Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed jogger who was shot and killed in February 2020 after being chased by three White men, William "Roddie" Bryan, Greg McMichael and Travis McMichael. All three are currently standing trial for murder. After Barber's visit, defense attorney Kevin Gough asked the judge to "to bar any more 'Black pastors' from attending the trial." "The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) did not ordain me to be a Black pastor," Barber writes in response. "I am a pastor, called to serve all of God's children without regard to race, creed or culture. When Gough argued that the presence of Black pastors is intimidating, his words suggested that Blackness itself is a threat." "This is telling because, to me, it seems that the three men on trial found Arbery's Blackness intimidating as well," Barber explains. The judge denied the attorney's request, calling it "reprehensible." But as Barber points out, the objection "cuts to the heart of a dangerous mind-set in our society" — one that extends far beyond the trial in Brunswick.  (Pool/Reuters) When a defense attorney argued that the presence of Black pastors is intimidating, his words suggested that Blackness itself is a threat. By The Rev. William J. Barber II ● Read more » | | | | Wen's Q&A with readers starts at 1 p.m. ET on Thursday. Submit your questions now. Reader Q&A ● By Leana S. Wen ● Read more » | | | | A split remains over Pope Francis's vision. By E.J. Dionne Jr. ● Read more » | | | A new mining road in Alaska's remote Brooks Range would invite industrial traffic into the backyards of villagers who often don't even have running water in their homes. By John Gaedeke ● Read more » | | | | Gosar killed his colleague in a cartoon. McCarthy is killing democracy in real life. By Dana Milbank ● Read more » | | | | They'll defend Paul Gosar, but punish any of their number who voted for the infrastructure bill. By Paul Waldman and Greg Sargent ● Read more » | | | | The president's compassion is his political superpower, and his infrastructure tour shows he can still use it. By Karen Tumulty ● Read more » | | | | The Kyle Rittenhouse trial has offered an up-close look at the ways in which corruption — or at least ineptitude — can flourish from the bench. By Christine Emba ● Read more » | | | There has never been a better time to be a woman or minority Republican than today. By Henry Olsen ● Read more » | | | | The expected score for Build Back Better's tax-compliance efforts is conservative to the point of implausibility. By Lawrence H. Summers ● Read more » | | | | Republicans laugh as we convince ourselves this is the greatest economic crisis in human history. By Paul Waldman ● Read more » | | | | Trump's ideology already rules the GOP. But his name on the 2024 ticket could threaten it. By Gary Abernathy ● Read more » | | | |
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