The Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III joined Boston Public Radio for their Monday segment "All Revved Up." Monroe and Price talked about protests in Boston and other US cities in reaction to grand jury decisions in New York and Ferguson, Missouri. The two also offered another installment of "Pope Watch," where they assigned a rating — from zero to five — to Pope Francis based on his latest actions and statements.
The Rev. Irene Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist for Huffington Post and Bay Windows. Rev. Emmett G. Price III is a professor of music at Northeastern University, and the author of The Black Church and Hip Hop Culture.
Over the weekend, Gov. Deval Patrick told State of the Union host Candy Crowley his administration had reached out to protestors who had mobilized over recent grand jury decisions. Patrick hoped to identify and perhaps address their concerns, but he said it wasn't fruitful. "They weren't interested in engagement because part of the point was to be disruptive, and I think it does beg some questions: What is it we're trying to accomplish, beyond disruption?"
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh echoed Patrick's sentiment. "Holding a sign saying 'Black Lives Matter' is important, but we're actually having conversations about it. I don't know any other of the protestors that are at any of the tables with us discussing these issues," Walsh said Sunday.
So, are the protestors just being "disruptive," as Patrick said?
Rev. Price said he thought the protestors' "disruptive" strategy was nobler than Patrick acknowledged. "Protestors are disruptive. They're getting in the way to make the point that things cannot continue as the status quo," Price said. Protestors "are not necessarily trying to solve the problem, they're trying to bring awareness to the problem," Price said.
Rev. Monroe wasn't convinced. "They're not even doing a good job at highlighting the problem." Monroe said requests by Harvard Law School students — who requested leniency on exams due to recent events — underscored the point. "When they want an extension on their exams because they've been out protesting, it defeats the purpose. [This is] a generation of kids that don't understand sacrifice."
Price and Monroe debated whether the movement needed stronger leadership. Monroe thought so. "If we want to bring attention to policing, (...) we need something that is coalition-building," Monroe said. "You feel like you're on a journey without a roadmap."
Price said a lack of a figurehead was part of the point. "Sometimes when you are used to being on the platform, and being a very powerful speaker, (...) the best way you can be an activist and be a participant is to listen." Price cited the Occupy Wall Street coalition as an example of a leaderless, and influential, movement.
As part of BPR's continuing "Pope Watch," both Price and Monroe talked about recent comments Pope Francis made about women in the Catholic church. The Pope referred to women as "the strawberry on the cake."
BPR cohost Margery Eagan thought Pope Francis' tone regarding women in the church has sometimes been curious. Monroe agreed, and said it affected her rating of him. "He's no longer on the scale. He's off the scale," Monroe said.
Price agreed, but stopped short of Monroe's off-the-board rating. "These comments are not good. They're horrible, [but] I still have him on the scale, maybe a one."
