The Terrorists Among Us – Slate

The Political Agitator’s response: I totally agree with, “Forget Syria. The most dangerous religious extremists are migrants from North and South Carolina.”

Another terrorist attack. Another grim tally of the dead and wounded. Another killer full of hate, from a land that breeds such men. Like millions of migrants before him, the perpetrator crossed the border unchallenged. And like others, he struck our country without warning.

Our politicians say they’ll stop these killers. They talk about building walls and vetting refugees. If we were serious, we would do it. We would seal our borders against North Carolina.

North Carolina? It sounds absurd. When we think about immigration and terrorism, we think of Syria. But that’s not where our casualties are coming from. On Friday, a gunman killed three people and wounded nine more at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado. The suspect is white American Robert Lewis Dear. When police apprehended Dear, he uttered . . . (Source: Read more)

13 current and former North Carolina and Virginia law enforcement officers indicted – 11abc

The Political Agitator response: I know one of these guys daddy and I can’t imagine what he is feeling. So sad. I tell my son all of the time if he embarrasses me as much as I try to do for him, that if he does then it is going to be ugly. I came to the conclusion back in the 90’s that why would street guys try to sell drugs because they never know who they may be selling it to and then some times their friends tell on them. So for the life of me I don’t understand why these guys in law enforcement thought they were exempt from the same happening to them? Hell if anybody know they ought to know!

RALEIGH, NC (WTVD) — Federal officials said at a news conference Wednesday that 13 current and former law enforcement officers are accused of protecting cocaine and heroin shipments along the East Coast.

All were arrested Wednesday morning after a two-year undercover investigation called “Operation Rockfish”.

“Corruption in local government – especially involving law enforcement – threatens the social compact that binds our communities together,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell in a statement.

In addition to the 13, two more civilians are also charged with conspiring to distribute controlled substances and conspiring to use and carry firearms during and in relation to drug trafficking offenses. (Source: Read more)

Why North Carolina is the new Selma – MSNBC

On this day 50 years ago, 600 marchers stared down a line of state troopers armed with billy clubs and tear gas as they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama.

En route to Montgomery, the marchers gathered for the trek to the capitol in protest of segregationist tactics that denied African Americans the right to vote. The line of armed officers created an impermeable barrier and, after charging the crowd, left more than 50 people battered, bruised and in need of hospitalization. Televised and witnessed by the nation, the violence was eternalized as a cornerstone in civil rights history. Bloody Sunday made Selma the voting rights battleground of 1965. (Source: Read more)

Judge to take several weeks to rule on NC voter ID challenge Read – News & Observer

RALEIGH — A Wake County judge plans to take two to three weeks to decide whether a lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s voter ID law should be dismissed or proceed to trial this summer.

Mike Morgan, a Wake County Superior Court judge, briefed attorneys Friday after listening to several hours of arguments for and against the dismissal request.

The case is rooted in an overhaul of North Carolina election law that was adopted by the Republican-led General Assembly in 2013.

Under the sweeping changes, which are also being challenged in federal court, voters going to the polls in 2016 will have to show one of seven forms of photo identification to cast a ballot. (Source: Read more)

New Documentary Shows The ‘Moderate’ Klan of North Carolina – The Daily Beast

The Tarheel State had a reputation as the most progressive in the country on race relations. But it also had the biggest Klan chapter in the South.

If you were driving through North Carolina in the mid-1960s, chances are you’d see this billboard:

“You are in the heart of Klan country. Welcome to North Carolina. Join the United Klans of America, Inc. Help fight integration and communism!”

Klan support in the South was not exactly breaking news. What made these highway signs stand out was the fact that they were fairly common in what had long been considered the most progressive state in the region, where the civil rights movement had been met with a minimum of bloodshed and violence. But the fact is, by 1966 the Tar Heel State had over 10,000 KKK members, more than all the other Southern states combined. (Source: Read more)

North Carolina – Now Is The Time For A Black Democratic Party Chair Of North Carolina

I have been actively engaged in North Carolina Politics since the early 80’s when I registered to vote at 18. I have been actively engaged since the early 90’s as a vice chair of my precinct for many years and then served as 3rd vice, 2nd vice and 1st vice chair of the Edgecombe County Executive Committee for several years. I also served as the interim county chair from 1998 – 1999. I have served as the precinct chair of my precinct now for around 3 terms. I have attended the county and district conventions faithfully since the early 90’s. I have attended several state conventions over the years as well and at one point I was well known at the state office because I was frequently in contact with them.

I said all of that to say this. It is about time that the state convention elect a black chair. I believe it is time for the state to elect someone who can bring some validity of the black voting strength to the forefront. It is time for minority districts to be looked at and since we are in this thing together, then why do we continue to have all of these majority black districts being held by white officials? I have no problem with white representation but what I do have a problem with is when we are suppose to be united as Democrats but we have all kinds of folks running in a majority black district and that creates division. However keeping in mind I understand that nothing says that the district has to be represented by a black.

For so many years down here in the east Edgecombe County, on election night when our votes came in, it was said that a statewide candidate could just about call it a win. However we have been very good to people across the state because we have done a good job as Democrats coming out to vote over the years. I feel strongly that the next chair should be a die hard Democrat that will be willing to move the party forward by doing whatever it takes to get the black voters across the state more energized and more active in the Democratic Party at all levels and not just during election time. I would love to see that person be from East of I-95.

So if you agree with me that it is time for us to elect a black chair for the state of North Carolina, then let me know if you you agree or disagree? Do you think you would be a good candidate or who do you know that would be a good candidate?

What went right for Democrats in North Carolina – Politics NC

The Political Agitator response: When all Democrats begin to vote only Democrat then it will always be a win, win! Democrats voting Republicans? Oh yeah look at the Governor races when Helms was in office and now look at what just happened. It is a damn shame but I voted for my party agenda even though there are some Democratic Elected Officials who just showed us they didn’t support the DEMOCRATIC President.

There’s been a bit of gnashing of teeth among North Carolina Democrats over the election results. A number of people bemoaned the make up of the electorate. They seem to believe that a more progressive campaign with a more grassroots feel could have changed who voted, or at least motivated more Democratic voters.

That’s just not true. The electorate was relatively good for Democrats, especially for a midterm. African-Americans made up 21% of the voters, more than they’ve made up in decades. Wake and Orange Counties turned out at about 49%, five points higher than the state as a whole. Buncombe and Guilford voted at 47% and Durham at 45%. Mecklenburg was the big disappointment with only 39% turnout. (Source:  Read more)