Time to either support these dudes . . . or plan to remove them

Okay, we did it for our state senators, all Republican, so it's only fair to go after these sad representatives who call themselves Democrats: Walt Church, Bob England, and Ray Warren have signed up to co-sponsor a bill to amend the North Carolina constitution to discriminate against gays.

Do Church, England, and Warren really feel that it's important to spend their time adding to the existing laws that already discriminate against our neighbors, family members, and friends? Or, is it that they consider themselves so unsupported by their local Democratic parties that they feel the need to cave in to ridiculously obvious fundamentalist wedge tactics?

Hey folks, it's up to us (yes, you and me) to let them know they don't need to play these sick games. Either we support them, that is, we do the phone calling and door-to-door canvassing that wins elections. Or, we find candidates who have more courage and/or higher standards.

Don't be afraid to let them know how you feel. On the other hand, don't hold back from committing to either support or replace them when the next election cycle comes around.

Walt Church - (Burke) Email: Waltc@ncleg.net

Dr. Bob England (Cleveland, Rutherford) Email: Bobe@ncleg.net

Ray Warren (Catawba, Alexander) Email: Rayw@ncleg.net

Here's some of the Charlotte Observer's write-up of the situation:

Buoyed by the recent passage of similar legislation in seven states, several thousand people rallied Tuesday to urge lawmakers to let them vote on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. . . .

Supporters of the idea said citizens shouldn't be denied a chance to vote to change the N.C. Constitution to allow marriage only between a man and a woman.

Democratic leaders have declined to take up similar questions over the past three years, saying no changes in state law are needed and that more important issues should take precedence.
State law says that a valid marriage is one "created by the consent of a male and female person." A 1996 law also states that North Carolina doesn't recognize gay marriages performed in other states.

Given the conservative makeup of both the state Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court, judicial action to overturn North Carolina's marriage laws is unlikely, said William Marshall, a professor at the UNC Chapel Hill law school.

Senate leader Marc Basnight and House Speaker Joe Hackney, D-Orange, say no changes are needed to current law. "I don't know why we would spend time on that," Hackney said Tuesday.

Exclusive must-see WNCNN interview with Elizabeth Dole

WNCNN's Johnny Joe Rockslide is back with an exclusive interview at the home of North Carolina's own senior senator, Elizabeth Dole.



For background on Johnny Joe's questions, you might want to check out this BlueNC post by Blue South, Where does Elizabeth Dole Live? He's done extensive research in to Dole's residency. Here's a relevant exerpt:

I started with OpenSecrets.org, where I discovered that she and Bob own property in many states. She owns 118.91 acres in Johnson City Kansas, valued at over a million dollars. She owns a condo with her brother in Florida. In Salisbury the only thing she owns is a “28.47% ownership interest” in a real estate development. This “ownership interest” has a value of between 250 and 500 thousand dollars. She receives rent from this property.

I then checked on her voter registration, discovering her voting address is 712 S Fulton St, Salisbury, NC. What is interesting about this is that Bob Dole is not registered to vote in the state of North Carolina. He is however, registered to vote in Kansas. In fact, the same day that Elizabeth was voting in person in North Carolina in an effort to become a Senator, her husband was in Kansas, voting in person there. How many married couples do you know that are not divorced, not separated, and yet live in different houses?

My next stop was the Rowan County Register of Deeds. Elizabeth Dole apparently owns the home where she is registered to vote. The home has a value for tax assessment purposes of just under $321,000. I am glad that she managed to actually buy a home in North Carolina. But I wonder about how much time she spends there.

In doing a little more searching, I found this article from 2005. It turns out that said home in Salisbury was bought after Christmas in 2001. Why does that matter? Well it turns out she voted in November of 2001. You see, this house was actually the home of her mother since 1937. In fact, Mrs. Hanford was still living in the house up until her untimely death, in 2004, at the age of 102.

. . .

The claim by her campaign in 2001 was that the home was owned by Elizabeth Dole. Apparently, though, the home was sold to her only after she decided to run for Senate. The home was sold to her by her mother, who continued to live in the home, it being her residence after all.

In fact, as of today, Elizabeth Dole’s mailing address on official Rowan County documents is still listed as the Watergate hotel. Why is that important? Because from everything I can see Elizabeth Dole still lives in the same place she has lived for 40 years. Washington DC.

Crossposted at BlueNC and Scrutiny Hooligans

I'm worried about Spruce Pine

Hey, what's up in Mitchell County?

I've been there twice in the past week and I'm starting to worry. Of course, we all know the region is acclaimed for its hot female bikers, I mean, all those amazing minerals. And its great legacy of country music, the scenic beauty and the (well-worth-a-visit) Penland crafts school. It's a cultural treasure house, right?

So, you can imagine how shocked and concerned I felt when I heard this rumor about one of the local used clothing stores. You know, the kind that takes all kinds of used items to sell and the proceeds go to help animals or those in need? In this particular case, I'd heard that they throw away the items they can't sell. Right into the dumpster!

