Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. — Isaiah 1:17, NIV

When the topic of justice is discussed in religious circles, Micah 6:8 is a passage that is often raised. The three-part instruction: “Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God” is catchy and resonates strongly in our highly individualistic society. Lately, however, I’ve found myself preferring to emphasize a similar, three-part instruction from Isaiah, Micah’s con­temporary. In particular, the New International Version’s translation, “Defend the oppressed,” leads us to a deeper analysis of our present situation. 

I also find a strong resonance with Jesus’ first sermon in Luke 4, where he quotes Isaiah and expresses exactly what he has come to do — and, by implication, what we are to do as the church. Good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, recovery of sight to the blind. And just in case we didn’t understand those previous instructions as they relate to oppression, he con-cludes with “to set the oppressed free.”

As an organizer, both within the church and without, I spend a lot of time with justice-minded people who struggle with the overwhelming number of urgent crises that need attention. We face a daily onslaught: attacks on the social safety net, immigrants, people of color, women, queer and trans people, organized labor, the environment — the list goes on.  

Most often, pragmatic minds will pick one issue they can get their heads around and focus their energy. Sometimes, particularly energetic folks (whom I call ‘activity-ists’) will run themselves ragged trying to participate in actions around every issue they can. Their solution to the number of issues can be summed up as “Do more.” But this is unsustainable and unlikely to encourage others to take action. 

Isaiah 1 and Luke 4 point us in a different direction by prompting us to start with an analysis of oppression. If we’re going to defend the oppressed and set the oppressed free, we’ll need to be clear about what oppression is, who is being oppressed and who is doing the oppressing. Grounding ourselves with a concrete analysis of oppression can help us build the unity we so desperately need. 

Take a moment and think back to August 2017 and the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Va., where Heather Heyer was killed and many others injured. The White supremacists, neo-Nazis and others who were rallying there had no confusion about the interconnectedness of their issues. They seek to advance and expand oppression: of women, people of color, queer and trans people, immigrants, non-Christians and the poor. We are now seeing this holistic program of oppression being carried out nationally in new and terrifying ways. 

What will it take to challenge this? We need an understanding, analysis and program of liberation that is comprehensive enough to contend against these oppressions in every dimension and at every front of struggle. If we seek to defend the oppressed, we’ll need to build unity among the poor and dispossessed who are the targets of these oppressions. 

Since I organize with groups like the Nonviolent Medicaid Army and the National Union of the Homeless, people call me “the healthcare guy” or “the housing guy.” But I make a correction: “No, I’m the ‘unity of the poor’ guy.” Both organizations have a shared analysis of oppression. They organize around strategic issues of healthcare and housing for the express purpose of building a movement that can contend with all of the oppressions we face. Healthcare and housing are concrete, material conditions that cut across every line of division. They serve as unifying, rallying points for organizing across those divisions — whether race, gender, immigration status, political background or geography.

Building this unity is a process. It does not happen simply because some people get together and agree on a few things. The poor and working class are disorganized and divided. The people in power count on and foment that division because they know our capacity for solidarity is so great.

Our unity is built through relationships, collective study and disciplined processes of action and reflection. Committing to end oppression does not mean we try to do everything. But it requires us to clearly assess the overall conditions so that we can take effective action locally while building the wider network of solidarity and social movements. 

The oppressors are united. The weapons they wield against us are intended to keep us overwhelmed, distracted and confused. We cannot afford to fall for it.