Civil Liberties
Perhaps because of the large number of outspoken and thoughtful people in our community, we have often found ourselves at ground zero in battles over civil liberties. In the 1980's Chapel Hill elected the first openly-gay elected official in the state, but Carrboro bested that by electing North Carolina’s first out mayor a decade later.
More recently, Chapel Hill grappled with free speech issues in the wake of 9/11, approved and then dismantled red light cameras in 2003-4, and was challenged by fundamentalists over support for gay marriage in 2005.
No, no, really (he says, doing his very best, over-the-top, under-the-weather Ricky Gervais). Bear with me for a sec. If those who advocate for corporations to be persons (*cough* *hack* -- the 1%) follow through consistently with their political beliefs (granted, with Gingrich and Romney as standard-bearers, not very likely – but this is my satirical piece, so let me finish) …
Anyways, if corporations are persons (especially those megadeath Wall Street banks), then it follows (a la Tea Party Republicans in Mississippi) that they are persons from the point of their conception.
Now, bearing in mind that it can take years, if not decades, for corporations to be incorporated (and, therefore, start to pay taxes), long after they have been conceived, I would say that most of America’s corporations (keep thinking, megadeath Wall Street banks) owe gazillions in back taxes. Cha ching!
Back to Tea Party Republican principles, if corporations are persons, then you can’t abort them. So, all those insolvencies are now redundant. And a whole slew of ‘former’ corporations owe another huge chunk of back taxes. Double cha ching!!
At the Town Council meeting Monday night, I and many others felt frustrated, after issuing our statements and as the Council was deliberating, unable to respond to or correct the circuitous discussion between council members, Chief Blue, Mr. Stancil, Mayor Kleinschmidt, and Attorney Karpinos.
Two months later, Chapel Hill Town Manager Roger Stancil has published his memorandum to the Town Council, outlining his "conclusions, actions and recommendations" related to the occupation of and subsequent police raid at the Yates Motor Company building on W. Franklin St. last November. It's an impressively bland endorsement of paramilitary police action, largely devoid of content. Stancil wastes no time in reaching the conclusion you may have expected him to reach—that the police did everything right and nothing wrong—and that if anything needs to happen as a result of these events, it's that the CHPD should adopt a new media relations policy.
Announcement from the Orange County Human Relations Commission:
The Orange County Human Relations Commission invites you to
Human Relations Month Forum 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
THEME:
“Defining
Marriage in North Carolina by Constitutional Amendment:
What are the Implications?”
PANELISTS:
Stuart Campbell, Executive Director - Equality North Carolina
Maxine Eichner, Professor UNC-CH School of Law
Brett Webb-Mitchell, Visiting Associate Professor North Carolina Central University
MODERATOR:
Milan Pham, Attorney NicholsonPham Attorneys at Law
PLACE:
Carrboro Century Center
100 North Greensboro Street
Carrboro, NC 27510
Refreshments and Entertainment by The Moaners at 2:30 PM. The public is invited.
For more information, call (919) 245-2487.
Date:
Sunday, January 29, 2012 - 3:00pm to 5:00pm
Location:
Carrboro Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro Street, Carrboro
Official news from Occupy Chapel Hill/Carrboro:
On Tuesday, January 10, 2012, Occupy Chapel Hill/Carrboro will make history by becoming one of the very few, longstanding Occupy encampments in the country to peacefully and voluntarily transition to a new phase in its evolution.
Members of OCHC are planning a special day in celebration of the power and potential of the 99% movement. And they have invited the whole community.
The day’s events will kick off at 3 p.m. with taking down tents and cleanup of the Peace and Justice Plaza, 179 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill. Press are welcome to attend. This will be followed by a press conference at 4:30 p.m., at which Occupiers will present plans for the future. A General Assembly will be held at 6 p.m. at the Plaza.
OCHC’s immediate plans for its evolution include: a Plaza presence consisting of General Assemblies, teach-ins, outreach, discussion circles, and events; roving encampments; participation in Occupy the Courts on January 20; and continuing active support for The Chapel Hill Carrboro Human Rights Center.
As part of the global Occupy movement towards economic justice, some of our long term endeavors will include an assistance program for people facing foreclosure; the establishment of central indoor space; further outreach to other Occupies, UNC students, the general public, and Triangle activist organizations; and the study of solidarity economy and its potential development in our area.
Following the General Assembly, OCHC will be hosting a dance party at the Plaza, starting at about 8 p.m.
The best is yet to come!
You may RSVP here
Date:
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 3:00pm to 10:00pm
Location:
Peace and Justice Plaza, Franklin St. Post Office, 179 East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill
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