Last week, I went to the establishment in question and bought a few items (including some amazing used wigs. More on that later). And I chatted with the nice Christian lady behind the counter, who assured me that not only did they indeed throw away the clothes, they go so far as to cut them up. "If we don't slit the clothes, we come in the next day and there's a mess in the parking lot. People rummage through the dumpster and leave 'em all over. We spend half the mornin' cleanin' up . . ."

I won't give names and addresses (or phone numbers) until I've confirmed the story. But, according to my sources, there used to be a tractor-trailer in said parking lot where the unbought clothes would get picked up. But now, I'm told, "the county won't let us," because it doesn't look nice.

I know Mitchell County is overwhelmingly Christian (and, dare I say, Republican). I can't imagine a true Christian would advocate destroying clothes rather than getting them to people who could use them (at no cost to anyone . . .) I'll have to investigate further. Rest assured, I'm on the case.

Then there's the movie situation. I'll have to do more research on this one, too. It seems that the Ingles grocery in Spruce Pine doesn't carry the movie, Borat. "It's too controversial," said the woman behind the counter (with a giggle.)

So, we rented Babel. Well, Babel has children masturbating and killing people, blood everywhere. There's a teenaged girl licking her dentist (without his permission), and getting naked repeatedly (and not for laughs).

So, this is okay with the Spruce Pine Ingles but the sophomoric (and quite entertaining) Borat isn't? I'm thinkin' it's that scene at the rodeo where he sings a new version of the national anthem. You know, about how America is terrorizing the world with our so-called "war on terror." Maybe, that's what makes Borat too controversial. Because I know that nudity can't be the problem, since masturbating children and sexually aggressive nude teenagers are just fine.

I obviously need to ask some questions here. Maybe it's all Ingles and not just the Spruce Pine one.

Still, I'm worried about Spruce Pine. I'll keep you posted.

Any comments?

Want to start blogging? Best way to start is by posting comments. So, comment away, potential bloggers . . .

Equality for NC

Do you live in Iredell, Gaston, or Lincoln counties? Do you know your state senator, James Forrester, is the primary sponsor of Senate bill 13, which is hate legislation?

How about residents of Burke or Caldwell? Catawba or Iredell? Jim Jacumin, Austin Allran, Fletcher Hartsell, Jr. are co-sponsors.

They are trucking in anti-gay activists from all over the country to Raleigh Tuesday, March 6th to tell us why we're ungodly if we support civil rights for all.

Don't worry, though, a group called Equality NC plans to "turn lemons into lemonade" and turn the rally into a fundraiser for equal rights. Read more about that below.

My point here at Pat Go Bye-Bye: let's do the same. Let's turn lemons into lemonade. Why are our legislators so obsessed with sexuality? Are Allran, Forrester, Hartsell and Jacumin doing things to improve education, help alleviate poverty, improve the economy, what else? Copy the email address below and tell your Senator that you disapprove of this bill and that you want him to spend his time working for a bill like Representative Verla Insko's Health Care for All. Tell them whatever you'd like them to do. That would be at least a start in the right direction.

And, while you're at it, be thinking about 2008. We can also turn lemons into by using this as motivation to find the wonderful candidates (we know you're out there) who can run against these hate-filled senators.

Thanks to Pam Spaulding for pointing out the planned alternative productive activities and for keeping the BlueNC statewide progressive community aware of this unconstitutional legislation.

Our friends at the far right, radical Christian organizations Called2Action and Return America, "a new Christian organization in North Carolina," are planning a rally for THIS TUESDAY, MARCH 6, at the NC General Assembly to support their anti-gay, anti-marriage state constitutional amendment.

Let's turn lemons into lemonade once again. Make your pledge today to give 25, 50, 75 cents, or a dollar to Equality North Carolina for every minute this rally of hate and bigotry goes on. When we did this last year, we raised $12,000. Let's see if we can raise even more this year!

To make your pledge by the time the rally starts on Tuesday at 11 AM, simply choose your amount per minute and email Shawn Long with it at shawn@equalitync.org. When the rally starts, we'll count up the minutes, then send you a follow-up email with your total and payment information.

Be sure to visit the websites of Called2Action (www.called2action.org) and Return America (www.returnamerica.org) to get a better idea of what we're up against.

Here's more to chew on:

Their agenda is not only anti-LGBT, but also anti-woman, anti-diversity, anti-people. Return for America does credit the "homosexual advocacy group" Equality NC with holding back the marriage amendment for the past three years, and we thank them for that!

With your help, every minute of their divisive rhetoric will support our continuing partnership with people like you to make North Carolina a more tolerant place.

