Senator sings for Willie

By William R. Toler

A white-haired politician sings in support of the red-headed stranger following a raid that may have been planned.

Sen. Charlie Albertson (D)

State Senator Charlie Albertson recently recorded a song based on a late January bust of Willie Nelson’s band by Alcohol Law Enforcement, according to the Wilmington StarNews. “Leave The Man Alone” is a classic-country-style ballad about the events that unfolded.

Prior to a scheduled show at the Duplin County Events Center, ALE agents entered Nelson’s tour bus after smelling marijuana. Upon entry they spied “non-tax paid alcohol” and issued citations for the illegal substances to six band members. Shortly thereafter, the show was cancelled.

The official explanation was that Nelson was suffering from carpal tunnel pain and couldn’t perform.

But suspicion was raised after news of the bust and the cancellation.

“A lot of people think it was planned and contrived,” Albertson told the StarNews. “It looks like a special effort was made to bust the guys on the bus.”

And it did sound a bit premeditated.

Oh…Willie Nelson’s coming to town! We know he’ll have weed. Oh look…the boys have got moonshine too!

Many Willie fans and Duplin County residents were upset over the incident. The event center lost $30,000.

Was it worth 6 citations?

Child soldiers in parents’ holy war

By Ryan Graczkowski

The News and Observer ran a story from the Chicago Tribune. A couple undergoing a divorce is currently warring it out over the religion of their child.

When they married, the husband converted out of Catholicism to Judaism; as such, they had agreed to raise their daughter in the Judaic culture. Following the divorce, he returned to the church and saw to his daughter’s baptism without his former wife’s permission.

I believe that one of the lawyers, Jeffrey Leving, put it best: “This is parental war. The parents are using the child as a tool of revenge.” And I agree. As the daughter is 3 years old, I am skeptical that deep theological lessons are taking root here.

This is something that, as I grow older and my walk goes deeper, I repeatedly fail to understand. Religion is truly a matter of choice. Things like baptism are meant to be an outward sign of an inward conscious decision on the part of the believer. How in the world can a 3-year-old be said to have a deep conviction in this sort of thing one way or the other?

S.C. rep calls for ban on dollar

By William R. Toler

A state known for bucking up against the federal government could ban Federal Reserve Notes.

Mike Pitts, a South Carolina state represenative, has introduced a bill that would prohibit the use of the nation’s current paper currency, according to the Palmetto Scoop. Instead, South Carolinians would use gold and silver coins.

Pitts said he wants the state to be able to survive following a possible implosion of the economy in which the dollar would become worthless. “If our federal government keeps spending at the rate we’re spending I don’t see any other outcome than the collapse of the economic system,”he said.

The fourth-term Republican said that the bill was also a statement about state’s rights, a South Carolina tradition predating the war between the states. “”The bill basically gives the state the ability to honor gold and silver coinage…and it also gives the state the ability to say ‘we won’t use printed legal tender as currency within the state.'”

Liberals falling for sound-bite populism

By Nina Kilbride

I am thrilled at the initial success of North Carolina citizens of all political inclinations in transforming the process of curriculum development in the state. But I am troubled.

Why? Because the few people who persist in advocating, “let the DPI do its job” are liberals like me! I think their understanding of the issue boils down to sound bites, and stems from a knee-jerk reaction to a story brought to national attention by Fox media. Whose fault is it that Fox had a better read on the pulse of its constituents than the liberal media?

State of emergency causes firearms firestorm in N.C.

By William R. Toler

North Carolina gun owners beware. If you get caught with a weapon during a declared state of emergency, you could be a criminal.

That’s what the people of King in Stokes County had to learn the hard way during a winter storm that passed through the area earlier this month.

According to WXII-TV, “Residents in King were fumed over the weekend after a state of emergency declaration restricted the sale of alcohol and the carrying of firearms in vehicles.”

The authorization for the authoratative act comes from state statute 14-228.7 which reads “it is unlawful for any person to transport or possess off his own premises any dangerous weapon or substance in any area…In which a declared state of emergency exists; or…Within the immediate vicinity of which a riot is occurring.”

DPI goes back to the drawing board

By William  R. Toler

The people of North Carolina can claim a small victory in protecting education.

