NC March for Life 2024 | Raleigh J6 journalist denied 2A rights pretrial | UNC-CH trustees propose defunding DEI
No. 72 — May 12-May 18, 2024
NC March for Life 2024
Close to 300 pro-lifers showed up for the 26th annual Rally & March
for Life in Raleigh today, hosted by NC Right to Life. Unlike previous years, the counter-protest was negligible.
The GOP supermajority did pass a law last year restricting abortion to 12 weeks with exceptions; the speakers at this event focused on protecting the rights of the unborn starting at conception with no exceptions. This was apparently the main posture of the attendees as well, but there were at least a few abolitionists.
For a gallery of images:
DC Judge upholds firearms restriction for Steve Baker while on pretrial release
Jan. 6 Journalist Will Appeal Judge’s Order Denying His Right to Carry Firearm - Epoch Times
'Lawfare': Gov't rejects Steve Baker's gun request over his 'alleged threatening statements' at 'public officials' on Jan. 6 - The Blaze
DEFENDANT STEPHEN BAKER’S MOTION TO MODIFY TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PRETRIAL RELEASE - pdf
GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO MODIFY CONDITIONS OF PRETRIAL RELEASE - pdf
DEFENDANT STEPHEN BAKER’S REPLY TO GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE TO MOTION TO MODIFY TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PRETRIAL RELEASE - pdf
Steve Baker, a Raleigh journalist currently being prosecuted for his coverage of January 6th, will continue to be restricted from possessing firearms after a ruling this week by the DC judge assigned to his case, Christopher Reid Cooper.
Cooper denied Baker's motion to modify the firearms conditions of his pretrial release, citing Baker's "alleged threatening statements directed at specific public officials during the riot on January 6, 2021".
However, Judge Cooper appears to be ignorant of the facts of the case; the government only cited one statement allegedly made by Baker during the riot: "Look out your windows bi***es, look what’s coming." I don't see any possible interpretation of that statement as a threat against "specific public officials".
The restriction on firearms is one of the "standard" pretrial conditions applied to J6 defendants, I too had to make a motion in order to regain access to mine. Baker and I both made similar arguments in motions to remove this condition in each of our cases, citing specific threats, we obtained different results (for now at least). This is possibly due to the fact that the judge in my case, a Trump appointee, has a different opinion on the 2nd amendment than Baker's lawyer, an Obama appointee.
Pro-Palestine Duke students stage walkout of Jerry Steinfeld's commencement speech
Watch Jerry Seinfeld's Full Commencement Address That Students Boycotted - Newsweek
In a story that made national news, dozens of Duke students walked out on Duke commencement speaker Jerry Seinfeld to "protest" him as a "Zionist", and to "to call attention to the ongoing genocide in Gaza" according to Duke Academics & Staff for Justice in Palestine.
Although Seinfeld, a comedian, has a history of supporting Israel, and has made comments in support of Israel during the current Israeli-Hamas conflict, his speech at Duke did not address the walkouts or the issue.
In response to a claim by NBC News that Seinfeld was "met with a wave of boos", Duke Professor Michael Munger responded that this was "media malpractice", and the target of the booing was in fact the students participating in the walkout.
UNC-Chapel Hill trustees vote to defund $2.3 million in DEI programs, use funds for "public safety"
UNC trustees vote to reallocate DEI money to public safety - Carolina Journal
UNC-Chapel Hill BOT votes to divert DEI funding, redirecting it to campus public safety - WUNC
UNC-Chapel Hill trustees move to divert DEI funds to police and public safety - News & Observer
UNC board slashes diversity program funding to divert money to public safety resources - AP
The UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees voted unanimously at a special meeting Monday morning to remove $2.3 million in funding from DEI programs, and reallocate the funds to police and public safety.
The trustees are an advisory board; the budget must be approved by the UNC Board of Governors. The Board of Governors will also be voting on whether to revoke of a policy requiring DEI offices at all schools in the UNC System.
I can't help but taste a bit of virtue signaling here; perhaps there is a need for additional policing or public safety measures, but do those needs exactly meet the current cost of the DEI programs? Also, I'm sure it didn't hurt that one of the trustees quoted in several news stories, Dave Boliek, was up for election the next day in the runoff GOP primary for state auditor (he won).
Misc. Reading
19-year-old Raleigh woman agreed to $1,200 compensation from youth pastor before exposing him on Facebook for allegedly raping her - NC Beat
Driver's ed backlog in Wake County called an equity issue; school district to hire more teachers - ABC11
Knott is officially NC Republicans’ nominee for Congressional District 13 - Carolina Journal