Email sponsor Forrester at Jamesf@ncleg.net

Email co-sponsor Allred at Austina@ncleg.net

Email co-sponsor Hartsell at Fletcherh@ncleg.net

Email co-sponsor Jacumin at Jimja@ncleg.net

Meet Mad Miss Mattie

Those of us at Pat Go Bye-Bye feel the need to give equal time to the supporters of our duly-elected Congressman.

(If you haven't already met her, you'll just have to forgive her atrocious styling and obnoxious voice. She means well, I think.)



For background on Pat's run-in with Barney Frank, check this out:

Charlotte 14-year-old calls McHenry childish

Written by The Southern Dem and crossposted from BlueNC

Their sentiments ran from sympathy to outrage when asked about the Pelosi Plane issue that was inflated by GOP whiners like Adam Putnam, Fl-12 and Patrick McHenry, NC-10. The Mecklenburg and Stanly County teens who responded were almost all male and almost all sympathetic to the travel needs of Nancy Pelosi.

The Charlotte Observer has made my day with this piece in the editorial section. Let me give you a taste of what was said, but you do need to follow the link and read them all. This will look like a long quote, but it is only small snippets from some of the students.

Q. Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, the first woman speaker, was criticized recently for requesting access to an Air Force transport plane. Former Speaker Dennis Hastert flew in a military jet as well for security reasons. The speaker of the House is third in line for the presidency. The transport is a bigger plane than Hastert's though and critics, including North Carolina's Rep. Patrick McHenry, called the request a luxury and environmentally bad. But the House sergeant-at-arms, who helps oversee security for the House, suggested that flying nonstop would be the safest way home to California for Pelosi. That non-stop flight requires a bigger plane. The White House has called the controversy much ado about nothing. Pelosi said she is "happy to ride commercial if the plane provided doesn't go coast to coast." Some have called the controversy sexist, noting that Pelosi deserves the same consideration that the male Hastert got. But critics persist, saying Pelosi wants a larger plane to fly cronies and top political donors. What do you think?

Bryan Grossman, 20, UNC Chapel Hill: I find it comical that a man such as Rep. Patrick McHenry would suggest something of that nature . . . Shouldn't a representative from North Carolina talk about North Carolina? Shouldn't he be talking about corruption within his own party that caused Republican seats to be lost in an election? Shouldn't he talk about a war that his party was responsible for directing? . . .

Alex Li, 17, Charlotte Latin School, Charlotte: I think that Pelosi has every right to request safe passage home, even if that means riding in an Air Force transport plane. If the sergeant-at arms believes that flying nonstop is the safest way home, then there shouldn't be much of an argument . . . Any criticism that she receives is either from sexists or from Republicans . . .

Julie Flanagan, 16, home-schooled, Charlotte: Frankly, I am a little upset that we are pouring this much time into such a non-important question . . .

Jacob Keady, 12, Marvin Ridge Middle School, Waxhaw: I think speaker Pelosi should have accesss to a larger plane, only for security purposes . . . The reason I think she is being criticized is because she is a Democrat. Of course, she could be being critized because she is a woman. Belive it or not, sexism has been in the United States since it's birth. [SD - He's 12 people . . . this kid is freaking 12 years old!]

Khevna Desai, 14, School of Math, Engineering, Technology, and Science @ Olympic High, Charlotte: Former speaker of the house Dennis Hastert flew in the military jet for security reasons. His plane was smaller because he needed transportation from Illinois, to Washington D.C. Pelosi needs a bigger plane because it has been found necessary for security reasons, to fly non-stop. Rep. Patrick McHenry is being childish instead of concentrating on more important matters. The criticism is misguided. If the critics have such a problem with the matter, instead of stirring up controversy they should talk to those in charge of her transportation and security. I think that Pelosi is being criticized because she is a woman, and a Democrat.

Peter Thao, 15, North Stanly High School, New London: If the House Sergeant-at-Arms office wants Nancy Pelosi to take a military plane, then why can't she take the C-32 plane? She said she would be happy to take a commercial plane, but the House Sergeant-at-arms office keeps urging her to take a military plane . . .

Evan Heilig, 14, North Stanly High School, New London: I do think that Nancy Pelosi should be able to have the Air Force transport to take her to California. I think that people are just being sexist, and they just need to back off. Mrs. Pelosi has got a really stressful job and one of the most important jobs at that. This is a new age, and I believe that women should have the right to have just as much as men. Mrs. Pelosi works just as hard as any other person with that job, so she should be able to have the rewards that come with it.

Believe it or not, there's quite a bit more. A large majority of the kids seemed to understand the issue as it was presented and a couple had knowledge beyond that presented in the question posed by the Observer.

Sure, there are some grammar and spelling problems, but more importantly it seems that these kids have a better grasp of this issue than most adults - including most of the reporters who acted as stenographers for the whining wingnuts in Washington.

Please head on over to the Observer and enjoy reading the responses. There are only a couple that appeared to be written by kool-aid kids and that's with a large number of responses from heavily Republican Stanly County.