Thursday, September 29, 2011

Equality North Carolina emailed this reaction: On the Forrester Case of false Medical Credentials.

 

Public Calls for Forrester Resignation After Anti-LGBT Amendment Sponsor Falsifies Medical Credentials

9/29/2011 – An outraged public called today for the resignation of Gaston County state Sen. James Forrester (R), the lead sponsor of the anti-LGBT constitutional amendment, after it was revealed that he had falsified his medical credentials.

News of the falsified credentials prompted a flurry of online commentators to call for Forrester to step down from his N.C. Senate seat, including Chapel Hill Mayor, Mark Kleinschmidt. In sharing Qnotes’ account of the incident, the openly-gay Mayor Kleinshmidt tweeted that Forrester should simply: “RESIGN NOW.”

“Sen. Forrester’s falsification of his credentials is indicative of the very anti-LGBT falsehoods he’s made it his job to circulate for almost a decade,” Mayor Kleinschmidt told Equality NC. “Given the egregiousness of his most recent claims about gay and lesbian people paired with the latest findings that he misrepresented his own biography, I’d say it’s clear he’s unfit for the job he was actually elected for: to represent North Carolinians with honesty, dignity and respect.”

The news broke this morning in an open letter to Sen. Forrester posted at Pam’s House Blend, where contributor Scott Rose detailed misrepresentations in the lawmaker’s online bio claiming he is a “Fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine” (ACPM). The ACPM told Rose that Forrester is not, in fact, a Fellow (their highest level of distinction), nor even a member of the organization, prompting Association officials to speak out and seek action.

“The quick answer to your questions is that Dr. Forrester is not, and never has been, a member of ACPM (much less a Fellow, which is our highest designation of membership),” wrote Michael A. Barry, executive director of the organization. “However, this is troubling to us, too, that he’s apparently claiming to be a Fellow of ACPM, and we would like to know where Dr. Forrester is making these proclamations so that we can approach him and demand that he cease falsely using ACPM credentials in his campaign or wherever else he’s using it.  If you can point us to some places where he’s using those credentials, we’d be most appreciative.”

According to Qnotes, Rose pointed ACPM in the direction of a Gaston County Republican Party web page containing Forrester’s bio in which the supposed credential was listed. Click here to see a screenshot of the page. The bio page is still available online and still includes the false information. The false information also appears on Forrester’s campaign website (screenshot).

Sen. Forrester’s latest false representation caps a week full of controversy surrounding the anti-LGBT amendment sponsor. On September 27, the anti-LGBT amendment sponsor appeared on Sirius/XM’s “Michelangelo Signorile Show,” where he repeatedly refused to answer questions about recent claims made at a town hall in Gaston County during which the trained medical doctor asserted–among other falsehoods–that gays and lesbians had shorter lifespans.

“I am disappointed, but not surprised, that Sen. Forrester would misrepresent his medical qualifications as he and other sponsors of this harmful amendment have so consistently misrepresented the harms it represents for our state,” said Alex Miller, interim executive director of Equality North Carolina.  “The truth of the matter is that every major public health organization in this country, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, strongly oppose amendments like this because of the harms they pose to individuals, families and children, regardless of sexual orientation.”

Forrester and his wife Mary Francis, the associate state director of the North Carolina chapter of Concerned Women for America (CWA)—a group described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as one of a “dozen major groups [that] help drive the religious right’s anti-gay crusade”—have been steadfast proponents of anti-LGBT legislation in North Carolina.

This strategy of avoiding the truth was also exposed in a recent CWA post in which Mary Frances Forrester warned ultra-conservative amendment supporters of certain language to avoid “at all costs.” This language included using the phrase, “ban same-sex marriage,” despite the fact that banning same-sex marriage is precisely what the anti-LGBT amendment would do, in addition to also banning civil unions and domestic partnerships. Mrs. Forrester wrote, “(Saying ‘ban same-sex marriage’) causes us to lose about ten percentage points in polls. Don’t use it. Say we’re against ‘redefining marriage’ or in favor of ‘marriage as the union of husband and wife’ NEVER ‘banning same-sex marriage.’”

For the past eight years, Sen. Forrester has led the charge for an anti-LGBT constitutional amendment that would ban marriage, prohibit civil unions and strip domestic partner benefits for same-sex couples. The measure’s placement on the May 2012 ballot was approved by the Republican-controlled legislature on Sept. 13.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ANTI-LGBT AMENDMENT.

Post update: Corrected: James Forrester lies are catching up to him… Douchebagoftheday

Sorry this Post was Delete after I found out it was base on Lies from several member of the LGBT community, that Forrester does have those memberships. I do Apologize to Forrester for jumping on the band wagon ...

I can only hope other will do the same ASAP...

update today 3rd of October, 2011.. at 10:47 am..

Rep. Dale Folwell, News Letter

Waiting for December 1st

    Growing up I was told not to wish my life away, but December 1st can’t come soon enough this year. It is the date two important laws can be enforced. I was the primary author of both, and they passed almost unanimously.

    The first is Ethen’s Law. It’s named after a little boy who was never born, because his mother was murdered when eight and a half months pregnant. Until December 1st, suspects in similar cases can only be charged in the mother’s murder not her unborn child’s death. The second law is Run and You’re Done. It allows law enforcement agencies to seize cars used in police chases.

    These two laws create strong incentives to discourage deadly and dangerous behavior. Their enforcement can’t come soon enough. Since they passed the legislature and Governor Perdue signed them into law at least two women thought to be pregnant have been killed and several criminal suspects have led police on high-speed chases.

    Outside Raleigh a 15 year-old girl was stabbed more than 30 times in the back, chest and throat, according to a news report. The same report cited court records saying she thought she was pregnant. Two adult men are accused in her death. Near my home district in Forsyth County a man is accused of shooting his wife, who investigators say may have been pregnant. She was shot multiple times including in the head. Her 11 year-old son was in the house.

    A version of Ethen’s Law has been in committee in the General Assembly for more than 25 years. Hundreds of pregnant women have been murdered in that quarter century. The federal government has a similar law protecting women on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Fort Bragg and other federal property in North Carolina. California passed its version in the 1960’s after Charles Manson orchestrated the murder of Sharon Tate.

The Run and You’re Done law protects innocent bystanders and law enforcement officers. It will hopefully make a criminal think twice before stepping on the accelerator instead of the brake when approached by a blue light.

    It’s normally the innocent who suffer from the actions of idiots.  We hope “Run and You’re Done” becomes a recognizable slogan like “Click It Or Ticket” or “Booze It and Lose It.” If you run from law enforcement your vehicle will be forfeited and the proceeds of its sale will go to local schools.

    Of course my first hope is that these laws will not be necessary after December 1st, but North Carolina is a safer state with them.

Can you believe this list of Recently Banned Books

September 24th through October 1st is Banned Books Week.

Click here to see why,

1. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

2. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

3. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

4. Where’s Waldo? by Martin Handford

5. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

6. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

7. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

8. Little Red Riding Hood

9. Sleeping Beauty

10. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

11. Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

12. Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

Opponents slam Bachmann on Social Security, Medicare plan

“What Congresswoman Bachmann is talking about, plain and simple, is bringing an end to Social Security and Medicare,” Clark said in a statement. “Michele Bachmann has decided to yank the proverbial retirement rug out from under her constituents – just when it’s needed the most.”

Bachmann’s full statement to the Constitutional Coalition:

Michele BachmannBACHMANN: Is the country too big to fail? No, the country can fail. We can, we’re not invincible. And we’re so close now to being at that point because the thing is, as Glenn Beck said last night, it is true. The $107 trillion that he put on the board. We’re $14 trillion in debt, but that doesn’t include the unfunded massive liabilities. That’s $107 trillion, and that’s for Social Security and Medicare and all the rest. You add up all those unfunded net liabilities, and all the traps that could go wrong we’re on the hook for, and what it means is what we have to do is a reorganization of all of that, Social Security and all. We have to do it simply because we can’t let the contract remain as they are because the older people are going to lose. So, what you have to do, is keep faith with the people that are already in the system, that don’t have any other options, we have to keep faith with them. But basically what we have to do is wean everybody else off. And wean everybody off because we have to take those unfunded net liabilities off our bank sheet, we can’t do it. So we just have to be straight with people. So basically, whoever our nominee is, is going to have to have a Glenn Beck chalkboard and explain to everybody this is the way it is.

