Law and disorder
Republicans are beside themselves with anger over the illegal toppling of Confederate monuments and the failure of Democrats like Governor Roy Cooper stopping them. They railed against the lawlessness of the mobs invading cities. Donald Trump tweeted “LAW AND ORDER!”...
Taking a gamble or living in a bubble?
I’ve rarely seen a party rushing to get on the wrong side of voters like Republicans are now. They’ve given up on listening to experts and rely instead on pundits. If they don’t believe the coronavirus is a hoax, they believe the response to it is overblown. They are...
Another dog whistle
Back in 2015, pressure was mounting to move Confederate monuments out of public spaces. The GOP’s white rural base was incensed, demanding we not erase history like those statues did when they were erected. To protect the monuments, the GOP put in place bureaucratic...
The GOP is bad for your health
Evidence is increasingly clear that Republicans are bad for your health, particularly if you are old, in military, or poor. They have been wrong about almost everything to do with the pandemic. They turned their head when the Russians placed bounties on the heads of...
A tough month for Tillis
Control of the U.S. Senate may hinge on North Carolina. The race between Senator Thom Tillis and Cal Cunningham is shaping up to be a barnburner. And right now, Cunningham is the one on fire. He’s leading Tillis by as much as nine points according to four polls...
Polls indicate Republicans are betting against the voters
Polls in North Carolina continue to look bleak for Republicans. Donald Trump is certainly a drag on the party, but the GOP needs to examine their priorities in relation to the voters. If they were as concerned about the fate of people being exposed to the coronavirus...
Preserving our history while retelling our story
After more than 100 years of telling ourselves a Big Lie, we are coming to terms with our history. The reaction by some is to tear down everything. The reaction by others is to preserve it all. The two sides appear irreconcilable. A meme conservatives are...
Monuments, reactions, and elections
The Confederate monuments surrounding the state Capitol came down this weekend. Protesters pulled two of them off a 70 foot tall monument on Friday night. Gov. Roy Cooper had two more removed on Saturday and the third statue of the big monument removed yesterday....
Recognizing a more honest history
Today is Juneteenth, the anniversary of the emancipation of slaves in Texas. The day has long been one of celebration in the African American community. Yesterday, the National Archives announced they have found the original order, delivered by a Major F.W. Emery on...
White privilege and Black indignities
The News & Observer’s conservative columnist Peder Zane makes an argument that I’ve heard frequently since the unrest over George Floyd’s death. “It is no longer enough to be non-racist,” he writes. “Now we must be anti-racist – that is, we must devote...
