The significance of the backlash in Wake County’s school board elections is clear and ominous for Art Pope and his allies, the Koch brothers and their Tea Party movement. North Carolina has just provided the first tangible evidence of the political merger between the growing populist protests against Wall Street excesses and the progressive wing of the Democratic Party in a new kinetic political coalition aimed at the heart of Art Pope’s radical agenda in the South.
The above quote was made by Michael Carmichael in an article that he wrote for the Huffington Post. Mr. Carmichael is a “visiting scholar” at Duke University. This is another example of the excellence coming out of our universities as currently on display at Occupy [Insert City] around the country.
There are lessons to be learned from the “victory” in Wake County.
1. The Republican party in Wake County, NC was on a mission to gain a majority of the school board in 2009 to end student busing. Before leaving the Republican party, I was a precinct captain in Wake county and was told months prior to the election that two of the candidates would not follow through with this agenda if elected. The party did not release this information to the public.
2. After the Republican victory in 2009, the people celebrated their success due to a low election turnout and a backlash against the Obama administration. Although the goals had been clearly defined, the school board moved slowly in carrying out their mission as stated in the campaign.
3. The opposition from outside of Wake County was well-financed and the media was more than accommodating to promote the “racist” nature of the school board as the Rev. Barber led his crusade to disrupt meetings. The Republican Party did not respond to the attacks proactively, the infighting started and the Federal government was called in to investigate false accusations made against the school system.
4. Two years later, the campaign promises were left unfulfilled, the media and the left are using the “success” for their own purpose and the truth is left untold: the children were used as pawns for political and personal gain.
This election should have national implications for the 2012 elections. The fact that only 14% of the electorate voted was ignored in the incendiary article by Carmichael. Although voter apathy played an important role, America has to understand that there are more of them than us. The “us” are not Republicans, TEA Party members or people who want a better education for our children. The “us” are patriots who support the Constitution, morality and founding principles of the United States. The “us” are the people who are fighting for our children’s future. The “them” are Socialists dedicated to implementing a new government.
The Republican Party did not follow through on the campaign pledges in 2009 for school board or their 100 day pledge made for the 2010 elections. Not a problem: they are a political party with an agenda. We have to realize that political parties are interested in political power and not the future of the country. A good example is the response from both parties concerning the occupation of America. The Socialists embrace and bless this “movement”. The Republicans are mainly silent with Herman Cain being the notable exception.
This Saturday is the worldwide “Day of Rebellion”. The players are in motion and Mr. Carmichael’s example at his Planetary Movement will only serve as bit players once the next round of nebulous change is instituted. As for the article by a visiting scholar from Duke, the level of credibility and decency of this indoctrination center was exposed during the Duke Lacrosse scandal as the Group of 88 “concerned faculty” falsely condemned the players without remorse or apology.
Mr. Carmichael’s rant is easily dismissed along with his conclusions. Writing an article to promote talking points, a political ideology and personal self-gratification does nothing to give our children in Wake County, NC a better education. And when all of the smoke and mirrors is removed, this was and should still be the goal.
David DeGerolamo
Populist Backlash Crushes Art Pope’s Forces in North Carolina
North Carolina’s right-wing political boss, Art Pope, is having a bad week.
One week after a searing profile appeared in the New Yorker, Pope’s ultra-conservative ticket fell under the crushing weight of a populist uprising merged with a Democratic steamroller in the highly anticipated elections for Wake County School Board.
Running in a heavily Republican district, Democrat Susan Evans beat Pope’s handpicked Republican ringleader, Ray Margiotta, in what is being described as a “stunning upset.”
In 2009, Pope’s band of radical Republicans seized control of Wake County Schools and launched a reactionary reorganization of the system. Under the mantra of “neighborhood schools,” Margiotta and his Republican radicals set about the deliberate deconstruction of the longstanding policy of cultural and racial diversity and began rolling back decades of desegregation. The president of the NAACP in North Carolina, the Rev. William Barber told the New Yorker, “the first thing the school board did was start putting black children back into their so-called neighborhoods.”
The sentence above,
“The “us” are not Republicans, TEA Party members or people who want a better education for our children.”
Did I misunderstand? Is it supposed to read, “The ‘us’ are Tea Party members and people who want a better education for our children, but not Republicans” ?
Actually, I meant it as written. We should not accept a particular label which in most cases is meant to marginalize our work. TEA Party members have been effectively portrayed as terrorists by our politicians, media and DHS. Republicans want political power over results as seen in this article and the Republican House in Washington this year. No one would admit to not wanting a better education for our children irregardless of political affiliation.
The “us” should come down to what must be our goal: providing a future for our children. This means freedom, principles, morality and God.