When choosing whether or not to come to Duke, I made a pro-con list.
On the “con” side was my nebulous concept of “The South” (juxtaposed against places like Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro).
Being from Vancouver (where vegan yoga-enthusiasts can be vegan and do yoga), I wasn’t sure what it would mean to come to a state like North Carolina. I anticipated slow walkers, too-sweet tea and segregation.
I’ve come to love this state, though those elements are absolutely here. From hiking and goat-cheese grits in Asheville to sand dunes and seafood in the Outer Banks, I’ve tried to get outside the Triangle.
However, staying post-graduation has become a significantly less attractive option since the Republican-controlled North Carolina General Assembly went off the deep end. And it begs the question: What happens when liberal college students are only energized by federal and Senate-level races, and don’t pay attention to what’s happening in the states in which we can vote?
More astute political analysts than I discuss these issues in depth. But the sheer number of downright disenfranchising and discriminatory pieces of legislation of late makes cutting my losses and running look more appealing. For expediency, I’ll only detail some. There’s been a lot to keep up with.
First, there’s the calculated-youth-disenfranchisement bill. Senate Bill 667, “Equalize Voter Rights,” would remove the tax exemption for children who register to vote in a district outside their home address. Tell me this has nothing to do with suppressing the turnout of students who are more likely to vote for Democrats. Any sort of poll tax in the South seems a bit regressive.
Second, there’s the big-government-in-your-bedroom bill. Senate Bill 518, the so-called “Healthy Marriage Act,” would establish a two-year waiting period to file for divorce and mandate those seeking a divorce to undergo classes on improving communication and conflict-resolution skills. Tell me this isn’t paternalistic and patronizing, not to mention dangerous for those who are being abused and who want out. Even scarier is that one of the bill’s cosponsors sits on the state’s Domestic Violence Commission (he should probably, like, think about such things).
Third, there’s the bill that cuts early-voting periods in half and ends same-day voter registration, straight ticket voting and voting on Sundays. Senate Bill 666 is all about making it making it more difficult for lower-income people to vote and people of color to vote. The bill actually expands the ability to vote by absentee ballot, which is where the fraud (if there’s even voter fraud) actually happens (but that favors Republican voters so it’s ok).
The State Senate repealed the Racial Justice Act (ending the de facto moratorium on executions) and introduced voter ID laws. They cut the UNC budget by another $139 million. Gov. McCrory refused federal Medicaid funding. Legislators proposed lying to public schools’ children about the medical effects of abortion and mandated that doctors performing abortions have admitting privileges at local hospitals, etc.
Junior Jacob Tobia, who is from Raleigh, feels galvanized by the things that make me want to flee: “I think, if anything, seeing what’s happening in the N.C. legislature is convincing me that I need to come back after grad school and work to make this state better!”
Recess editor Michaela Dwyer, a senior from Chapel Hill, feels similarly.
“I’m starting to envision the ways my skills and interests may be integral to the preservation of the places and communities in North Carolina in which I've grown up. These are places and communities that raised me, and many others, to be intellectually curious, study and promote the arts and not be ashamed of it, honor and empathize with the experience of other human beings and constantly look at politics, history, society and culture with a critical eye—essentially, progressive ideals,” she wrote in an email.
Michaela followed-up, writing: "It's clear in the current state legislature that these values—that have sustained so much growth in North Carolina—are being swiftly, and dangerously, deprioritized. In a way, it almost feels irresponsible for me to leave what's really broiling here right now.”
I wonder if I would feel more compelled to stay in the short-term had I been born here. But I have to be aware of my privilege—I am able to leave. Not everyone can.
The kind of work that needs to be done to prevent the special interests and extremists who are behind this legislation from taking over will require energy and investment and dedication and solidarity on the ground.
Despite it all, there’s too much good about North Carolina to leave it for good.
Samantha Lachman is a Trinity senior. Her column runs every other Tuesday. Follow her on Twitter @SamLachman.
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