Dan Coleman's blog

As reported in the News & Observer:

"The Al Franken Show" is coming to Chapel Hill on April 13. Al Franken and co-host Katherine Lanpher will broadcast the show live from the Carolina Union Auditorium. "The Al Franken Show" airs weekdays from noon until 3 p.m. on News Talk 1360 WCHL-AM. The station announced the visit Tuesday.

Perhaps someone at WCHL can provide more information on Franken and Lanpher's plans for their visit to Chapel Hill.

I have emailed Franken inviting him to visit orangepolitics to find possible topics.

Some that might be relevant to a national discussion are the change of ownership at the Herald, the rally in Fayetteville, and the Bell Award.

I can't say that Franken is looking for suggestions but what do others think are big issues in Chapel Hill or at UNC that have national saliency for progressives?

Chapel Hill Herald, Saturday, March 19, 2005
[modified slightly from published version to reflect that the event is now past]

Last Saturday's March and Rally to Bring the Troops Home Now in Fayetteville was not your typical peace rally. The location was chosen to focus on support for the troops.

Among the main sponsors were Veterans For Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War and Military Families Speak Out.

Fayetteville, of course, is the home of Fort Bragg, one of the largest military installations in the country. Twenty percent of those serving in Iraq hail from North Carolina.

The event promised a supportive environment for soldiers and military families concerned about the Iraq war. It allowed them to speak out and to raise their questions about Bush administration policy while still having their patriotism honored.

Chapel Hill Herald, Saturday, March 12, 2005

If you were in the Town Council chambers last Monday night, you probably felt as Bill Strom did. "I am constantly moved and blown away by Chapel Hill citizens who stand before us and share their life experiences," he said. He referred to the dozens of citizens who came out that night to speak on behalf of the rights of gays and lesbians in the face of not only denial but further restriction of those rights under a right-wing assault.

The council's proposed legislative agenda has three items that speak to the rights of same-sex couples. It asks our state legislators to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, to oppose the proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union of one man and one woman and to include sexual orientation as a protected category under the hate crimes law.

A handful of local fundamentalists brought in a busload of their con-freres from Wake County to preach intolerance to the Town Council. They soon learned they'd come to the wrong place. Their position received not a word of support from Chapel Hillians outside their small group.