Christian Dem in NC's blog

Sean Harris, pastor of Berean Baptist Church in Fayetteville, used his Sunday sermon to urge his flock to vote for Amendment One. But as he closed, he went off the deep end, giving the parents in his flock "special dispensation" to give their kids "a good punch" if they appear to be acting gay. Watch the whole thing here.

Apparently Harris knows he stepped in it, because now he's saying it was only a joke. No, Pastor. Child abuse is NEVER a joking matter. Tell Harris he needs to apologize.

Earlier this morning, Cumberland County Superior Court Judge Greg Weeks issued a potentially landmark ruling in the first-ever appeal of a death sentence under the Racial Justice Act. Weeks ruled that prosecutors in Cumberland County deliberately kept blacks off the jury in Robinson's 1994 trial.

Robinson relied heavily on a study by Michigan State that found a 20-year pattern of blacks being excluded from juries more than potential jurors of other races. Specific to his case, blacks were excluded 3.5 times more than whites.

Read Weeks' ruling here.

We in Charlotte already knew that Pat McCrory's moderate facade was baloney. But we got even more proof of it today. He's hired longtime Republican media consultant Fred Davis as his media consultant.

Davis, for those who don't know, is the same guy who created the disgustingly racist "Debbie Spend It Now" ad for former Michigan congressman Pete Hoekstra--and in the process singlehandedly gave Debbie Stabenow a third term. Says a lot about McCrory, doesn't it?

Earlier this month, Carolina claimed that the seven stations that air both Tar Heel sports and Rush Limbaugh are not its problem. Well, earlier today, at least in part in response to 1,100 people telling him that Rush was indeed their problem, school officials told Raleigh's WRDU and Greensboro's WPTI not to reference the school or the Tar Heel Sports Network during Limbaugh's show. The two stations, which still (crassly) promote themselves as "Rush Radio," also will not be allowed to promote Limbaugh during Carolina football and basketball broadcasts. It's a start, but it doesn't go far enough.

In case you haven't heard, I'm pushing a petition to get Carolina to tell the seven Tar Heel Sports Network stations that also carry Rush Limbaugh (including Raleigh's WRDU and Greensboro's WPTI--both of which still crassly brand themselves as "Rush Radio") that they can't carry both. As of 11:50 am North Carolina time, it's just 32 signatures away from 1,000.

If you haven't already, head over there and sign--help tell Carolina that, contrary to what associate AD Rick Steinbacher said earlier this week, this is definitely its problem. Carolina has a chance to set an example for other college and pro teams whose radio stations also air El Rushbo. Help make it happen.

I don't think I'm the only one who thinks Carolina associate AD Rick Steinbacher doesn't understand why so many people are upset about seven Tar Heel Sports Network affiliates carrying Rush Limbaugh as well. So let's spell it out in simple terms--there is something fundamentally wrong with a station being allowed to trade on Carolina's brand when it also airs a guy who thinks making hateful and misogynistic statements about women is merely humor gone wrong. Help let Carolina know that this is definitely its problem.

Two years ago, I drove to Carolina's game against Texas in Greensboro. I have to admit feeling more than a little uneasy over having to listen to the pregame on WPTI, a station that, like Raleigh's WRDU, bills itself as "Rush Radio." But I didn't think it was anything worth taking to the streets (figuratively speaking). But Limbaugh's ugly attacks on Sandra Fluke changed everything.

cross-posted at dKos

As many of you know, I'm trying to get my alma mater, the University of North Carolina, to tell the seven stations in its sports radio network that also carry Rush Limbaugh that they need to take their pick--keep their affiliation with Rush or keep their affiliation with Tar Heel football and basketball. They can't have both. And Rush's sorry attempt at an apology only proves it.

I'm as big a Tar Heel fan as I am a Democrat--and not just because I'm also a graduate (class of '00). So you'll have to pardon me if I'm a little confused about something. In what world can the owner of one of the strongest brands in college athletics allow a station to trade on said brand when said station airs a guy who not only thinks it's okay to call a woman a "slut" and a "prostitute," but then fobs it off as an attempt at humor gone awry?

James mentioned that the Tar Heel Sports Network's affiliate for the Triangle area outside of Chapel Hill, WRDU in Raleigh, also carries Rush Limbaugh. But it turns out there are six other stations that carry Carolina football and basketball as well as Limbaugh: WPTI in Greensboro (which uses the same "Rush Radio" branding as WRDU), SPC in Albemarle, WGBR in Goldsboro, WHKP in Hendersonville, WCAB in Rutherfordton, and WSIC in Statesville.

I just started a petition asking Chancellor Holden Thorp and AD Bubba Cunningham to yank Carolina basketball and football from any station that carries El Rushbo. Sign here.

As of tonight, Rush Limbaugh has already lost six national advertisers. But where it will really hurt is if any stations have the guts to drop his show.

Here's a list of his North Carolina affiliates. The big three are WBT in Charlotte, WRDU in Raleigh and WPTI in the Triad.

Pester them. Now.

In a sign that Charlotte-area Dems must smell blood in the water, former Mecklenburg County Commission chairwoman Jennifer Roberts announced she's running for the 9th congressional district.

Calling this a huge, huge get would be an understatement. The Democrats haven't put up a reasonably well-funded candidate here since 1986, back before most of Charlotte's blacks got drawn into the 12th. While the 9th is still undeniably Republican-leaning, Charlotte is turning bluer by the minute.

Only bad thing is that Charlotte-area Dems are going to be stretched pretty thin, between this race and Larry Kissell in the fight of his political life in NC-08.