Courtesy: Say "NO" to North Carolina's US History Curriculum Change

The News & Observer reports that the Department of Public Instruction has scrapped a proposal that would revamp U.S. History in the eleventh grade to begin after the Reconstruction in 1877 due to massive oppostion in the past two weeks.

Teachers and students, parents and politicians from all over the political spectrum banded together after FOX News reported on the attempted change. Gov. Bev Perdue and Sen. Marc Basnight (both Democrats) gave their dissent, while major papers in the state were trying to label dissenters as conservatives.

Dr. Holly Brewer, an associate professor of history at North Carolina State University was one of the most outspoken leaders of the resistance. Brewer, along with I.R. contributer Nina Kilbride, created the first of at least three Facebook pages to get the public educated and involved. The group “History Did Not Begin in 1877” currently boasts more than 8,000 members and an ongoing dialogue on the issue.

Is independence nearing extinction?

By Nina Kilbride

I was in the first grade in 1976.  It was the national Bicentennial, and it was a big deal.  My husband, then 11, redecorated his room in red, white and blue in his enthusiasm.  I can still remember the words to a halftime song “Two Hundred Years and Just a Baby.”

From the spirit of the day, I learned that being American was about being independent in thought and deed while respecting the needs of others.  Independence is a theme that still tugs at my heartstrings.

Independence as a value has largely disappeared from the national dialogue. This is unfortunate, because many independence lovers are “values” voters.

Publicly funded elections in Raleigh?

By Ryan Graczkowski

The city of Raleigh has announced that it desires to enact a public option for local political candidates.

It isn’t anything set in stone, not yet. It’s not as if our tax dollars are going to go to work putting these political candidates through the electoral process. What Raleigh is wanting, more specifically, is the authority to do so if it should so desire.

This sentiment is perhaps best voiced by Mayor Charles Meeker, whom the News and Observer quotes as saying that, “It seems like it ought to be an option… Raleigh may or may not pursue it, but the city should have the authority to do so if it wants.” (Click here for the full story)

The resolution is virtually unopposed, and is for the purpose of removing the influence of big money and special interests.

It is good to remove these problems.

But at what cost?

It’s election season in eastern N.C.

By Thomas Brock

This week marks the official beginning of 2010’s election season. Candidates must file between Feb. 8 and Feb. 19 to be on the May primary election ballot. The winners of those contests will move on to November’s general election.

U.S. Rep. Walter B. Jones Jr. (N.C. District 3)  will face primary competition from Bob Cavanaugh for the Republican bid. I expect former Onslow County Commissioner Joe McLaughlin to file soon. McLaughlin ran against Jones in 2008 and lost in the primary, but has been active in conservative circles and on the Jacksonville Daily News editorial page, usually excoriating Mr. Jones.

Sperby Piner, an unknown Sneads Ferry resident, declared his candidacy, but his wife announced he would not run after she shot him during a domestic dispute. On the Democratic side, Greenville attorney Johnny Rouse may face former weatherman and two-time failed candidate Craig Weber.

N.C. people just say “NO” to DPI

By William R. Toler

North Carolinians from across the state have joined together against the Department of Public Instruction’s idea to shorten the U.S. History course to begin in 1877.

Sir Walter Raleigh...with kneepads. Photo Courtesy "History Did Not Begin in 1877"

While some conservatives have blamed it on liberal revisionists and liberals have pointed the finger at right-wing fundamentalists, their overall view is the same: they don’t like it. People from both sides of the aisle have put aside political differences to protest the proposal.

At least three groups have been created on Facebook, including “History Did Not Begin in 1877” which was co-founded by I.R. contributer Nina Kilbride. At the time of this post, that group boasts more than 2,100 members including current and former history teachers.

The group’s other founder, Dr. Holly Brewer, is an associate professor at N.C. State University. Brewer has led the cause by delving into DPI curriculum plans and informing the public of the details.

“North Carolina’s Department of Public Instruction claims that the first half of American History will be covered in earlier grades, especially 7th,” she wrote on the group’s page. “But look at that course–on State, Nation, and World, from 1600-1900. If 11th graders can’t cover all of U.S. history in one block semester, how are 7th graders supposed …to cover three different subjects in a year?”