Civil Liberties

Perhaps because of the large number of outspoken and thoughtful people in our community, we have often found ourselves at ground zero in battles over civil liberties. In the 1980's Chapel Hill elected the first openly-gay elected official in the state, but Carrboro bested that by electing North Carolina’s first out mayor a decade later.

More recently, Chapel Hill grappled with free speech issues in the wake of 9/11, approved and then dismantled red light cameras in 2003-4, and was challenged by fundamentalists over support for gay marriage in 2005.

Local Mayors Testify Against Bill Limiting Abortion Coverage for Town Employees

Submitted by Molly De Marco on June 10, 2011 - 1:31pm

As part of a larger effort by North Carolina Republicans to restrict abortion coverage in the state (including HB 854: Abortion-Woman's Right to Know Act),  North Carolina House Bill 910 ("Gov't Health Plans/Limited Abortion Coverage"), sponsored by Rep. Stephen LaRoque of Lenoir County, would restrict abortion coverage under health plans offered by local governments to their employees. The bill would also limit abortion coverage under the state health plan for teachers and state employees.

Carrboro mayor Mark Chilton and Chapel Hill mayor Mark Kleinschmidt testified against the bill at the General Assembly on Wednesday, arguing that decisions about employment benefits for town employees should be left to the local governments.

Stop "managed care" waiver that stomps on disabled people

Submitted by Ellen Perry on May 21, 2011 - 11:17pm

Developmental disability civil rights are getting stomped on. I emplore you all to read this and act on it quickly if you all really care about people. Our rights are being taking away.

WILPF 31st Triennial Congress

Submitted by Marguerite Coyle on May 17, 2011 - 3:09pm

 For more information, contact:Tana Hartman, 619-6546 (c) OR Miriam Thompson, 919-370-4114  

The 31st triennial congress of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom  (WILPF) opens on June 1 on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel  Hill, hosted by the League’s Triangle branch.  Its theme, “End War – Local to Global,”  will be explored by such outstanding speakers as Rev. Dr. William Barber II, President of  the North Carolina NAACP; Kathy Kelly, head of Voices for Creative Nonviolence; and  Madeleine Rees, former head of office of the U.N. High Commissioner of Human Rights  in Bosnia and international Secretary General of WILPF. 

Kelly will speak on her recent visit to Afghanistan Friday, June 3 in Chase  Hall, Ridge Road, UNC campus, 12 noon, free.  Rev. Barber’s keynote speech “The Long  Road to Freedom, Equality and Justice” on Friday, June 3, is also free to the public, 7  p.m., Hanes Arts Center on campus.   A reception and film gala on Saturday,  June 4 will begin at 6 p.m., Hanes Arts Center, with the film “The Whistleblower,”  an expose of sexual atrocities perpetrated during the Balkan war, showing at 7:15 p.m.  Discussion with Rees and Donna Bickford, Director of the Carolina Women’s Center,  regarding the film and human trafficking will follow.    

Workshops will examine such issues as “Corporations v. Democracy;” “Water for Life,  Not for Profit;” nuclear energy, the status of women. For more information: www.trianglewilpf.org , or contact 919-370-4114 regarding  registration, scholarship, transportation and volunteer information.

Date: 

Wednesday, June 1, 2011 - 3:00pm to Sunday, June 5, 2011 - 11:30am

Location: 

SASB Hall, 450 Ridge Road, UNC Campus;

More Information: 

http://www.trianglewilpf.org

A Song of Solidarity (Red, White & Blue)

Submitted by Geoff Gilson on April 11, 2011 - 7:12pm

This is a bit of a stretch for an Orange County blog. But not much of one. All around America, progressives are concerned at the civil rights of ordinary workers, and the plight of those most at risk in society. Not least with the effect at every level of government of the new austerity - whether natural or Republican-driven. And that goes for Orange County too.

Sometimes a song can have more immediate effect than a thousand speeches. So I wrote a song. Inspired by the fight for rights by workers both here in Orange County and all around America.

I had become tired of tax-cutters, tax-dodgers and war-mongers claiming to themselves the mantle of patriot. When it is ordinary working Americans and those who fight every day to make ours a better county, state and country, it is we who are the true patriots. Not those who would run down government and destroy the safety net.

So, a warm and generous patriotic song for progressive Orange County and progressive America. Oh. And one with an uptempo beat. So that when it comes time to protest, we can all shake more than our fists ... !!

Chapel Hill Personnel Appeals Committee approves firing of Clyde Clark by 5-1 vote

Submitted by Erin Crouse on March 1, 2011 - 9:23am

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