(photo credit, bachman-clown hebiclens@yahoo.com wmxdesign)

Today’s NCGA Tweets

Does the @NCGOP agree with Bachmann on "eliminating Medicare" and "weaning people off" Social Security?? #NCPOL http://ow.ly/6IwDy

BlueNC | Another day, another lawsuit against the over-reaching NCGOP: MEDIA ADVISORY September 29, 2011 Heal... bit.ly/r0Me1k

TUNE-IN: @SenatorBerger will be on the Fox News Channel today at 2 p.m. with @megynkelly. #ncga #ncpol

Timidity over term-limits amendment ticks off sponsor. Carolina Journal: bit.ly/qtusKO

@NCPolicyWatch: Fitzsimon File: The cowardly cuts http://ow.ly/6Ivhh

N&O - National right wing group to "rank" NC legislators on conservatism. http://t.co/jn2BRGv8

Progressive Pulse - GOP whining, hypocrisy on full display in North Carolina: http://t.co/CAcAfzUT

Watch this. Sponsor of NC marriage amendment can't answer why he introduced legislation http://t.co/lepJiiFG

Health care providers file suit against abortion law - http://ow.ly/6IqRN

Hey for $35,800 you can get a Evening with Obama and more.

From Pam’s HouseBlend,

Pam Received the following in her Email,

We were elated to learn that President Barack Obama will once again keynote the Human Rights Campaign Dinner in Washington, DC. Many of our closest friends will be in town for the 3,000 person, sold-out event this Saturday, October 1st.

What is even more exciting, though, is that the President will be attending a small private LGBT-related event on Friday night, September 30, at the beautiful home of Dr. James D’Orta in Washington. The event is tiered to include a photo reception and private dinner with several contribution options.

Contribution Options and RSVP Links:
$35,800 Per Person (photo reception, dinner, and VIP clutch)(link removed)
$35,800 Per Couple (dinner and photo reception)(link removed)
$10,000 Per Person (photo reception)(link removed)

This will be a special moment for us to thank the President for his continued commitment to achieving full equality for LGBT Americans and to ensure he has the support necessary to make that goal a reality. If you are able to attend at any of these levels, please RSVP today.

This only proves in our community only those that Rich are important enough to meet the President for a Dinner, photo opt, and whatever the VIP Clutch?

Donate - Obama for America - Join President Obama in DC_1317302616230

See the RSVP Form..

Yes this is event will be hosted at a Private Home of Dr. James D’Orta in Washington.

My question is why so much, I mean for HRC Gala in DC the cost is much lower..

However this event is not tax deductible.

Contributions or gifts to Obama Victory Fund 2012 are not tax deductible.

The first $5,000 of a contribution to OVF 2012 will be allocated to Obama for America (with the first $2,500 designated for the primary election, and the next $2,500 for the general). The next $30,800 of a contribution will be allocated to the Democratic National Committee. A contributor may designate a contribution for a particular participant. This allocation formula may change if following it would result in an excessive contribution.

News Flash: Listeria in Cantaloupes: Deadliest Outbreak in a Decade

By Brenda Goodman
WebMD Health News  (click here to read the full report)

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Sept. 28, 2011 -- The CDC says 72 people have been sickened and 13 have died as a result of eating cantaloupes tainted with listeria bacteria, making it the deadliest outbreak of food-borne illness in the U.S. in a decade.

State officials say they are investigating three more deaths -- one each in New Mexico, Kansas, and Wyoming -- that may also be connected to the contaminated Colorado cantaloupes.

Pastor of the church gets Deacons to beat up his son for Being Gay

From WBBJTV, Tennessee.

A gay Gibson County couple said they were assaulted when they tried to attend church services at the Grace Fellowship Church in Fruitland last Wednesday.

"I went over to take the keys out of the ignition and all the sudden I hear someone say 'sick'em,'" said Gibson County resident, Jerry Pittman Jr.

Pittman said the attacked was prompted by the pastor of the church, Jerry Pittman, his father.

"My uncle and two other deacons came over to the car per my dad's request. My uncle smash me in the door as the other deacon knocked my boyfriend back so he couldn't help me, punching him in his face and his chest. The other deacon came and hit me through my car window in my back," said Pittman. He said bystanders did not offer assistance. He said the deacon yelled derogatory homosexual slurs, even after officers arrived. He said the officers never intervened to stop the deacons from yelling the slurs.

And I thought we have to watch out for “the Closet Gay” bashers beating the shit out of us.. This case take it to a whole new level, Family and Church member beating up the Pastor Son on his order.. I guess this was his version of Conversion therapy.

Family or not, the couple has filed charges against the pastor and deacons, they have a October 4 hearing.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Troy Davis Foot Soldier

Troy Davis: Martyr, Foot Soldier"

Rev. Dr. William J Barber, II, President, NC NAACP

Marking One Week After the Execution of Troy Davis As read on the Lawn of Duke Chapel Durham,NC September 28,2011 - 11:08 PM

Last week the entire world saw the failure of the American judicial system. Last week we witnessed criminal in-justice execute an innocent man -- Troy Davis. Last week,we saw a system that was so blinded by revenge it could not see justice. Seven witnesses recanted,but the system could not see justice. A former FBI Director said this was wrong,but they could not see justice. Former wardens,including a former warden of the prison where Troy Davis took his final breathe,said,"Stop,you are wrong and you will regret this." But the system could not see justice. Politicians, who are often on the opposite side of the political spectrum said,"There's too much doubt," but the system was still blinded by revenge. The religious community,Protestant,Catholic,Jewish,Muslim and others cried out,"Not in my name!" But the system could not see justice. People who themselves have been exonerated from Death Row and know the flaws of this system all too well said,"I am Troy Davis." But the system could not see justice.

In the last few days,we have heard and seen people who have become so insensitive,so hard hearted,they actually applauded the state machinery of death. They have come to believe executions are a badge of honor for the state,acting in our name. They have convinced themselves that,despite our flawed humanity that has never been capable of rendering perfect justice,we can take the place of God and assume authority to take another human life. They have convinced themselves that we humans can overcome the void caused by death with another death.

This is sad and tragic. The scriptures teach us,however,that some deaths actually serve to expose evil openly. Some deaths force us to look at evil directly. Some deaths shake us so we become even greater ambassadors for change...and for life.

Troy Davis has now joined tens of thousands of other martyrs in the long march against legalized lynching and for the cause of justice. If you look back in history,especially during the days of Jim Crow,down in Georgia and across the South,the death penalty was used almost exclusively against Black men. One of the NAACP's founding principles was to fight the sinister reality of lynching. In North Carolina alone,defendants,be they black or white,with white victims are 3.5 times more likely to receive the death penalty than when the victim is black. And in the nation,some statistics show that a black man is six times more likely to receive the death penalty if the victim is white. Davis is now another martyr in this long struggle. A martyr's death is greater and has more power when it is placed on the bending arc of justice than the meanness that killed him. In the martyr's death,the death of the very system that killed him is sown. When the martyr dies,his voice is not silenced,but rather cries out from the grave,echoing and reverberating through the universe,serving to fertilize and give birth to new and stronger movements against the system that killed him in the first place.

The mean might rejoice in the death of Troy Davis,the martyr. But in the spiritual realm,he is not destroyed. His spirit is released to inspire even greater work against the systems of injustice.

The name Troy,according to some definitions,means foot soldier. Foot soldiers are those who keep pressing on,against great odds,on the battlefield of life,step by step,until victory is won. Troy Davis was a foot soldier for Justice. His spirit was too big for a jail cell. Too large for a casket. His voice,echoed by his own last words,has now been released. It will call us again and again to keep on marching,keep on fighting and keep on pushing for justice. When we say "I am Troy Davis" let it mean we too are foot soldiers. We too will never retreat,but will press on until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

###

ACAP takes on fastfood alcohol, alcopops, more

Please note that I don’t agree with this group stand on the LGBT community, However I do support this.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 28, 2011

ACAP takes on fastfood alcohol, alcopops, more

RALEIGH — Tooty-fruity high-octane alcohol drinks don’t belong on convenience store shelves; nor should beer appear on fastfood restaurant menus. With an eye toward protecting youth from aggressive and harmful alcohol marketing, the American Council on Alcohol Problems issued resolutions on these two national matters earlier this month and also addressed statewide prospects for privatizing liquor sales in North Carolina.

The resolutions came at the conclusion of ACAP’s annual meeting held Sept. 20 and 21 at the Cardinal Club and hosted by the Christian Action League of North Carolina.

