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.
I'm a big supporter of the IFC and its mission. And I support its desire to create a new type of facility, a transitional facility for homeless men and the need to relocate somewhere. And I'm disappointed that there is opposition to the proposed site for that new facility. But I also think that the dialogue has gone beyond civility and that the neighborhoods adjoining the proposed site are being unfairly demonized. In the 12 years I have served on Town advisory boards I have seen many neighborhoods oppose many projects for many different reasons - some good, some bad, some rational, some irrational.
Dan Pollitt was a dedicated activist and leader in our community for decades. He passed away this morning after a lifetime dedicated to peace and justice. My heart goes out to his wife Senator Ellie Kinnaird and the rest of his family. But the loss is all of ours. Pollitt was a beacon, lighting the way forward from just a little ahead of the rest of us.
Here's the Independent's profile of him from 10 years ago:
Chapel Hill attorney Bill Massengill nails it: "He's the
aggressive-liberal gentleman. Dan can aggressively press his ideas
without offending people." Even when those ideas are quite hopelessly
out of fashion--as they so very often are.
Take, for example, Pollitt's defense of free association amid Red Scare
panic. Or integration in the Jim Crow South. It took the times some
time to catch up with Pollitt on those two.
Or what about advocating labor unions in a "right-to-work" state? How very
un-20th century. And Pollitt's predilection for the abolishment of
state-sanctioned executions? Next season, maybe, or perhaps the one
after that.
[...]
At the Town Council meeting on January 25, 2010, I petitioned the council to open discussions about prohibiting hand held cell phone usage while driving in Chapel Hill. I also proposed that the town hold a public forum on this topic where concerned citizens can express their opinions about this issue. Since the election I have heard from many citizens who feel that it is becoming increasingly dangerous to drive in Chapel Hill because people are not paying attention to the road. The problem is particularly bad on campus.
"This is a local event,” Mayor Kevin Foy said in an official Town video. “If you can walk to Halloween, you’re invited. If you can’t, don’t come.”
Wow. Watch the Youtube clip. Lame.
(3 min 15 sec) CUE CREEPY MUSIC and Watch Mayor KEVIN FOY DISAPPEAR INTO A MISTY FOG CLOUD. REALLY? Really Chapel Hill? You can't make this Homegrown Halloween initiative "cool" with special effects or rationalization. Limiting the growth of events like Halloween hurts the "Brand" of our Town and ultimately has a negative effect on our Local Economy.
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