Opinion: Jack, July 4th, and the Juke Joint - Jack Ciattarelli reaches out to NJ's oldest, historic Black church

Several members of Jack Ciattarelli’s team have reached out to schedule a visit to my church. One of them is someone I’ve known for years—a man deeply respected in the Black community, whom I love for all he does to uplift our people. Another was a warm and thoughtful brother who clearly has strong ties to our community. Jack is no fool. He’s done the work of surrounding himself with credible Black voices, and that matters.

I haven’t known Jack personally for years, but I’ve watched him closely—especially during his time in the New Jersey Assembly. We’ve had several very pleasant conversations, and I can see why he has such broad appeal. He’s intelligent, articulate, and has often come across as a compassionate and reasonable conservative. Though he and I likely agree on very little from a policy perspective, I’ve always seen him as someone who listens, who engages in good faith, and who carries himself with a sense of decency that’s increasingly rare in public life.

I admired his courage during the first Trump presidency, when he spoke out while others stayed silent. I appreciated his consistent engagement with Black communities—not just during campaign season, but in ways that showed he didn’t take our votes for granted.

That’s why this is so difficult.

Because now, Jack has embraced an endorsement from Donald Trump—a man whose political legacy is soaked in hostility toward Black people, our dignity, and our safety. Until Jack publicly denounces that endorsement, I cannot, in good conscience, welcome him into my congregation.

As we approach the Fourth of July, I’m reminded of Frederick Douglass’s piercing question: “What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July?” Today, I ask: What, to the Black church, is a visit from a man who has embraced MAGA? It cannot be a celebration. Not yet.

This is not about partisanship. I consider Antwan McClellan a friend. If Jon Bramnick asked to visit, I’d open the doors without hesitation. This is not about red or blue. It’s about right and wrong. It’s about good versus evil. And I cannot allow someone who has bowed at the altar of MAGA to stand before a congregation still reeling from the trauma that movement has inflicted.

Let us be clear about what Trump has done:

• He called for the death penalty for the Central Park Five, even after they were exonerated.

• He referred to African nations as “shithole countries.”

• He rolled back civil rights protections in housing, education, and policing.

• He attempted to eliminate the Department of Education, threatening funding for HBCUs.

• He attacked diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, calling them “un-American.”

• He dismissed Black Lives Matter as a “symbol of hate” and labeled peaceful protesters “thugs.”

• He weakened environmental protections, disproportionately harming Black communities living near industrial zones.

• He sought to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, which provides critical healthcare access to millions of Black Americans.

• He waged a relentless assault on Black and Brown migrants—caging children, separating families, and using dehumanizing language to describe people fleeing violence and poverty.

• Trump is currently attempting to undo birthright citizenship—a principle enshrined in the 14th Amendment, which was a monumental step in recognizing the citizenship and rights of formerly enslaved Black people.

  
  

This is not a political disagreement. This is a moral emergency.

I know some clergy have welcomed Jack into their spaces. I understand why. We all want to believe in dialogue, in redemption, in the possibility of influence. But I urge the rest of us to hold the line. We must have standards. And those standards cannot be proximity to power or the hope of a payout.

We’ve seen what happens when we ignore the warning signs. In the film Sinners, a single invitation to the juke joint brought destruction to an entire community. That’s not just fiction—it’s a parable. Who we allow into our sacred spaces matters. It can be the difference between healing and harm.

I have received unmarked mail. I have been threatened. I have been targeted by MAGA supporters simply for speaking the truth about racism from the pulpit. I will no doubt receive more threats because of this op-ed. And that is exactly why I must write it.

I will not sell my soul. I will not sell out the lives of my congregation.

Jack, I still believe in the man I once observed. I still believe you have the capacity to lead with courage. But you cannot serve two masters. You cannot embrace Trump and expect to be embraced by those he has harmed.

I look forward to receiving you with open arms—but not as long as your arms are open to MAGA.

Originally published NJ GLOBE