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Prominent National Faith Leaders march to The Q to to deliver the Higher Ground Moral Declaration

(Left to Right) Rev. Dr. Traci Blackmon, Rev. Peter Morales, Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II and Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes Jr. holding The  Higher Ground Moral Declaration (Darrielle Snipes/ideastream)

 

A week before the Republican National Convention, faith leaders from around the country came to Cleveland to deliver a   Higher Ground Moral Declaration.

ideastream's Darrielle Snipes explains, they're calling on the GOP's presumptive presidential candidate Donald Trump and other politicians to better treat the less fortunate by drafting policies with their conscience.

Rev. Dr. William Barber II, the pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church in North Carolina holds the declaration in his hand as he and more than a dozen faith leaders march to Quicken Loans arena. They plan to hand deliver the 14-page document, signed by more than 12-hundred clergy to RNC officials.

Barber says they're asking those running for president, Congress and Governor to defend the moral principles of the Constitution on issues of worker rights, education equality, and fairness in the criminal justice system, and voting rights for minorities.  

 "We are saying do you know what is in that bible? And do you know what is in that constitution? That is the question, said Barber. “In that constitution is the establishment of justice. In that bible you must be committed to justice.  In that constitution you promote the general welfare. Welfare is not a bad word.”

At the Q, the group was unable to hand the declaration to anyone from the RNC, but Barber says they emailed the document.   They will deliver the same declaration in Philadelphia at the Democratic National Convention in two weeks.