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Reverend William Barber's Seven Sins of Inequality in the U.S.

In his homily, Rev. Barber explains how “bad biology, sick sociology, political pathology, evil economics, corruptible courts, militia madness, and heretical ontology...are the seven sins that under-girded the system of slavery.”  Below we outline the ideas that perpetuate each of the seven sins.

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Beliefs that perpetuate each of these seven sins are:

An icon of a skull representing Bad Biology.

Bad Biology

"Some folks are just made like this."

An icon of two people divided by a dotted line representing Sick Sociology

Sick Sociology

"These people cannot exist with us."

An icon of two people behind bars that ring a large ballot box.

Political Pathology

"Inequality is the result of individual failure."

An icon of a coin with three-fifths on it representing evil economics.

Evil Economics

"The accumulation of wealth justifies the means."

An icon of a gavel with a chain attached to the handle representing corruptible courts.

Corruptible Courts

"We uphold the laws, we do not make them."

An icon of a handgun representing militia madness.

Militia Madness

"We are patriots. We suppress rebellions."

An icon of a church building with eye slits on the pointed steeple, seeming like the hood and robe of a klansmen, representing heretical ontology.

Heretical Ontology

"The poor will always be with us; God meant it this way."

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