NAACP

I've seen a lot of clips of Mr. Barber in recent weeks,
but this one tells the whole story in a way that truly lifts my hopes.

Poor Thom Tillis. He wants to run for US Senate,
yet he doesn't even have the moral strength
to talk to citizens in the People's House.

More than 200 people gathered May 13 to support the 49 people arrested for peaceably protesting at the N.C General Assembly building in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Garrison Keillor opens his monologues with "It's been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon." But North Carolina is not a quiet town on the prairie, and we are no longer being quiet.

This week in North Carolina started with 49 arrests at the N.C. General Assembly -- arrests of people peaceably assembled and singing songs of peace and unity to protest the ALEC-ification of our state. This brings the total number of civil-disobedience arrests so far to 96, including 17 arrests April 29, 30 arrests on May 6, and 49 arrests on May 13.

Call for mass rally and protests in Raleigh (5/7)

Forward together, not one step back!

From the NC AFL-CIO today via email

In an email to supporters on Friday, the North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP, a partner in the H K on J coalition, called for a "Mass Rally and Protest Outside NC General Assembly" on Tuesday, May 7th.

The escalation of peaceful protests on Tuesday comes as advocates for workers, voters, civil rights, students, and the environment grow increasingly frustrated at the arrogant and extreme actions taken by our state legislature during the first three months of its 2013 session and are turning to civil disobedience.

On Monday, police arrested 17 activists - including clergy, students and academics, and a woman in a wheelchair - for protesting the Republican-led legislative agenda outside the state senate chamber doors.

from an email from Tara Ramano (Tara.Ramano@gmail.com):

Sunday, March 24, Raleigh: Raleigh/Apex NAACP "Remembering Bloody Sunday"
March and Rally, 3pm, Martin Street Baptist Church.

If you are not familiar with Bloody Sunday, it was a voting rights march that took place in AL on March 07, 1965; it started out peacefully, but many protesters were injured (hence the name), and it was a catalyst for the Voting Rights Act (VRA) later that year. If you've been following voting rights news, you know that key provisions of the VRA are being reviewed for possible termination by the Supreme Court; and also that NC wants to make all voters show ID when they vote. You probably are also aware that as a country and state, we still struggle with voter engagement, voter confusion, and long lines.

Friends -- as the far right steamrolls over our state, it is more important than ever for us to show the world that not all of North Carolina is a reactionary backwater intent on living in the 1950's. This coming Saturday is a great opportunity to come together and take a stand: please, join Progress NC and many other groups (some posting here) as we support our brothers and sisters at the NAACP in this year's HKonJ march to the General Assembly. This is the year to show our strength! To join us, just show up at Shaw University in Raleigh on February 9th and look for the Progress NC banner. Trust us: you'll have a great time and you *will* feel your power. Complete flyer after the jump.

Poverty & Economic Justice,
Legislative Briefing

Tuesday, January 15, 2013, Beginning at 9:00 a.m.

At The People's House

The North Carolina General Assembly -

Legislative Auditorium

16 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601

Join us as we remind the Governor and members of the NC General Assembly, who recently swore on the Bible to uphold the North Carolina Constitution, that Article I , Sect. 2 of the Constitution requires them to govern "for the good of the whole." The policy briefing's theme is: Addressing Poverty and Economic Justice in NC."

We will re-emphasize our call to North Carolina's leadership to "stay moderate in the face of extremism" - the subject of a petition that was first released Friday, January 4, 2013. We will personally deliver the petition and DVD of the documentary to legislative offices after the briefing.

Mitt Romney found himself on the receiving end of a loud chorus of boos when he promised to repeal health care reform during a speech before the NAACP...

Romney otherwise encountered polite applause in his speech, which hit on themes of jobs and the economy -- mainstays of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee's overall stump speech -- as well as education reform.

Romney focused much of speech on "family" themes hinting at his lack of support for gay marriage. MSNBC reported this on live TV, but not in its online article. The audience was said to be receptive to this part of his speech.

Please go to Change.org to sign the petition opposing a charter school in Orange County. This school project is organized by a group that has not improved achievement elsewhere in the state. It is funded by some fairly right wing politicos, not the right group to foster good educational programs.

This will be approved on Feb 1-2 unless there is clear opposition, with many letters written, so hurry.

http://www.change.org/petitions/mr-william-harrison-and-the-north-caroli...

RALEIGH --

North Carolina's largest civil rights group has filed a public records request for information on a letter regarding the Racial Justice Act signed by almost all the state's district attorneys.

Rev. William Barber, the leader of the state NAACP, said Friday the group wants to know if the 43 elected district attorneys who signed the letter knew what was in it...

Less than a year is left until the 2012 national election, and nonbelievers in democracy are taking no chances. Right now, North Carolina is one of twenty-one states that have passed or are trying to pass legislation to close the early voting period. Many in the NC General Assembly are still trying to pass a bill that would add North Carolina to the auspicious list of states that require a voter ID to combat nonexistent voter fraud. In every state where this legislation is present, the goal is the same: to make voting more difficult.