“Research shows that these alcopops — many with enough alcohol so that ingesting one can meets the criteria for binge drinking — may not be showing up on parents’ radar, but certainly are popular with teen-agers,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League.

In fact, a poll conducted for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, showed that teens (64 percent) are three times more likely than adults (21 percent) to have seen, heard or read about alcopops.

NC NAACP to Join Vigil for Troy Davis Tonight at Duke University

MEDIA ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, September 28 2011

 

For More Information:  Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, NC NAACP, President, 919-394-8173

                                     Imara-Safi Hoyte, President, Duke University NAACP, 631-338-7187   

 

DURHAM - North Carolina NAACP State President Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II will join the Duke University chapter of the NAACP for a vigil honoring the life of Troy Davis today, Wednesday, September 28th at 10:30 PM on the Duke Chapel lawn (401 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC 27708) on the campus of Duke University. The program will last a half hour.

 

Rev. Barber said, "This is sad and tragic.  The scriptures teach us, however, that some deaths actually serve to expose evil openly. Some deaths force us to look at evil directly. Some deaths shake us so we become even greater ambassadors for change...and for life."

 


*The rain location is in the Duke University Bryan Center (125 Science Drive Durham, NC 27708).

###

 

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Wow, Gotta love this one, Anti-marriage Crusader stole money to pay for her own Wedding..

link to story,  yes a week old, but I was out town and away from my computer for a while, need the break..

A state lawmaker who was a central figure this year in the drama over whether Maryland would approve same-sex marriage was charged Friday with stealing campaign funds to pay for her wedding.

Charges brought by the Office of the Maryland State Prosecutor allege that Del. Tiffany T. Alston (D-Prince George’s) spent thousands of dollars of campaign contributions to pay for wedding expenses and for the salary of an employee in her law firm.

In several instances, Alston wrote herself checks from the account of “Friends of Tiffany Alston” and then cashed the checks for personal use, according to the prosecutor’s office.

From the recent Census, there are 131,729 Married Gay Couples

The Census:

The U.S. Census Bureau released today new statistics on same-sex married couple and unmarried partner households. According to revised estimates from the 2010 Census, there were 131,729 same-sex married couple households and 514,735 same-sex unmarried partner households in the United States.
The results of the 2010 Census revised estimates are closer to the results of the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) for same-sex married and unmarried partners. The 2010 ACS estimated same-sex married couples at 152,335 and same-sex unmarried partners at 440,989.

Pam’s Take on James Forrester

jamesforresterAudio: @msignorile scorches bigoted NC Sen James Forrester on air – destroys rationale for the anti-gay amendment. http://ow.ly/6GQln #ncpol

Big kudos to friend-of-the-Blend Michelangelo Signorile. He somehow convinced NC Senator James Forrester, the sponsor of the job-killing, anti-LGBT amendment that we face, to go on the air with him (big, big mistake, Forrester).

The man, so obsessed with homobigotry filed an amendment bill 8 years in a row, only to watch it die in committee under Dem control in the NCGA. But now, under GOP leadership, Forrester finally he got his chance on the big stage and the measure passed without public debate, and no challenge from legal scholars. That’s transparency at work.

So why don’t you surf on over to Pam’s New House on Firedoglake.com, to read all about it.. Great Post Pam and Alvin…

GA makes a few thousands from Saggy Pants, Will this happen here in NC??

From the AP, saggypants

Albany Ga, City banned on Saggy Pants as added near $4 thousand dollars in fines and hundreds of hours in community service. 187 citations have been handed out, which is about 45 dollars per ticket.

The ordinance bans any one wearing pants or skirts more than three inches below the top of the hips, exposing the skin or undergarment.

So will this happen in here in NC where this type of ordinance almost completely target young Africa-American males.. This type ordinance is at best unconstitutional under the first Amendment of the United State of America.

Let see if a city here in NC will adopt such a law/ordinance.

Monday, September 26, 2011

GGJ Rally for Defense of Public Sector

This video includes images from a rally in defense of public sector which was organized in Raleigh, NC, on September 17, 2011. This rally was part of Grassroots Global Justice Alliance Congress in Raleigh and included speeches by Ajamu Dillahunt and Nathanette Mayo of the Black Workers for Justice; Tony McKinnon of the American Postal Workers Union; Treston Davis-Faulkner of Jobs With Justice; and Alicia Garza of POWER.
Learn more at:
www.GGJAlliance.org

Thursday, September 22, 2011

This is what Wikipedia has to say about Paul Stam..

Paul Stam - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia_1316708050102Paul B. "Skip" Stam, Jr. (born September 5, 1950 in Princeton, NJ) is a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's 37th House district, including constituents in Wake County. An attorney from Apex, North Carolina, Stam was elected to his sixth (non-consecutive) term in the state House of Representatives in 2010. He was first elected in 1988, but was defeated for re-election in 1990. He ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate and for the North Carolina Court of Appeals (in 1998 and 2000) before being elected to the House again in 2002.[1]

Stam won re-election from the 37th House district in the 2004 General Assembly election, defeating Libertarian H. Wade Minter in the November general election. In 2006, Stam was unsuccessfully challenged by Ed Ridpath (vote count: Stam 15,459 votes, Ridpath 11,628).

In December 2006, Stam and Rep. Fred Steen ran for House Republican Leader after Joe L. Kiser stepped down from the position.[2] Stam was elected by his fellow House Republicans to the post. After Republicans won a majority in the state House in the 2010 elections, Stam lost a vote to become the party's nominee for Speaker of the House to representative Tom Tillis, but was elected Majority Leader instead.[3]

Lets hope we can vote this bully/bigot back out of office..

Anti-Gay Marriage now, The anti-domestic partnership amendment.

Professor Maxine Eichner’s opinion piece that ran today in Raleigh’s News & Observer.

“Not only would the amendment’s language, if passed, make same-sex marriage unconstitutional, it would also certainly ban civil unions if the state sought to offer them in the future. The language would also invalidate the domestic partner benefits now offered by several local governments, including the municipalities of Chapel Hill, Durham and Greensboro, and Mecklenburg and Orange counties.

And courts could interpret the language of the amendment to ban many more of the limited range of rights available to unmarried couples. The problem is that we don’t know how many more. The amendment would introduce the phrase ‘domestic legal union’ into the constitution although its meaning is unclear. Further, this term has never been used in any law in North Carolina, never been interpreted by its courts and never been interpreted by courts in any other state in the country. Because of this, we simply don’t know how much further beyond civil unions and domestic partnerships courts will say the amendment reaches.”

So I guess these so-called bright bulbs in NCGA when dim while writing the amendment.. So in the future if the State decide to give the LGBT community civil unions or domestic partnership, it will have to be voted on by everyone in the state once again.. The NCGA took a non-problem issue and turn it in to a legal nightmare.. just to please those bigots and for personal gains…

Today’s Tweets of interest

Unemployment claims drop slightly but remain very high bit.ly/nv6wn1

Sen. Kerry, Rep. Nadler Introduce Fair Housing Bill for LGBTs bit.ly/rtIcTR

Catholic Priests Removed Over Anti-Gay Remarks - bit.ly/mTs2AX

Leader nesbitt listens to educators talk about their cuts. While enrollments grew, funds were cut by GOP. #fb #ncga http://t.co/QotsrqW1

Unbelievable: language of proposed NC amendment changes from what lawmakers voted on: http://t.co/9A4HBtY8 #equalityaction

10 states losing the most jobs to China http://t.co/YztvsluH” #ncpol #ncga

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Cops Vs. Cameras: The Killing of Kelly Thomas & The Power of New Media

NOTE: Because of violent images, viewer discretion is advised.
The autopsy results from the death of Kelly Thomas, a schizophrenic drifter who was allegedly beaten to death by Fullerton, California police will be announced today by Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas.

Rackauckas will also announce whether he will file charges against the officers involved in Thomas' death, following the office's investigation. The confrontation with police took place at a municipal bus station on July 5, with Thomas dying in the hospital five days later. This press conference comes weeks after the Fullerton police refused to answer questions about the case.

Regardless of today's announcements, Thomas' death is a case study of how ubiquitous phones with cameras and the Internet are transferring power from the government, police, and the media to the masses. Images and word of the beating spread not because of official communications but by viral cell phone video of the incident and a horrific hospital photo taken by his father of Thomas in a coma.
After the photo and video were released, the Fullerton community reacted in outrage at city council meetings and at protests outside the Fullerton police department. Whatever charges are filed (or not) today, the death of Kelly Thomas will remain an example of how new media is changing the old guard.

