Good Trouble Lives On!

Good Trouble Lives On Weekend of Action

The Good Trouble Lives On Weekend of Action, July 17 – 19, is part of an on-going  fight for voting rights. The power of collective non-violent action resulted in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and collective non-violent action is being used to fight for voting rights today. The weekend of action honors the legacy of Congressman John Lewis and carries the torch of the civil rights movement by doing what Lewis loved most – organizing, educating, and taking action. Learn more at goodtroubleliveson.org

On the weekend of July 17 – 19 , we celebrate “Good Trouble”, a concept suggested to us by the late Representative John Lewis. Standing at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama in 2020, Lewis called on us to “get in good trouble, necessary trouble and redeem the soul of America”. He wanted us to act, reach out to help, make a difference. He would have known all about that. Born in Troy, Alabama, his father was a sharecropper. Growing up, John Lewis attended racially segregated schools, suffered harassment and was the recipient of racial epithets. But as a young man, he was inspired by the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. According to John Lewis, it was Rosa Parks who, in his words, wanted “to find a way, to get in the way, to get in what I call good trouble, necessary trouble.” He went on to say, “And for people if you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, do something. We cannot afford to be quiet.” John Lewis knew when to speak out and when to act out.

While attending Fisk University, Lewis was inspired to activism, participating in the Montgomery bus boycott, which challenged segregation on the city’s transportation system, restricting blacks to the back of the bus. John Lewis also participated in the Freedom Ride between Washington, DC and New Orleans, again protesting segregated buses and terminals, but this time on interstate travel. The protesters endured fire bombings and beatings, all while maintaining their non-violent stance. As a result of these and other actions, the US Supreme Court banned segregated bus travel. In March of 1965, Lewis played a critical role leading a non-violent march from Selma to Birmingham, Alabama in support of voters’ rights. As marchers approached the Edmund Pettus Bridge, they were confronted by state troopers and sheriffs armed with guns, tear gas and clubs. Known to us today as "Bloody Sunday", for the first time, American TV viewers saw the violence being perpetuated by police against individuals who only wanted to publicize the need for voter reform. The nation was horrified and the Voting Rights Act, banning racial discrimination in voting, was finally passed.

Lewis was committed to non-violence, chairing the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, despite repeatedly being attacked during voter registration drives and sit-ins. He understood how much voting mattered, saying, “If it didn’t, why would some people keep trying to take it away?” To that end, he served as the Director of the Voter Education Project, ensuring minority communities registered to vote. He later served in the United States House of Representatives, from Georgia for almost 37 years. He continued to get in good trouble

Catholic Social Teaching asks us to do the same thing, saying that a moral society is one that appreciates the dignity of each individual. And Pope Leo would want you to. At a 2023 Vatican news conference, for example, he said, "Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the church." Pope Leo has traveled to Algeria to build bridges between Catholics and Muslims, he has spoken out for the needy, and advocated for peace and inclusion. He has even suggested that American Catholics should call their representatives, let them know what you are thinking and feeling. And according to Christopher White, who wrote Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of a New Papacy, that is the most Chicagoan thing he’s done since his election as Pope.

So, what can we do? Get involved; numerous advocacy groups are already active here in the parish and in our community. Find one, reach out to support those who are in need. You can help to feed the hungry through the Shelter Meal Program, support the LGBQT+ community, assist the Solidarity Ministry to raise awareness about the immigrants and refugees within the community, oppose racism in its myriad forms through the Anti-Racism Committee or promote environmental awareness through Laudato Si. Those and other opportunities are available on the Saint Ignatius webpage: stignatiussf.org/mercy-justice

Maureen Conway and Marsha Holm, Saint Ignatius Anti-Racism Committee

Photo: December 2, 1962: Nashville police officers carry John Lewis to a waiting police Patty wagon after he failed to obey police orders to move away from Herschel's Tic Toc restaurant. Jimmy Ellis / The Tennesean (colorized)