A plurality of people in the Tar Heel state have spoken, electing an “Indecent Assembly” to enact policies decimating the future of North Carolina. Here are three areas that were emphatically endorsed: the state’s image, the Red State and Christian Nationalism.

Over the last 10 years, North Carolina fell in national rankings in several key metrics: education, health, social safety net, racial disenfranchisement, sexual discrimination, forward-thinking infrastructure (broadband, light rail), environmental concerns (climate change, expanding clean power, and toxic mitigation). The reason, fear of cultural change brought by an influx of diverse people into the state. People that will not accept their ideology.

The “Indecent Assembly” has shown the nation how to, with “surgical precision,” enact laws for disenfranchising its Black, Brown, and low-wealth citizens. These laws produced gerrymandered districts, the false premise of voter fraud, and the need for voter ID. The federal courts, Attorney General William Barr, multiple state recounts and NC’s recount found no fraud. The “Indecent Assembly” had a solution in search of a problem.

Christian Nationalism is declared the de facto religion. From protect the people from an overbearing religion to protecting an overbearing, selected religion. Expanding the value gap, between the adherents and most people. Flattening the “I, We, I” curve of social progress. When it comes to masks, it’s “”my body my choice.” For reproductive rights and gender, it’s “your body my rules.” The “Indecent Assembly” created solutions for nonexistent problems.

Someone said, “When you did this for the least of these.” This plurality has chosen to distort both the U.S. and the N.C. Constitution. Both documents have stated precepts of “all” being equal. They have passed legislation for “the general welfare.” Cutting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Children Health Insurance Program, reducing the unemployment benefit, and gutting the education system fall well short of these aspirations.

— Michael Stringer

Cleveland