Written and produced by Paul Detrick, who also narrates. Camera by Detrick, Alex Manning, and Zach Weissmueller. Special thanks to Ron Thomas.
About 8 minutes.
Go to http://reason.tv/video/show/2145 for a longer discussion, documentation, and related videos.

Just Great another damn Gov’t shut down Fight in Congress

----------------------------------------
News Alert: House rejects resolution to fund government after Sept. 30
September 21, 2011 6:07:16 PM
----------------------------------------
The House rejected a resolution Wednesday to fund the government through Nov. 18, as GOP leaders were unable to overcome opposition from Democrats who wanted more disaster relief and conservatives who wanted to cut more deeply. President Obama must sign a continuing resolution by Sept. 30 or risk a government shutdown.
For more information, visit washingtonpost.com

NC Rep. Paul "Skip" Stam's Marriage Lesson

NC Rep. Paul "Skip" Stam's Marriage Lesson

Monday, September 19, 2011

ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFFS’MOTION TO UNSEAL DIGITAL RECORDING OF TRIAL; GRANTING LIMITED STAY

3:09-cv-02292 #812

Thursday, September 15, 2011

What will be Next up for A Vote?

Rally against hb777 n sb106

Pink Slip Truth Tour Stops In Greensboro

Pink Slip Truth Tour Stops In Greensboro

Click here to see the WXII Channel 12 story about the Pink Slip Truth Tour, a series of educational media events held this week featuring unemployed North Carolina teachers and teacher assistants.  The tour stopped in Greensboro yesterday to show the public a pink slip (above) for every unemployed educator who lost a job this year because of K-12 education cuts in North Carolina.
The event is sponsored by Progress NC, a new and exciting organization that serves as a media voice for North Carolinians seeking to protect the qualities that made the Tarheel State great: a strong educational system, business competitiveness, forward-thinking government, thriving democracy, protection of natural resources and rich cultural traditions.
Progress NC Executive Director Gerrick Brenner and Research & Communications Director Justin Guillory are hosting the Pink Slip Truth Tour with a dramatic presentation that illustrates just how many teachers and teaching assistants have been laid off because of budget cuts to education.   The tour is also designed to highlight the effects that overall education cuts have on North Carolina's families.
Brenner and Guillory are joined on the tour  with veteran educator Tammie Veilleux of Washington County, who was laid off this summer because of the budget cuts.  They are meeting with local media and educators along the way to emphasize the impact of budget cuts on classroom sizes, school resources and the preparedness of North Carolina's children for the future.
Click here to learn more about Progress NC or visit www.progressnc.org.  

Vote No on Prop 1 On 5/8/2012

320435_167161366698800_100002148121085_379990_2093968721_n

A letter from Bev Perdue

Dear Friend -

As Governor, I've been focused like a laser on creating jobs and fending off GOP attacks on our schools (although every once in a while I have to turn my attention to making sure we’re prepared for an approaching hurricane or tornadoes.)

Meanwhile, my opponents are all politics, all the time.

Sadly, they're pulling out all the stops to prevent my success – both as Governor and as a candidate for re-election.  It takes significant financial resources to fend off their political attacks.

Can you help with a contribution today?

North Carolinians are a smart bunch of people.  If we have the resources to get the word out, they'll be able to tell the difference between someone doing the job of making this state a better place to live, work, and raise a family and those who are just trying to score cheap political points.

The News & Observer recently reported on a Republican poll, taken just a few days ago, that shows that all our hard work is starting to pay off.
But make no mistake, my opponents will do everything they can to prevent progress – all in a cynical attempt to score partisan political victories.
To overcome their attacks, I am going to need your help.
We have the truth on our side, but they have unlimited financial resources to confuse the issues and try to mislead the people of this state.
Having the funding necessary to tell our story will be critical.

Can you help today? A contribution of $25, $50 or even $100 would make a huge difference as we prepare for the political battles ahead.

Thanks for your continued help and support.
Sincerely,

Bev Perdue
Bev

Calling all NC LGBT to follow this twitter account, NOW

Click here,

NO on the Amendment

twitter_com_#!_VoteNoBigotry

State Sen. David Rouzer of Smithfield is raising money from lobbyists (shared email)

Dear XXXXX

Money is very tempting. Some people just can’t resist, even when the cash takes them across the line.

It’s against NC law for a state legislator to take campaign donations from registered lobbyists. There’s just too much risk of corruption. Ask former Speaker Jim Black.

After years of calling out Democrats, now we’re seeing some Republicans in the General Assembly heading into the same dangerous territory.

Case in Point: State Sen. David Rouzer of Smithfield is raising money from lobbyists, TODAY.

He has found a way around NC law and he’s holding a fundraising event at a lobbyist’s home in Raleigh this evening, with lots of other lobbyists who want to cozy up to him.

This is crazy! Click here and tell him to stop!

Lobbyists for the hog and liquor industries, Wal-Mart and other businesses are hosting the event and some Republican leaders of the NC General Assembly will be there, too.

If Rouzer was running for re-election to the state Senate, this fundraiser would be completely illegal. But here’s the catch: Rouzer is running for US Congress . . . and in Congress, they take money from lobbyists every day – and then vote on the lobbyist’s legislation.

We can do better in North Carolina - and we’ve tried with our state law.

Rouzer says we need principled, moral leadership for North Carolina and he’s promising to provide that if elected to Congress. But today, he’s certainly starting off on the wrong foot.

Yes, federal law trumps state law, so Rouzer is free to take $25,000 or $50,000 from these lobbyists and their clients, even if it stinks.

So now it’s up to Rouzer. He can pocket the money or he can honor the spirit of the North Carolina law. Tell David Rouzer we’re watching.

Tell him to stop taking money from lobbyists.

Sincerely,

Your Democracy NC Team

I call Bull-Shit, Where are the Tapes or mp3’s or emails

Two Republican leaders backing the amendment, Reps. Dale Folwell and Skip Stam, reported receiving threatening phone calls and messages in recent days. Both were escorted around the legislative complex this week by armed law enforcement officers.

Tillis Changing the Rules,

Via the NewsObserver.com

One of the final bills passed by the General Assembly before they left town on  Wednesday was a fix, reports The Insider.

Apparently, House Speaker Thom Tillis had appointed a licensed real estate broker, Joseph Ramsey Jr. of Raleigh, to the "public member" slot on N.C. Home Inspector Licensure Board. That raised some questions as it appeared to violate statutory directives governing the board's membership, according to The Insider.

Those directives say that the public slot member can NOT be a licensed real estate broker, home inspector or general contractor. Other slots on the board are set aside for those professions.

So what did lawmakers do? Why they just changed that pesky rule. Now the directive simply requires that the public member not be "actively engaged" in any of the three professions listed.

Tillis told the Insider Wednesday that it was his understanding that Ramsey is not an active real estate broker and that the board will continue to have balance.

How I have to wonder,if the Democrats did this, the Republicans would be outrage over it. However,since they are in charge for the first time in over a hundreds years they are changing the rules to keep them in power.

Tillis is the worst kind of Republican, whom just doesn’t care as long as he gets what the wants. He not doing the backroom deals in private, he doing openly and daring anyone to challenge him.

This NCGA session is mark with backroom deals and payoffs.. He screwed the teachers to give his staff fat raises. It seem that the NCGOP marked Teachers and LGBT community to destroy.. Making sure the teachers union could get paid by payroll deduction, making LGBT citizen feel more then second class citizens..

One would have to ask what is next? Where will this end? but, most of the folks of NC what to know where are these jobs bills?

It was once said to a group of people whom were marching in a peaceful vigil for the lost of two public officials, someone cried out, “Where is your Anger”? Yes, Where is our Anger?.. What will happen once we find our Anger? Teachers, LGBT community have the right to be piss off with those in the NCGA..

It’s Time to Find our Anger and put it to work..

Jeff Shaw at Tilly Awards at the NCGA

Jeff Shaw of Together NC (togethernc.org) gives Speaker Thom Tillis the "Broken Gavel Award For Leadership That Divides Us" at the first annual "Tilly Awards."

 
291923_10150295119156200_52499646199_8030751_802473805_n

photo credit PPCHC,

Faith in America, Email NC Ballot is act of Violence

Ballot initiative is an act of violence against
North Carolina children and families

But it also has created an opportunity for
ground-shaking vote against religion-based bigotry

The anti-gay religious industry for 10 years has been threatening violence against North Carolina gay and lesbian citizens in the form of a placing a moral, religious and legal stamp of disapproval on their lives via the state's constitution.

On Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011 their threat of violence became an act of violence as the N.C. House and Senate voted to place an anti-gay marriage amendment before a misinformed and ill-intentioned citizenry – which represents the problem and the remedy.

While the vote was taken this week, that is not where this sad chapter in North Carolina governance started - it began in November 2010 with the election of a Republican majority in the N.C. General Assembly. If anyone doubts that the Republican Party is the party that embraces  religion-based bigotry, please spare us the defense argument. We've heard it before.

But on to the good news –  a majority of North Carolina voters on May 8, 2012 can send a ground-shaking and historic message – religion-based bigotry and prejudice toward LGBT people will not prevail in North Carolina. View remarks by Chely Wright and Mitchell Gold at rally in Raleigh.

View Chely Wright and Mitchell Gold speaking at rally Tuesday, Sept. 13 in Raleigh, N.C.And I believe they will and here's why.

This weekend,  N.C. Republican Sen. James Forrestor – who has been pushing this bill for N.C. Southern Baptists and other anti-gay religious groups in the state – called the beautiful and vibrant city of Asheville a "cesspool of sin" because of "homosexuals that live there." That's right. Forrestor believes Asheville, N.C. is a cesspool because of its LGBT people.

In the week leading up to the action in the General Assembly, Forrester spoke at a forum held at a Gaston County church about the proposed amendment. During that forum he referred to Asheville as a “cesspool of sin.” In explaining his remarks to M2M Politics, he stated “They have a lot of homosexuals that live in the Asheville area."

It is pretty clear that Forrestor is one of the most ignorant, prejudiced and bigoted individuals in our state. Certainly, he does not represent the majority of North Carolinians and I do not believe the majority of voters will embrace bigotry, prejudice and discrimination as values this state upholds nor as values to enshrine in our state constitution. I'm even more certain that young people are 80 percent opposed to such ill-intentioned mistreatment of LGBT people.

The hostility embraced by lawmakers who voted to put this on the ballot may prove to be a unique gift that may result in one incredible signal coming from this state on May 8, 2012.  And that's not just expressing hopeful sentiment.

Here's what the current voter rolls and other numbers look like. 

• Current registration: Democratic – 2,711,351; Republican – 1,936,077; Libertarian – 11,654; Unaffiliated – 1,485,675 

• If there is a 40 percent turnout among Democrats, Republicans and Unaffiliated, and equality gets 60 percent of the Democrats, 70 percent of Unaffilated and 25 percent of Republican, the anti-gay marriage amendment would be defeated 1,260,320 to 1,192,919.

If you do not think that is a realistic scenario, consider North Carolina polling in April that showed 64% of independent voters, 60% of Democratic voters, and 36% of Republican voters support legal recognition. If those numbers support legal recognition, what might they think of embedding bigotry, prejudice and discrimination toward gay couples and LGBT people in general into the state constitution.

Those numbers and the fact that 80 percent of young people will vote against it ought to have Forrestor and his bigoted friends in the General Assembly wondering if perhaps they have given supporters of equality the opportunity to express a historic stand against the very bigotry and prejudice that motivated their hostile anti-gay legislation. 

That is exactly what they have done.

And here's the most important part. Those winning numbers and that monumental statement for equality in America will not materialize without an all-out county-by-county organizing effort. And it must begin now and we must have everyone working together. And egually important will be our efforts to transform a misinformed citizenry into an informed citizen. We have to exposed the vile religion-based bigotry behind such a measure and present the irrefutable case that history has provided against such a vile form of bigotry.

Faith in America is wasting no time in helping make that happen.

We will be in Hendersonville, N.C. this coming Tuesday evening for a community dialogue on what really is at stake in this ballot initiative. If you are in the area, please join us at the Historic County Courthouse on Main Street, Hendersonville at 7 p.m. for a compelling and important dialogue. The event is being co-sponsored by PFLAG Flatrock/Hendersonville and Love Welcomes All.

And what a more appropriate place to hold this event than 10 minutes from Asheville – that vibrant mecca of diversity that N.C. Sen. James Forrestor believes is a "cesspool."

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

NC NAACP Endorses "Too Much Doubt" Campaign to Save the Life of Troy Davis - Marching in Atlanta

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2011

For More Information:     Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, President, 919-394-8137 

    Amina Turner, Executive Director, 919-682-4700  

    Jennifer Marsh, Legal Redress Coordinator, 919-682-4700  

DURHAM, NC - The North Carolina NAACP, along with local branches from across the country, is mobilizing its members to travel to Atlanta on Friday, September 16 for a march in downtown Atlanta that will end with a service at Ebenezer Baptist Church as part of the "Too Much Doubt" campaign to save the life of Troy Anthony Davis. A likely innocent African American man on death row, Davis will be executed on Wednesday September 21st at 7:00pm unless the Georgia Board of Pardon and Parole votes to give Troy Davis clemency or District Attorney Larry Chisholm calls for the withdrawal of Troy Davis' death warrant. The march begins at 6 pm at Woodruff Park and ends at Ebenezer Baptist Church with a service beginning at 7 pm. 

"Executing an innocent man is not only morally wrong but is an injustice for the victim's family who are denied their right to have the true killer brought to justice.  It leaves a murderer in our community and casts a shadow of shame over our justice system," said Rev. Dr. William J Barber, II, President of the NC NAACP. "It is fitting that the march will end with a service at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church where Rev. King served as pastor. In his own words, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'"

Davis has been on death row in Georgia for nearly 18 years for the murder of Police Officer Mark Allen MacPhail in Savannah, Georgia.  There is no physical evidence linking Davis to the crime and seven of the nine witnesses have recanted or contradicted their original testimony, several saying they were coerced. Of the two witnesses who have not contradicted their trial testimony, one (Steven Sanders) could only identify Troy Davis at trial, two years after he told police that he "wouldn't know the shooter again if I saw him."  The other witness who has not recanted is the prime alternative suspect in the case. NAACP President Benjamin Jealous, who recently met with Mr. Davis for two hours on death row said, "There is too much doubt in Troy's case to execute."

"The NAACP has opposed capital punishment since its inception 102 years ago, in a time where black men were lynched at a rate of one per day," said Rev. Curtis E. Gatewood, HKonJ Coalition Coordinator for the NC NAACP. "Troy Davis's case is a clear example that racism still persists in death penalty cases. We have no choice but to be for the abolishment of the death penalty."

"The Troy Davis case, and the hundreds like it, should send the NC General Assembly and all North Carolinians a clear message: racism is alive and well in death penalty trials and North Carolina's Racial Justice Act must be vigorously defended and promoted," said Rob Stephens, Associate Director of the Anti-Death Penalty Project of the NC NAACP. "This year in North Carolina, the extreme right-wing leadership in the General Assembly attempted to repeal the Racial Justice Act. Due to efforts by the NAACP and our partners, the ultra-conservatives were defeated in these efforts. The fight for the RJA is not over yet, and we are going to Atlanta to fight for Troy Davis and to fight for the defense of the Racial Justice Act."

Troy had no prior criminal record and since he has been in prison, Davis has been a model prisoner and a valuable mentor to his young nephew, whose mother has breast cancer.

The five panel Board of Pardon and Parole is set to hear Troy's case on Monday, September 19th and will make a decision to either execute Troy or grant him clemency. The new Savannah District Attorney Larry Chisholm, an African American, could also call to withdraw the death warrant and ask that Troy receive clemency.

"It not only is morally wrong to put an innocent man to death, it does not bring justice to the victim's family and allows a dangerous criminal to go free.  We have witnessed scores of people wrongfully sentenced to death in our nation.  Justice requires we not turn a blind eye to killing another innocent man - a travesty that can never be rectified."  Jealous said.

Prominent politicians and leaders, including President Jimmy Carter, Pope Benedict XVI, Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Presidential candidate Bob Barr and former FBI Director and Judge William S. Sessions have all called for Davis to be given a new trial or evidentiary hearing.

The NAACP is asking for people to send letters to the Board of Pardon and Parole and for Savannah residents to contact the local district attorney. 

Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization.  Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.

