Editorial Content — Carolina Political Review

Former Vice President Mike Pence Speaks at UNC-Chapel Hill: His Views on Protesters, the Presidential Race, and Proactive Listening

“On Wednesday, April 26, UNC Chapel Hill was added to a list of stops made by former Vice President Mike Pence to speak to college students around the nation. Pence spoke before 500 people in the Franklin Porter Graham Student Union’s Great Hall and was greeted by a flurry of applause before he began his speech, titled “Saving America from the Woke Left.” While Mr. Pence, his ideas, and his discourse with the audience were greatly supported and received within the Great Hall, a few hundred feet across from the Student Union a large protest was attended by hundreds of UNC students and members of the local community.“

Editor's Picks, LocalGrace WhittemoreMay 11, 2023Local Politics, Mike Pence, UNC-Chapel Hill, Editor's Pick, NC PoliticsComment

North Carolinians Ready to Kill the Death Penalty

“In December of 2022, the North Carolina Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (NCCADP) launched the “No More Death Row” campaign to end the practice of capital punishment in North Carolina. Last week, the North Carolina Council of Churches and NCCADP released a statement to Governor Roy Cooper, urging him to commute the sentences of all current prisoners on death row within the state.“

Editor's Picks, LocalAlanna PaschallApril 25, 2023Local News, Editor's Pick, Death Penalty, NC PoliticsComment

On the Heels of a Tragedy: North Carolina Legislature Loosens Gun Laws Despite Yet Another Devastating School Shooting

“March 23, 2023, brought yet another horrendous act of gun violence in the United States. A short two days later on March 29, 2023, the North Carolina General Assembly was able to pass Senate Bill 41, also known as the Guarantee 2nd Amend Freedom and Protections Act. The bill’s most serious implications come in its first section most commonly referred to as the “pistol permit purchase” section, which ends the requirement to obtain a permit from one’s county sheriff before purchasing a handgun.“

Editor's Picks, Local, Opinion, EditorialsGrace WhittemoreApril 24, 2023Opinion, Editorial, Editor's Pick, Local News, NC Politics, NC Gun ControlComment

The Importance of Differentiating Between Academic Speech and Free Speech on College Campuses

“Free speech has and continues to play an essential role in higher education, yet recent political polarization has put a strain on the effort to maintain the essential divide between academic speech and public discourse.“

North Carolina General Assembly Passes Medicaid Expansion Bill

“The ability of Republicans and Democrats in North Carolina to reconcile their decade-long debate on Medicaid and pass a bipartisan bill that will bring both economic and health benefits to the state and its residents should be celebrated and will bring significant impacts to NC.”

Inclusion and Community: ‘Thinking Through the Wrong of Homelessness’

“This is not just about not getting certain resources, but about being excluded in a very deep sense from being a fully-fledged citizen.”

UNC Housekeepers Demand Improved Working Conditions and Dignity

“Look, at the end of the day, the union fights with you, not for you.”

Meet Anderson Clayton: A Fresh Face Looking to Breathe Life Back Into Her Party as North Carolina Democratic Chair

“To say the 2022 elections were disappointing for North Carolina Democrats would be an understatement. However, the Democratic party’s strategy is bound to change with the entrance of a fresh face bringing with it new energy. In February 2023, Anderson Clayton was elected the North Carolina Democratic Party Chair, becoming the youngest party chair in the country at only 25 years old.“

Vincent Brown Delivers “Black History’s Warning to the World”

“This year marks UNC’s Inaugural Dr. Genna Rae McNeil Endowed Black History Month Lecture, the first in a series meant to inform and enlighten both UNC students and the public about the importance and significance of Black history. It’s even more fitting that this year's theme for Black History Month is ‘Black Resistance,’ a theme needed now more than ever as limits on the teaching of the subject sweep the country.“

Editor's Picks, LocalLuke RheneyMarch 25, 2023Vincent Brown, Black History, UNC on-campus event, Editor's Pick, Local NewsComment

An Early Look at the Race for North Carolina’s Governor

“North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein (D) announces his candidacy for governor in the 2024 election to replace current Governor Roy Cooper, who is serving his second consecutive term and is therefore ineligible for re-election.“

Local, Editor's PicksAlanna PaschallMarch 25, 2023NC Governor Race, Josh Stein, NC Politics, 2024 Election, Editor's Pick, Local NewsComment

New Lumbee Fairness Act Introduced in Congress

The Lumbee Fairness Act and its proponents face social and historical anti-Indigenous legacies as well as opposition on racial and economic grounds which may prevent [the Lumbee Fairness Act’s] passage despite bipartisan support from past and present political leaders.

