by John Evans

I am going to try to say something useful about the cold and calculated murder of those nine saintly Christians in Charleston, S.C. First, let us listen to the testimony of the family members who forgave the killer. These people are serious Christians. They opened their door to God and were compelled by the love they found there to welcome a stranger into their midst.

The young man who killed them had second thoughts because of the love and hospitality they showed him. For an hour, he listened to the offer of a better way of life. In the end, he chose poorly. He had hoped to ignite a race war. He has misjudged. Charleston is not Baghdad. Those good people proved him wrong by rising up in a mighty wave of love, dignity and respect. Twenty thousand marched to help wash away the malodorous stain of that day.

What now? What about the future of our country, our culture and our hearts?

I believe that we white folks need to be braver than we have in the past. I believe that we must accept a painful truth -- deep inside, many of our black neighbors do not feel able to trust us much, and I don't blame them.

A majority of state House members support House Bill 92, which would establish a nonpartisan redistricting process for North Carolina. But will the bill even get a vote in the General Assembly?

Take action. Sign the petition in support of a nonpartisan redistricting process in North Carolina.

Here are two things to do on the Fourth of July 2015, in between eating hot dogs and drinking beer, and before you watch the fireworks: 1) Read the Declaration of Independence, and; 2)  Read this excerpt from a speech by President Calvin Coolidge (you read that right) on the 150th Anniversary of the Declaration.

by Brian Irving
Vice Chair

For the seventh time in 10 years, the General Assembly was derelict in its duty to fulfill a major constitutional responsibility. The new fiscal year began without passage of a state budget.

It's no wonder North Carolinians have such a low opinion of government. Even though both houses and the governorship are controlled by the same party, they cannot complete this most basic government function. Although in session for six months, they've waited until the last minute to consider this important issue.

Not only were the competing budgets drafted in secret by a small, closed group of legislators, lobbyists and special interests group agents, these same people are now meeting behind closed doors to cut deals for a final budget. There's nothing fair, impartial, or reasonable, and certainly not democratic, about this process.

Perhaps if legislators actually read the state constitution they've taken an oath to uphold this problem wouldn't come up every year. Under that charter, the governor is responsible for drafting the budget. The state House and Senate can review it and make changes, and must approve it. But the fundamental responsibility rests with the governor.

There's no need at all for both houses to separately, and secretly, draft their own budgets – other than to score political points and provide cover for political favors.