####

GetEqual Response to NC Marriage Ballot

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 14, 2011 CONTACT: Michael Talon, 202.631.9830 or michael@lunamediagroup.com

NATIONAL LGBT CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE GROUP'S WARNING TO NC STATE LEGISLATURE: "WE WILL NO LONGER ACCEPT HATE CRIMES AT THE BALLOT BOX" Protests Being Organized in Lead-Up to May Marriage Vote, Group Demands That President Address "Hateful" Amendment and Publicly Support Marriage Equality RALEIGH, NC – Today, GetEQUAL – a national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization primarily using non-violent civil disobedience to stand up to bigotry and hate – responded to yesterday's vote by the North Carolina State Senate to send a homophobic state constitutional amendment to the voters in May 2012, by issuing lawmakers and state leaders a blunt warning: "We will no longer accept state-sponsored hatred."

GetEQUAL NC, along with GetEQUAL (the organization responsible for last year's White House fence arrests that helped spur the passage of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal) and other various local North Carolina equality advocates, announced publicly today that they have already begun the organizing and planning for acts of civil disobedience in the lead-up to the marriage vote in May 2012 and the Democratic National Convention in September 2012 in Charlotte.

"Yesterday, the politicians of this state – my state — cemented their future legacies alongside those of George Wallace, Bull Connor, and the other most notorious bigots in America's history," said Angel Chandler, GetEQUAL's North Carolina Lead State Organizer. "Today, we have a very clear message for them — the days when North Carolina's LGBT population sat silently in their closets, too ashamed to stand up and fight this act of state-sponsored bigotry and hatred, are over. We are no longer willing to work within the confines of discrimination and hate displayed yesterday by North Carolina's politicians. We are standing up, our voices will be heard, and we will work to disarm opponents of progress in this country by calling them out publicly for the nation to see their bigotry."

Later this morning, President Obama will be in Raleigh, where he will be speaking to voters in the state. The White House released a statement yesterday stating the President's long opposition to "divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to same-sex couples." The entire statement can be found here: http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/09/13/white-house-responds-to-n-c-marriage-amendment/.

However, President Obama's refusal to publicly state his own, personal support for marriage equality — and directly address the solely political decision by the State legislators that removes the rights of LGBT Americans and their families — has sparked a new wave of actions in support of full federal equality.

GetEQUAL NC is leading the charge, demanding the President speak out publicly in support of marriage equality and specifically condemn yesterday's vote by the North Carolina legislature to deny dignity and respect to this minority group of Americans.

President Obama's public endorsement of marriage equality is important, as he will be spending a lot of time in North Carolina over the next year. In addition to today's appearance in Raleigh to push his jobs bill, the fact that that Democratic National Convention will take place in Charlotte will make the state a political centerpiece in the general election. The President's recent refusal to "evolve already" and return to his prior support for marriage equality as a State Senator in Illinois — coupled with the Convention taking place just months after the rights of a minority group will be put to a popular vote — will undoubtedly continue to set both the President and the Democratic Party up for very public tests of the Party's commitment to LGBT "equal federal rights," part of the Democratic Party platform (link: http://www.democrats.org/issues/civil_rights).

"President Obama should listen to the whispers of past civil rights heroes in his ear and come out publicly for marriage equality — and direct his party to publicly fight for and defend the dignity of some of their staunchest supporters," said Robin McGehee, co-founder and director of GetEQUAL. "It isn't simply coincidence that the President held his largest LGBT re-election fundraiser in New York City the day before that state's legislature voted in favor of marriage equality. It isn't simply coincidence the President's trip brings him to North Carolina at this pivotal moment in the lives of that state's LGBT residents. It isn't simply coincidence that the DNC convention will roll into Charlotte next year and could find the LGBT community in the state devastated by a hateful, destructive, and anti-family constitutional amendment. None of this is coincidence — it is the arc of the moral universe begging the President to bend it toward justice."

GetEQUAL is a national direct action lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization. Emphasizing direct action and people power, the mission of GetEQUAL is to empower the LGBT community and its allies to take action to demand full legal and social equality, and to hold accountable those who stand in the way. For more information on GetEQUAL, please visit www.getequal.org. You can follow GetEQUAL on Twitter at www.twitter.com/getequal, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/getequal, or on YouTube at www.youtube.com/getequal.

###

Putting A Pink Triangle Into Our State Constitution, in NC

BERGER: In Nazi Germany, some of you may not realize that Adolf Hitler came to power through the ballot box and even though he was elected by the people, he was able to use the instruments of power to take away the rights of individuals….[I]f you were gay, you were required to wear a pink triangle to single that you were a member of that despised group. Now, I believe that if we pass this motion to concur, we are essentially putting a pink triangle into our state constitution.

Watch it:

The traitors were in the Democratic Party

who voted to let our civil rights be put on the ballot. Here is the list:
— Rep. Bill Brisson of Duplin County.
— Rep. Jim Crawford of Granville County.
— Rep. Elmer Floyd of Cumberland County.
— Rep. Ken Goodman of Richmond County.
— Rep. Charles Graham of Robeson County.
— Rep. Dewey Hill of Columbus County.
— Rep. Frank McGuirt of Union County.
— Rep. Bill Owens of Pasquotank County.
— Rep. Garland Pierce of Scotland County.
— Rep. Tim Spear of Washington County.

 

Via Richard A Jernigan, via Facebook group

Rally Bigots Preaching ..

DSC_0117Rally against hb777 n sb106

I’m really tired of them using bits and pieces of the Bible to justify their bigotry and hatred..

The video below is just a one clip of them listen well..

From Yesterday’s ENC Marriage Rally

DSC_0027_01Rally against hb777 n sb106

(photo credit ME)

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Senate Calendar for 14th of Sept 2011

NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

2011 SESSION

SENATE CALENDAR

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Legislative Day 99

SENATE CONVENES

10:00 AM

 

CALL TO ORDER

Lt. Governor Walter Dalton, President

PRAYER

The Reverend Peter Milner, Senate Chaplain

JOURNAL APPROVAL

RATIFICATION OF BILLS ORDERED ENROLLED

REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES

REPORTS OF SELECT COMMITTEES

INTRODUCTIONS

MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

VETO MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

SPECIAL ORDERS

GENERAL ORDERS

PUBLIC BILLS

PUBLIC BILLS

 

FOR CONCURRENCE

SB 354

Bingham

3rd Ed.

Rental Property/Lithium Battery Smoke Alarms.

H Com Sub

 

3/17

Rules

 

4/19

W/D Rules; rerefer Health Care

 

5/4

Unfav bill; Health Care Com Sub Adopted (Chgs title); Cal 5/10

 

5/10

Passed 2nd & 3rd Rdgs; To House

 

9/13

Rec'd for concurrence in House Com Sub; (Chgs title); Cal 9/14

FURTHER MODIFY 2011 APPOINTMENTS BILL.

     
 

House Calendar for Sept 14, 11

HOUSE CALENDAR

99th Legislative Day

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

House Convenes at 8:30 a.m.

Thom Tillis, Speaker

ADOPTION OF CONFERENCE REPORTS

THIRD READING - ROLL CALL

SB     580 Conference Report - Hartsell - ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS OMNIBUS COURTS ACT. (Conference Report - Ruled Material)   

ADOPTION OF CONFERENCE REPORT

HB     335 Conference Committee Substitute - Guice, Horn, Burr and Daughtry (Primary Sponsors) - PRISON MAINTENANCE/JUSTICE REINVESTMENT/TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS. (Conference Committee Substitute)

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

RECONSIDERATION OF VETOED BILLS

HB     351 Lewis, T. Moore and Killian (Primary Sponsors) - RESTORE CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT. (Vetoed by Governor - 6/23/11)

(Veto Override Vote Reconsidered - 7/26/11) (Ratified Edition)

HB     482 Burr - WATER SUPPLY LINES/WATER VIOLATION WAIVERS.

(Vetoed by Governor - 6/27/11) (Ratified Edition)     

SB     709 Rucho, Brown and Tucker (Primary Sponsors) - ENERGY JOBS ACT.

(Vetoed by Governor - 6/30/11) (Ratified Edition)     

SB     727 Hise - NO DUES CHECKOFF FOR SCHOOL EMPLOYEES.

(Vetoed by Governor - 6/18/11) (Ratified Edition)     

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Legislative Research Commission will meet Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 30 minutes after both Chambers adjourn, in Room 1228/1327 of the Legislative Building.

The House Select Committee on Certificate of Need Process and Related Hospital Issues will meet Wednesday, September 14, 2011, one hour after the adjournment of the Legislative Research Commission in Room 544 of the Legislative Office Building.

