The state of North Carolina's political situation has encountered controversy since the start of last summer. Many of these political changes have direct effects on students, such as the voter ID law signed Aug. 12. In order to determine how the student body feels about the government's actions, The Chronicle's Tony Shan and Linda Yu sat down with Duke students to discuss North Carolina politics.
"We are spending less on education than we were four years ago, we are making a marked effort to disenfranchise certain voters that lean one way—and that's a clear misuse of the power the state legislature is supposed to have."—junior William Overton, Winston-Salem, N.C.
"I think the new gun laws are a bit too free. On one hand, people have a lot more freedom. But on the other hand it puts the public in danger." —Thomas Liu, Trinity '13, Chapel Hill, N.C.
"So [the new voter ID law] basically makes the process more difficult for out of state students. As an out of state student, I feel like it's wrong that I can't partake in the process down here." —junior Fantasia Jacobs.
"In some ways it's good, in some ways it's bad. If there's something you don't like, you can have your right to speak by voting." —Jasmin Burnett, A.B.P employee
“I just don’t know the whole picture…I don’t think it’s fair, but I don’t know enough to form a solid opinion.” – senior Andrew Chio.
"Concerning voter ID laws, there’s the good in addition to the bad because there’s going to be a lot of voter fraud going on. Last year during elections, I was thinking how easy it would be for an international student to vote for a President here, and that definitely should not be happening. But there will also be minorities that will be underrepresented because they don’t have these IDs, so if they’re going to create this voter ID law but not make it easier for somebody to gain an ID lawfully, then it’s a bad idea." - senior David Wang.
"It’s just politics as usual. If Republicans are controlling things they’ll pass these laws but if Democrats were to get control they’re going to go ahead and repeal it. All these things are more controversial now than they will be upon implementation. That’s just the way the political dialogue works—it operates on these little catch phrases." - senior Rebecca Li.
"Honestly, I’m a bit ambivalent [about the voter laws] – if I can go back home to vote, then I’m fine." - sophomore In-Young Jo.
"I don’t really think too much about it, this isn’t my permanent home so the voter laws don’t really affect me too much." - sophomore April Pun
"At this point it's almost embarrassing for me to say I'm a North Carolinian. Governor McCrory and the general assembly have taken what was for years the most progressive Southern state and turned it into a punch line on late-night television. It's ridiculous." - sophomore Tom Vosburgh.
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