When I was growing up my mother would sometimes say to me, “Be sure you tell people you are from NORTH Carolina, not SOUTH Carolina!” With apologies to my current and much loved South Carolina friends, the truth is that North Carolina was a much more progressive state during my growing up years. More progressive politically, more progressive when it came to education, more progressive when it came to civil rights. Not perfect but yes, a little more progressive. Then.
Sadly, those times have changed. I don’t think either North or South Carolina can claim the moniker of progressive these days.
I often think of the patriots throwing British tea overboard into Boston Harbor as they proclaimed, “No taxation without representation.” Even though I faithfully pay my taxes, I feel like it has been quite some time since I felt I had representation. Not in my extremely gerry-mannered State legislature and certainly not in the U.S. Congress.
Even some Republicans will admit our beloved Tar Heel State and my Congressional District have had shameful representation in recent years. Remember Madison Cawthorne and before him Mark Meadows? Sadly, I did not have much hope that Chuck Edwards would be much better representing us in the U.S. House of Representatives. Yet, even though he was not my candidate of choice, I did have a wee smidgen of hope. Maybe. Perhaps. How could it get any worse, right?
But worse it just keeps getting. I got an email from Representative Edwards yesterday asking me if I was in agreement with his “Stop Pot bill.” I didn’t even know about this bill but when his email survey came through, I and much of the country were still reeling from the massacre of 18 innocent people in Maine. How insensitive can Edwards be to send out an email like this right now?
What I would like to see arrive in my inbox is a “Stop Assault Weapons” bill. That is what the majority of our citizens in North Carolina and beyond would like to see. That is, of course, wishful thinking with the Republicans who can’t seem to distinguish between a hunting rifle and an AR-15 assault weapon. Most of us know there is a difference and we also know that members of Congress know the difference but don’t want to lose all the dollars that come into their pocket from the NRA and gun manufacturers. We are tired of the killing. Why aren’t you?
But back to “stop pot”. Edwards has crafted a bill which would withhold federal funding from states (and tribes—coming to this in a minute) that legally permit the use of recreational marijuana.
Chuck Edwards has spent his time—time that my tax dollars are helping to fund—crafting a bill to punish the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians which passed their own legislation to allow adults to use recreational marijuana on the Reservation. It is important to note that the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is a sovereign nation over which Edwards has no control. Yes, the reservation is in his district but that is it. Is it just blatant racism why Edwards wants to punish the EBCI by threatening to withhold federal funds? It is a true puzzlement as to why he chooses to spend his time pursuing a bill that does not in any way benefit the majority of his constituents.
There are families in Maine and beyond filled with immense hurt from losing family members and friends. The world is in crisis in Ukraine and Israel and Palestine and beyond. And our “representative” chooses to pursue a “Stop Pot Bill”?!?!?And worse still, to send out a survey asking me and other North Carolinians if we support his bill?
No, Chuck. I do not support your stupid waste of time and money bill. Most of us are not obsessed with thinking about pot when there are so many other things ripping our hearts in pieces right now.
No, Chuck. I do not care about your Stop Pot bill.
No. Hell, no.
Absolutely. Ditto to all you said much better than I could.
Sylvie
Jeanne - You have put into words exactly how I have been feeling. These selfish clowns seem to have their own agenda. The people don’t seem to matter anymore. We have so many more important issues and they are ignoring them. How do we get through?