The House Select Committee on State-Owned Assets will meet Thursday, September 22, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 544 of the Legislative Office Building.

                                                        Denise G. Weeks

                                                        Principal Clerk

Email from GetEqualNC

Hi everyone,

Tomorrow President Obama will be in the Raleigh area to promote his new business plan to get people back to work. 

Yesterday and today we LGBT North Carolinians had a rude awakening about our own protections in this state when the House and Senate both passed the anti-LGBT constitutional amendment that will be on the May 2012 ballot.

We are trying to organize, last minute I know, an action tomorrow at the Obama event to ask Obama to evolve already on marriage equality.  It is perfect timing to hold our president accountable and ask him to speak up against the bigotry we are facing from our elected representatives.

If you can go please email me asap or call me at (number removed)  We will be arranging rides from Asheville and if you are in the Raleigh area we will have a designated meeting spot.

This will NOT be an arrestable action.  It will be a bold action to simply ask the President of the United States to stand for us in our time of need.

I hope to hear from you!

Thanks,

Angel Chandler

GetEQUAL NC

Angel Chandler [angel@getequalnc.org]

Today’s Marriage Rally,

Please note this album has over 350 photos..

$53 Billion For Iraq, $0 For America

Dear

For the past decade, Congress has had no problem spending over $120 billion to rebuild schools, roads, bridges and other essential infrastructure in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, America's infrastructure is crumbling and millions of people are out of work. Contact your member of Congress and tell them it’s time to rebuild America.

It just takes a second using our form: http://www2.americanprogress.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=163

All the Republican leaders in Congress voted to approve massive amounts of funding to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan without a penny in offsets. But now they are opposing President Obama's proposal to rebuild America even though it’s fully paid for.

Contact your member today and demand we invest at least as much in our own communities as we did in Iraq and Afghanistan. And let us know what you hear back from your representatives.

Best,

Judd

Judd Legum
judd@thinkprogress.org
202-682-1611

Monday, September 12, 2011

NC Values Coalition rub salt in our wounds

www_facebook_com_event_php_eid=248040815235272&notif_t=event_update

The Shameful Eight who voted against us..

Eight Democrats (Reps. Pierce, Crawford, Owens, Brisson, Spear, Hill, Goodman, Graham) sided with Republicans.

SENATE CALENDAR for Tuesday

NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

2011 SESSION

SENATE CALENDAR

Tuesday, September 13, 2011 Legislative Day 98
SENATE CONVENES

12:00 PM

CALL TO ORDER Lt. Governor Walter Dalton, President
PRAYER The Reverend Peter Milner, Senate Chaplain
JOURNAL APPROVAL

RATIFICATION OF BILLS ORDERED ENROLLED

REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES

REPORTS OF SELECT COMMITTEES

INTRODUCTIONS

MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

VETO MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

SPECIAL ORDERS

GENERAL ORDERS

PUBLIC BILLS

PUBLIC BILLS  

SECOND READING

SJR 792 Apodaca       
Adjournment Resolution.
9/12    Rules Susp; Refer to Rules; Fav

FOR CONCURRENCE

SB 514 Brunstetter     3rd Ed.
Nutrient Management Plan Only For NSW.  H Com Sub No. 2
4/6     Ag./Envir./Nat Res.   
4/26    Fav   
4/27    Passed 2nd & 3rd Rdgs; To House
9/12    Received for Concurrence in H Com Sub #2; (Chgs title); Cal 9/13      
DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE   

PUBLIC BILLS (continued)       

CONFERENCE REPORT FOR ADOPTION

SB 580 Hartsell        2nd Ed.
AOC Omnibus Courts Act. Com Sub
4/14    Judiciary I   
6/7     Unfav bill; Judiciary I Com Sub Adopted (Chgs title); rerefer Pens./Ret./Aging
6/8     W/D Pens./Ret./Aging; Sup Cal Today; Passed 2nd & 3rd Rdgs; To House by Sp Mess
6/17    Rec'd for concurrence House Amd (Chgs title); Rules Susp; Cal today; Sen Fails to concur in House Amd; Senate Appts Conferees; House Notified 
6/18    House Appts Conferees 
7/28    Sen Conf Rpt Submitted; Calendar 9/12 
9/12    W/D Cal; Senate Removes Conferee; Senate Appts Conferee; Sen Conf Rpt Re-submitted (Chgs title); Calendar 9/13

COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Wednesday, September 14

SELECT COMMITTEE ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE 8:30 AM 1027 LB

Announcements

Wednesday, September 14

LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH COMMISSION 30 min. after Senate

and House adjourn       1228-1327 LB   

Tuesday, September 20

JOINT LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES        1:00 PM 643 LOB

Monday, September 26

JOINT LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM EVALUATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE        10:00 AM        544 LOB
       Agenda:  N.C. Retirement System Report  

Tuesday, October 4

JOINT LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE 1:00 PM 643 LOB

Wednesday, October 5

JOINT COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYEE HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL BENEFITS       11:00 AM        1228-1327 LB   

SARAH CLAPP

Principal Clerk

Tuesday’s NCGA Calendar

HOUSE CALENDAR

98th Legislative Day

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

House Convenes at 11:00 a.m. 

Thom Tillis, Speaker

ADOPTION OF CONFERENCE REPORT

SECOND READING - ROLL CALL

SB     580 Conference Report - Hartsell - ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS OMNIBUS COURTS ACT. (Conference Report -Ruled Material)    

PUBLIC FOR CONCURRENCE

SECOND READING - ROLL CALL

HB     823 Senate Committee Substitute - Holloway, Hilton, Brubaker and Blackwell (Primary Sponsors) - SPEAKER/PRO TEM TERM LIMITS. (Senate Committee Substitute) (5th Edition)   

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

RECONSIDERATION OF VETOED BILLS

HB     351 Lewis, T. Moore and Killian (Primary Sponsors) - RESTORE CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT. (Vetoed by Governor - 6/23/11)

(Veto Override Vote Reconsidered - 7/26/11) (Ratified Edition)

HB     482 Burr - WATER SUPPLY LINES/WATER VIOLATION WAIVERS.

(Vetoed by Governor - 6/27/11) (Ratified Edition)     

SB     709 Rucho, Brown and Tucker (Primary Sponsors) - ENERGY JOBS ACT.

(Vetoed by Governor - 6/30/11) (Ratified Edition)     

SB     727 Hise - NO DUES CHECKOFF FOR SCHOOL EMPLOYEES.

(Vetoed by Governor - 6/18/11) (Ratified Edition)     

CALENDAR

PUBLIC BILLS

SECOND AND THIRD READINGS

SB     354 House Committee Substitute - Bingham - FURTHER MODIFY 2011 APPOINTMENTS BILL.

(Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House) (3rd Edition)  

COMMITTEE MEETINGS

(Three digit rooms = Legislative Office Building – Four digit rooms = Legislative Building)

Tuesday, September 13 Room Time
AGRICULTURE     643     8:00 am

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The House Select Committee on Certificate of Need Process and Related Hospital Issues will meet Wednesday, September 14, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. in Room 544 of the Legislative Office Building.

The Legislative Research Commission will meet Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 30 minutes after both Chambers adjourn, in Room 1228/1327 of the Legislative Building.

                                                        Denise G. Weeks

                                                        Principal Clerk

NC NAACP News Release: NC NAACP Position on Discriminatory Same-Sex Marriage Constitutional Amendment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 12, 2011

For More Information:     Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, President, 919-394-8137

    Amina Turner, Executive Director, 919-682-4700

    Jennifer Marsh, Legal Redress Coordinator, 919-682-4700 

Whether You Agree or Disagree With Same Sex Marriage because of Personal, Religious, or Moral Beliefs, You Should Not Support a Constitutional Amendment Against It.

OPEN LETTER TO ALL NORTH CAROLINIANS

By:  Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II

President of the NC NAACP

September 9, 2011

"A vote on the same sex marriage amendment has nothing to do with your personal and religious opinion on same sex marriage but everything to do with whether or not you believe discrimination should be codified and legalized constitutionally. We should never seek to codify discrimination into the very heart and framework of our Constitution."

-Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II

Article I, Section 1, of the North Carolina Constitution says: The equality and rights of persons. We hold it to be self-evident that all persons are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, the enjoyment of the fruits of their own labor, and the pursuit of happiness.

