“We are morally obligated to resist”

Hundreds of thousands of protestors took to the streets across the country Saturday with a unified message to the Trump Administration: “Hands off.”

The St. Louis region hosted its share of demonstrations against the administration’s plans and policies that range from the involvement of multi-billionaire Elon Musk in government matters, to the mass firing of federal workers, to the worsening economy.

Another rally that day not only called out the folly of Trump but urged attendees to fight back as if their very lives and those of others were at risk.

During the “Resist to Exist Rally” at St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC) on Hamilton Avenue, Congressman Wesley Bell and others challenged attendees to “fight back.”

Bell was joined by local preachers, politicians and dignitaries. Despite a steady drizzle outside, the sanctuary of the church was nearly full with an animated audience.

“If you go to a doctor and he pulls out a scalpel and starts cutting off arms and legs, poking your eyes out, saying, ‘don’t worry, you gonna be better’ … well, that’s what they are doing in Washington,” Adolphus M. Pruitt, president of the St. Louis City NAACP said in regard to cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

When Bell came to the podium he shared a story about a recent visit to the Edmond Pettus Bridge. After several Black young people were arrested during the 1965 “Bloody Sunday” police assault on peaceful protestors, they repeatedly asked when lawyers would arrive with their bail money.

Eventually, they were told their lawyer was locked up with them. Bell shared the tale to emphasize the importance of resistance and redemption stressing to the crowd, “we all have a role to play.”

“Today we must face some hard truths,” Bell said.

“Our democracy is under attack, and we must resist.”

Referencing the storm outside the church doors, Bell added, “It is just not a literal storm outside; it’s happening to us right now in Washington D.C and we must decide if we’re going to meet that storm together or be swept away by it.”

The congressman then took aim at billionaires who supported Trump’s campaign and now have influence in his administration.

“We’re living in a time where power is getting consolidated in the hands of a few billionaires who think their money gives them the right to decide what kind of country the rest of us should live in,” Bell said.

“Men like Donald Trump and Elon Musk are not hiding their intentions anymore. They are reshaping America to benefit themselves; to rig the system for the rich and powerful and roll back protections that so many have fought and bled for.”

Bell reminded the crowd of some of the damages Musk/DOGE has wrought on the country by slashing “vital programs with no warning and no accountability; programs that people rely on in real life like the research into Alzheimer’s disease that affects more than 7 million Americans. It’s now on the chopping block.”

After outlining other judicial, educational and cultural attacks and drastic changes from the Trump Administration, Bell stressed: “We are morally obligated to resist!”

“The fight for justice isn’t over, it’s ongoing. This fight may outlive us!”

Bell cited James 2:14 to remind those gathered that ‘faith without works is dead.’

“It’s not enough to have faith … we must put in the work,” Bell said, reminding the audience that the church “served as our own base for redemption; that gave us the strength to keep going.”

Perhaps Bell’s charismatic speech was meant as a prelude for discussions on “racial equity, voting rights and economic justice,” promoted by the organizers.

He effectively provided the “why” resistance was necessary, but his presentation lacked the “how,” as in providing information on Democratic strategies or mechanisms for efficient ways to challenge and change the assaults from Trump, Musk and Washington DC.

Still, his electric speech repeatedly brought the audience to its feet with loud claps and chants of “Yes. Alright Now! and Preach” as he insisted that all must confront authoritarianism.

“We must resist that path. We must be stronger than the fear they try to instill in us. We must be louder than the hate they try to spread. We must be clearer than the lies they’re trying to force on all of us … lies that are spread with ease, without a second thought … lies aimed to rewrite the past, distort the present and confuse our future.”

Bell ended his speech by defining the collective fight ahead.

“This cannot only be a project of resistance. It must be a project for redemption.”

Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.