Announcement of School of Civic Life and Leadership Leaves UNC Faculty and Student Government Shocked while Conservatives Celebrate

This February, along with media coverage of an uncharacteristically lackluster basketball season, many news outlets have been reporting on the happenings of a different group associated with UNC- its own Board of Trustees. The UNC Board of Trustees recently made a motion to create the School of Civic Life and Leadership for future UNC students.

A Weekend at the Political Science Honor Society Pi Sigma Alpha Student Research Conference

“...the PSA National Political Science Honors Society represents a unique opportunity for political science students and the entire Chapel Hill community.”

New Parental Rights Bill Brings the “Don’t Say Gay” Debate to the Tarheel State

The North Carolina Senate has started off their new legislative session with a flurry of activity. One of the first things Senate Republicans brought to the floor was Senate Bill 49, better known as the Parents’ Bill of Rights . . . . Now that the North Carolina version of the “Don't Say Gay” bill is in the hands of the Republican-controlled North Carolina House of Representatives, many LGBTQ+ affirming and progressive education groups are preparing for the worst.

A Night with David Price: Thinking Institutionally

“…if we are to truly see ourselves as the institutions for whom we are beholden, indebted, and in need of, we are going to have to think institutionally.”

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis and Pat McCrory Speak on Partisanship and Its Place in American Democracy

“Although these men come from vastly different backgrounds, they got up on stage to promote the same message. Both men are part of a political collective called “No Labels,” a group that “demands American leaders and citizens alike declare their freedom from the anger and divisiveness that are ruining our politics and most importantly, our country.“

Fellows, LocalLuke RheneyMarch 8, 2023Local, U.S. Politics, Fellows ArticleComment

Three Decades of Fighting for Our Students… and Why the Fight Isn’t Quite Over

“Leandro v. The State of North Carolina was first brought before the North Carolina Supreme Court in 1994. Fast forward almost 30 years later to March 2022 and Leandro is back on the docket of the state’s highest court. The Leandro litigation team brought to the courtroom a sense of deja vu, again arguing that the state of North Carolina was violating its students’ right to a sound education by underfunding its public education system.”

International Refugees: A Global Issue Closer Than We Think

“One of the biggest questions tackled by the UNHCR is not necessarily if we help refugees, rather how we best help refugees. This question may seem like it has some far away answer in the stormy seas off the Italian coast or the heavily guarded Turkish border. However, the question and its answer applies to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community more than one may think.”

Meet David Bass, who seeks to take on the University’s Most Endemic Challenges

“Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, but growing up all over the world in countries such as Japan, Australia, and China, he brings an interesting and unique perspective due to his time spent abroad and the lessons he learned in those years . . . Throughout his senatorial career, he has led numerous campaigns to improve the campus experience for students and fight discrimination throughout the University. Some of these campaigns have included rallying support for Purple Bowl . . . Other initiatives of his include a bill that asked the University to recognize Islamic holidays and make resources available during holidays such as Ramadan. Recently, I received the opportunity to sit down and talk with him about his career within the Senate.“

Fellows, LocalLuke RheneyFebruary 13, 2023UNC Student Body, Fellows ArticleComment

Celebrating the Renville Treaty: Indonesia’s Growing Role in International Relations

“Excerpt: On the 75th anniversary of Dr. Frank Porter Graham’s negotiation of the Renville Treaty, the Carolina Asia Center held a joint conference between The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH) in Jakarta which discussed Indonesia’s past, present, and future on the world stage…Indonesia is rapidly gaining economic and political influence on the world stage via increasingly diverse foreign direct investment, Indonesia’s sway within ASEAN, and the desire to forge an independent Indonesian path.“