A few years ago, when there was a well-funded national strategy by the extreme right to promote constitutional amendments against the rights of some persons, the NAACP's National Director on Legislation and Washington Bureau Chief, Hilary Shelton, gave this testimony to the U.S. Senate:

"There is no history of enacting constitutional amendments for the purpose of restricting individual freedoms. [These proposed amendments against gay people] stand in stark contrast to the amendments that have been adopted in the spirit of freedom and liberty. As James Madison explained, constitutional amendments are reserved 'for certain great and extraordinary occasions.'  Amending [a state or federal] Constitution to strip civil rights away from any group of persons is not such an occasion." 

Our research shows that today shadowy money with connections to ultraconservative think tanks and millionaires are financing a cynical move to trick some North Carolina voters in next year's election by trying to place the issue of "Same Sex Marriage" on the presidential election ballot.  The Family Research Council has reportedly paid for radio ads, targeting both African American and White legislators who have large African American constituencies.  The millionaires who fund these election tricks could care less about who marries whom.  But they invest their money in issues that will affect who votes for whom. They tried to cut back on early voting and to make everyone wait in line at the DMV to get a picture ID before they can vote.  Now they want to forever write discrimination into the N.C. Constitution as a means of affecting the presidential vote.  The millionaires' purpose is simple:  They want to distract voters' attention from our pressing economic problems to a personal issue of conscience--a matter best dealt with in our houses of worship and our consciences. This is a matter of conscience, not Constitutions.

The NAACP, which I lead in North Carolina, and my own Christian faith tradition both respect people of strong faith and conscience on both sides of the personal, moral, and religious issue of same sex marriage.  In both my civil rights and my Christian lives (which are one and the same for me), I have had the honor of participating in many thoughtful (and sometimes not-so-thoughtful) discussions about this issue within the context of Christian love and inalienable civil rights.

Founded in 1909, the NAACP currently has more than 2,200 membership units across the United States with branches in every state in the nation. Our mission for 102 years has been to achieve equality of rights and eliminate prejudice among the people of the United States.  The NAACP has always opposed any custom, tradition, practice, law or constitutional amendment that denies any right to any person.The NAACP does not and has not taken a position endorsing or opposing same sex marriage. However, the NAACP has a long history of opposing any proposal that would alter the federal or state Constitutions for the purpose of excluding any group or individuals from guarantees of equal protection under the law.  Our opposition is based on our mission statement, which calls for the "equality of rights of all persons."

The issue of same sex marriage is a matter of conscience -- a matter of religious or moral perspective.  It should be worked out within one's conscience, within one's faith, and within one's own heart and faith community.  The North Carolina legislature is not the modern day Council of Nicaea -- and we should not want it to be.  Public policy, not personal morality, is what we ought to address in the legislature.  How should the government address the public policy challenges of abject poverty, unemployment, poor education, economic justice, caring for those without health care, and equal protection under law?  These are the questions that the legislature should be addressing.  We should not allow our tax dollars and our beloved state of North Carolina to put their beliefs into our state's most important document or to dictate the consciences of other people here. This is a matter of conscience, not Constitutions.

A vote on the same sex marriage amendment has nothing to do with your personal opinion on same sex marriage but everything to do with whether or not you believe discrimination should be codified and legalized constitutionally.

We need to stop for a minute and remember the history of amending the U. S. Constitution.  Our nation had to fight a long and bloody civil war in order to amend our Constitution, on paper at least, and to begin to expand its protections to all persons.  The 13th Amendment abolished slavery; the 14th Amendment guaranteed all persons equal protection under the law, the 15th Amendment provided voting rights regardless of race or previous condition of servitude, the 19th guaranteed voting rights for [White] women, the 23rd provided voting rights in presidential elections for residents of the District of Columbia, the 24th eliminated discriminatory poll taxes in federal elections, and the 26th provided voting rights for younger Americans.  No other amendment ever restricted the rights of any persons, except the two that established, and then repealed, prohibition.  Similarly, the North Carolina Constitution has always expanded and extended the equal rights of all persons established in the First Section quoted above.  When we look at the history of our U.S. and N.C. Constitutions, there has never been an amendment to narrow their protections, but only ones to expand their protections to all persons, and to remedy past injustices.

The real insult to the Civil Rights Movement is that same regressive ultra conservative tea party type folks suing to overturn the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which many historians consider the most important achievement of the Civil Rights Movement, re-segregate and rob our public schools of valuable resources, block workers' rights to organize, force us all to get photo ID's to exercise our right to vote, cut back on the time and opportunities to vote, and repeal the Racial Justice Act, now somehow think the sons and daughters of the Civil Rights Movement cannot see through their Trojan Horse trick. 

The ultra-conservative sponsors push their anti-gay amendment with one hand, and their restrictions on our voting rights with the other.  They would write discrimination into our Constitution with one hand, but violate it by withholding enough funds for children to get a sound basic education. 

No matter our color.  No matter our faith tradition.  Those who stand for love and justice are not about to fall for their trick.  No matter how you feel personally about same sex marriage, no one, especially those of us whose forebears were denied constitutional protections and counted as 3/5ths of a vote for their slave-masters and mere chattel property for other purposes in the old Constitutions-none of us should ever want to deny any other person constitutional protections.  Here are 10 reasons to help us differentiate between our God-given inalienable rights and "matters of great and extraordinary importance" that will help guard and protect the inalienable rights of all persons.

1. The NAACP does not and has not taken a position in support of or in opposition to same sex marriage. The NAACP recognizes the issue of marriage rights for same-sex couples is a difficult and sensitive one. People of goodwill have heartfelt differences of opinion about it.

2. Most of us, when we consider issues of marriage and family, are guided by our religious and spiritual beliefs. The NAACP respects the different religious beliefs our churches regarding family life.

3. When the State of North Carolina is asked to put an amendment in our most important document prohibiting some of our people from making a highly personal choice, it places a matter of conscience and personal belief in the hands of the Government, not our churches and other faith communities. We support the constitutional right of faith communities to determine whom they will and will not marry.     

4. Same sex marriage is already illegal in NC

5. Legislative and referendum efforts to amend the N.C. Constitution under the guise of prohibiting "same sex marriages" focus on prohibiting the rights of people of the same gender from pursuing their happiness.  For 102 years the NAACP's mission has always been to "ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons."  We have always opposed any custom, tradition, practice, law or constitutional amendment that denies any rights, privileges, or opportunities to any person which can legally be extended to others.

6. Placing a couple of sentences in our most important state document that deny rights to some persons, but which are extended to others, is dangerous and unnecessary, and will not resolve the disagreements. 

7. The current legislative leadership proved earlier this year that they are not committed to obeying the Constitution as much as they are to pursuing their aggressive and regressive ideology when they denied our pre-schoolers their constitutional right to a sound, basic education.

8. The marriage we should be concerned about is the marriage of corporate money and politics.  Ultra-conservative corporations have tied the knot with an ugly set of anti-public policies that undermine public education, voter protection, workers rights, protection from payday lenders, health care reform and other programs established for the public good.

9. All civic and faith organizations have membership qualifications; but persons in North Carolina and the United States are protected by Constitutions that allow no racial, religious, or gender tests.

10. Our North Carolina legislature should not reverse its history of expanding the rights of all persons in its constitutional amendments by now promoting an amendment that restricts the rights of some. We should never seek to codify discrimination into the very heart and framework of our Constitution.

Our legislature and all North Carolinians should focus on providing sound basic education for every child; equal access to good health care; living wages; workers rights; recovery from natural disasters; and protections for maximum voter turnout. 

Who can tell thousands of families living without health care that they are better served by the legislature debating whether to amend the Constitution to address a personal religious issue in a way that will enshrine discrimination into the sacred document?

Who wants to stand in the face of parents whose children are receiving a sub-par education at woefully under-resourced public schools that their primary concern should be about our legislature dictating which families are worthy of the law's protections and which ones are not?

Who would dare go to unemployed workers and tell them they should clamor to see another group of North Carolinians forever excluded from the guarantee of equal protection under the laws rather than demand that we work to provide jobs and economic empowerment for them so they can feed their families and keep a roof over their heads?

Who will look in the eyes of women victimized by brutal sterilization and tell them to put their pain and hurt aside and join the chorus of those who want to write laws that hurt other people?

The NAACP strongly urges you to reject the so-called same sex amendment and any other present or future proposals of constitutional amendments that would permanently deprive any person in our great state of his or her inalienable rights.

###

CC:  NC General Assembly

         Governor of North Carolina

         North Carolina NAACP Branch Presidents

         NAACP/HKonJ Network

         Media Outlets

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...