Attend any legislative meeting at the NC General Assembly related to immigration or documentation of identity and you’ll likely find James Johnson in the front row, shoulder to shoulder with Ron Woodard of NC LISTEN and/or William Gheen of ALIPAC. Johnson, an advocate of Arizona style immigration controls, is President/Founder of North Carolinians For Immigration Reform & Enforcement (NCFIRE). Described variously as a non-profit organization, accepting tax deductible donations, and specifically as a 501(c)3 organization*, NCFIRE is curiously MIA when it comes to documentation of its own identity.

Full video (27 minutes) via Barry Smith of M2M Politics of the press conference today at the NC General Assembly where Republican Representatives Dale Folwell, Speaker Pro-Tem, and a posse of religiots, continue the introduction of a state constitutional amendment to ban something that is already banned in North Carolina: gay marriage.

This press conference had many low points. Johnny Hunter's anatomy lesson with locks and keys begins at 05:20. The full text of Barry Smith's M2M Politics report is posted as: Black ministers back gay marriage ban

When Brave New Films released a recent video about the Koch brothers, Americans for Prosperity (AFP), and the Wake County School Board there was an immediate and indignant response from Dallas Woodhouse of Americans for Prosperity. One sentence did not ring true in the response:

Americans for Prosperity is a nonpartisan, issue-based policy organization and does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

AFP campaign finance reports submitted to the North Carolina State Board of Elections reveal that in 2010 AFP spent $189,894.00 on Electioneering Communications in support of 19 North Carolina candidates, comprised of 7 State Senate candidates and 12 State House candidates. A report compiled by the NC Free Enterprise Foundation from various sources puts the total spent by AFP in supporting the 19 candidates at $287,195.22. This is starkly in contrast with Woodhouse's assertion that "Americans for Prosperity ... does not support or oppose candidates for public office."

Remarks I made at the NC Redistricting Public Hearing – East, at the New Hanover location at UNC Wilmington, 3:00pm – 5:00pm, July 18th, 2011

My name is Greg Flynn. I live in Raleigh, Wake County but I thought it appropriate to speak at a hearing in Wilmington because it appears there is no part of North Carolina, however remote, that can not be drawn into a Congressional District with Wake County.

Actually I am on vacation but am so disgusted by the State House and Senate redistricting plans released just last week that I took the time to drive here from Topsail to register my concerns. After my initial laughter at the absurdity of the boundary diagrams, that can charitably be described a resembling an explosion in a spaghetti factory, my concern grew on closer inspection of the delineation, if you can call it that, of the proposed districts. I couldn’t decide if the inspiration was mitochondria or Machiavelli, but the result is the same: Meandering and artificial division that obliterates all sense of civic geography and community place, and who might best represent it.