Op-Ed Contributor
By Rev. Heber Brown, III
If Monday’s rally for C. Anthony Muse had to be described in one word, that word would be “historic”…or maybe “unprecedented.” Both words would be fitting, but perhaps the latter would be more appropriate for very rarely (if ever!) does such a pronounced and diverse group of clergy, business professionals, and community leaders come together to enthusiastically unite behind a U.S. Senate Candidate.
A Who’s Who of Clergy from across Maryland filled The Forum on Monday to endorse C. Anthony Muse: from conservative-leaning, Bishop Harry Jackson, to Hispanic Pastor, Bishop Angel Nunez, to African Methodist Episcopal Presiding Elder Goodwin Douglas of Harford County, to Baptist Minister’s Conference of Baltimore President, Dr. John Lunn and a host of others including Pastor Haywood Robinson of Montgomery County, Bishop Reginald Kennedy, Bishop Monroe Saunders, Jr., Bishop Larry Lee Thomas of Baltimore County and so many more too numerous to list. Initial estimates placed the number of clergy present at 200, but that’s not a simple 200…that’s a 200 which actually represents hundreds of thousands of potential voters across the state of Maryland. That’s not even including the reach of clergy who have expressed support for C. Anthony Muse’s campaign, but who weren’t able to show for the event like Pastor Jamal Bryant, Bishop Kevia Elliot, Pastor Kevin Brooks, and others.
This weekend’s worship in Maryland is likely to be one that is filled with encouragement to register to vote for the April 3, 2012 Primary Election – just 28 days away. People wishing to vote in Maryland’s primary election (which in Maryland is the main election) must register by Tuesday, March 13, 2012.
If Bishop and State Senator, C. Anthony Muse was trying to build momentum for his U.S. Senate campaign, he hit a grand slam with Monday’s endorsement by the 200-some clergy. At times the event felt more like a pep rally than a luncheon with the state’s leading clerics with the crowd often breaking out in syncopated chant: “Yes, we can AGAIN! Yes, we can AGAIN!“
This was a crowd that did not need much convincing.
Muse’s work to support those threatened with foreclosure, help protect civil rights in the workplace, and strengthen efforts to find missing children in Maryland in partnership with Delegate Jill P. Carter all resonate with the clergy. But more than the resonance of legislation; relationship was the fuel that brought this massive body of clergy together.
With Muse being born in Park Heights, educated in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and currently pastoring in Upper Marlboro, he enjoys a level of collegiality that simply no other current candidate for U.S. Senate can match.
And while mainstream Baltimore media was conspicuously absent from the event, Baltimore’s Black Media was on the scene covering this important story. Doni Glover (Bmore News) worked the room with camera in hand capturing video while Jamye Wooten (Kinetics Live) provided live tweets for the “Twitterverse.” Rev. William Wingo’s Power Magazine was highlighted from the podium while Yale Beverly (Nightlifer) and Marshall Bell from WOLB’s Celebrity Magazine Live took it all in. Legendary photographer, Mr. J.D. Howard, was also there taking pictures for The Afro Newspaper. While unable to be physically present, State of the City Host, Daren Muhammad, made sure his presence and support was felt via Twitter as well.
The optimism of the moment and of the Muse campaign could pretty much be summed up with Bishop Harry Jackson’s words to the crowd when he said,”For once we get a chance to vote for someone that we don’t have to coach and re-coach to our issues. That man is Anthony Muse!“
