racism
Some uplifting U.S. military news for Memorial Day 2023
Editor’s note: This Friday, June 2, 2023, will mark the dawn of an important new era for the largest military base in the world — North Carolina’s Fort Bragg. As part of the U.S. Military’s long overdue initiative to remove the names of Confederates who fought against the United States during the Civil War and […]
We aren’t supposed to imply that the Founders (slaveholders) weren’t always paragons of virtue
LONDON – In 2022, the Prince and Princess of Wales (you know them as William and Kate) toured the Commonwealth countries of the Caribbean, former slave colonies. They made a bit of a mess. At one event the royal couple were supposed to meet a bunch of children, but found themselves separated from the kids […]
Two NC House Republicans resign leadership positions in the wake of derogatory remarks
North Carolina House Republicans Jeff McNeely and Keith Kidwell have resigned leadership positions within their caucus in the wake of controversial statements each representative made last week. The resignations were first reported by Raleigh’s News & Observer. Republican House Majority Leader John Bell announced the resignations during a House session Thursday morning, the paper reported. […]
State lawmaker was angered by colleague’s racist comments, but chose to forgive
A white, Republican colleague’s question about whether Rep. Abe Jones was admitted to Harvard University in 1970 because he was a minority and a track athlete was only the second time the Wake County Democrat had experienced such an encounter. The first incident occurred several years ago during a party at UNC Chapel Hill when […]
House Democrats condemn ‘hurtful’ GOP remarks about Black colleagues’ abortion, education
Democrats issued a statement late Wednesday condemning “hurtful remarks” Rep. Jeff McNeely, a Republican from Iredell County, made questioning whether a Black colleague was only able to attend Harvard University because he was a track athlete and a minority. House Democratic Leader Robert Reives said lawmakers must conduct themselves appropriately and with respect for other […]
Monday numbers: UNC and the national anti-DEI wave
This week the UNC System and its 17 campuses complied with a request from the General Assembly’s Joint Legislative Commission on Government Operations, providing information on all Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) training programs they employ. The request included a lengthy list of terms to define DEI that reads like a round-up of recent obsessions of conservative activists:
Lawmakers hear theories on COVID-19 origins in U.S. House hearing
WASHINGTON — Democrats and Republicans mostly agreed Wednesday that scientists and the intelligence community should fully investigate the origins of COVID-19 without political interference over whether the virus emerged from nature or through a lab leak.
North Carolina Republicans revive anti-Critical Race Theory bill
A bill filed by Republicans on Thursday would prevent educators from promoting Critical Race Theory to students (CRT). House Bill 187 is like a bill filed by Republicans in 2021 that Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed. CRT is an academic discipline that examines how racism has shaped the nation’s legal and social systems. Educators say […]
To be a Black man in America
The summer after the world witnessed the brutal beating of Rodney King, I and a group of friends made our way to a nightclub in the southern part of Dade County, Florida. We had recently returned to America after having spent months in Saudi Arabia, not knowing if we would ever see our families again or if we would be confronted with some lingering illness resulting from our service to our country.
Congressional Black Caucus meets with Biden to push for police accountability
WASHINGTON — The Congressional Black Caucus met with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris Thursday evening to urge the administration to use its executive power for law enforcement reform, following criminal charges for police officers in the killing of a Black man in Memphis, Tennessee. “My hope is this dark memory spurs some […]
A moment of hope and light in a dark and violent winter
January has been yet another warm month in North Carolina and across much of the rest of the nation. After a brief and sharp holiday week plunge, temperatures have consistently felt more like mid-March – or, at least, what mid-March used to feel like. And while a globally warm winter certainly has some temporary advantages – especially for people living on the street and those trying to cope with temporarily inflated home heating costs – it’s hard not to be struck with a profound sense of unease at the rapid change afflicting the Earth's biosphere.