Podcast: 'Summon the courage to speak out,' says Dennis Kucinich
On this week's episode of "The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast," John Dear hosts Dennis Kucinich, former congressman from Ohio who has been an outspoken voice against war.
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The headline reports that Dennis Kucinich urged people to “summon the courage to speak out,” but the article provides no further details about the podcast or what prompted the statement.
The moral responsibility to speak truth against injustice
The Christian duty to speak against injustice is part of bearing witness to Christ, who came “to bear witness to the truth.” The Church’s prophetic mission includes naming injustice, exploitation, discrimination, and violence clearly—not to condemn people, but to serve their dignity and welfare.
Speaking truth requires both courage and charity. Charity does not mean staying silent about falsehood or wrongdoing; it can require defending the truth while treating those who err with concern for their good. Nor does naming a harmful act require judging another person’s heart: Christians may assess what serves human dignity and the common good without claiming to know someone’s interior motives.
This responsibility is not limited to dramatic acts of martyrdom. Christians are called to consistent witness in ordinary circumstances too, sometimes at the cost of hardship or serious sacrifice. When an unjust law or demand would make someone participate in evil, refusing that participation can be a moral duty; civil permission or pressure does not by itself make the act right.
So the question is not simply whether to speak, but how to speak truthfully and justly: name the wrong accurately, avoid false accusation and contempt, and seek the protection of those harmed and the good of the community. The aim is not victory over an opponent, but truthful service to the human person.