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Republican Ben Carson claims
benefits from Muslim criticism
By Steve Peoples
WASHINGTON (AP) - As his critics grew louder, Republican
Be House contender Ben Carson retreated slightly late Monday
■ his weekend charge that Muslims shouldn’t serve in the presi-
an interview with Fox News, Carson said he would be open to
derate Muslim who denounced radical Islam as a White House
date. But he also said he stood by his original comments, saying
Rev. Dr. William Barber, 11
Butterfield Recognizes
lev. Dr. William Barber, II
with CBC Chair Award
4SHINGTON, DC - Tomorrow, Congressman G. K. Butter-
(NC-01) will present the CBC Chair Award to Rev. Dr. William
r, II during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 45th
11 Legislative Conference Phoenix Awards Dinner. Rev. Dr.
r serves as president of the North Carolina State Conference
NAACP.
am proud to present the CBC Chair Award to my constituent
ear friend, Reverend Dr. William Barber, II,” said Butterfield.
Dr. Barber has dedicated his life to advocating for racial equal-
id social justice and is most deserving of being recognized for
eless work.”
ost recently, Rev. Dr. Barber spearheaded the impactful 'Moral
lay’ demonstrations at the North Carolina state capitol follow-
le Republican-led legislature’s passage of the discriminatory
ID legislation that turned back the clock on the advancements
■nany fought to obtain. His ‘Moral Monday’ demonstrations
Highlighted the legislature’s refusal to expand the state’s Med-
■program, a decision that systematically disenfranchised over
BOO low income North Carolinians from accessing the most ba-
Brms of health care.
his year’s conference theme is “With Liberty and Justice for
I said Butterfield. “I am confident that Rev. Dr. Barber’s de
l-long advocacy on behalf of those who are often overlooked
I ot cease until there is truly ‘liberty and justice for all.’”
I v. Dr. William Barber, II, is president of the North Carolina
I Conference of the NAACP. He is pastor of Greenleaf Chris-
l-hurch Disciples of Christ in Goldsboro, North Carolina and
I s as chairperson of the Rebuilding Broken Places Community
lopment Corporation. He is the author of two books - Preach-
hrough Unexpected Pain and Forward Together: A Moral Mes-
■or the Nation.
I v. Dr. Barber graduated cum laude from North Carolina Central
fersity with a degree in Public Administration, earned a Master
Ivinity from the Duke Divinity School, and a doctoral degree
I Drew University in New Jersey.
Chief retires after post
[criticizing Black Lives
Matter
W CITY (AP) - The town of Surf City has approved the
ment of the police chief after he referred to Black Lives
•r as a terrorist group in a Facebook post.
cal media outlets report that town council approved the
went of Police Chief Mike Halstead during an emergency
ng Tuesday.
Istead is white and had planned to retire this year. The
I approved the retirement following a Sept. 3 Facebook
■by Halstead.
■the 662-word post, he called Black Lives Matter “noth-
pore than an American born terrorist group.” Halstead said
her the government nor blacks would tolerate a white su-
Pacist group marching through the streets calling for the
ders of public servants.
with carrying out the duties of the Constitution.”
“If you’re a Christian and you’re running for president and you
want to make this into a theocracy, I’m not going to support you,”
Carson told Fox News host Sean Hannity in an interview to be broad
cast later Monday. “I’m not going to advocate you being the presi
dent.”
Carson said members of the Islamic faith who are willing to ac
cept the American way of life “will be considered infidels and her
etics, but at least then 1 will be quite willing to support them.”
The intensifying political fallout is a distraction at least as the
retired neurosurgeon tries to capitalize on recent momentum in the
unruly GOP field. But it also highlights a sentiment among voters in
both parties who agree, with Carson’s reluctance to elect a Muslim to
the nation’s highest office.
Carson’s campaign reported strong fundraising and more than
100,000 new Facebook friends in the 24 hours after he told NBC’s
“Meet the Press” on Sunday: “I would not advocate that we put a
Muslim in charge of this nation.”
His campaign manager Barry Bennett told The Associated Press
on Monday: “While the left wing is huffing and puffing over it, Re
publican primary voters are with us at least 80-20.”
“People in Iowa particularly, are like, 'Yeah! We’re not going to
vote for a Muslim either,” Bennett said. “I don’t mind the hubbub.
It’s not hurting us, that’s for sure.”
Dr. Ben Carson
The head of the nation’s largest Muslim advocacy group called on
Carson to drop out of the 2016 presidential contest during a Capitol
Hill press conference on Monday, declaring him “unfit to lead be
cause his views are in contradiction with the United States Constitu
tion.”
“Not long ago, some people thought that a Catholic cannot be a
president, an African-American cannot be a president,” said Nihad
Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic rela
tions. “They were wrong then, and they are wrong now.” He cited
Article 6 in the Constitution, which states, “no religious test shall
ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under
the United States.”
A couple of Republican candidates joined a chorus of Democrats
condemning Carson’s statement.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday that the com
ment “shows that Dr. Carson is not ready to be commander in chief.”
Businesswoman Carly Fiorina also denounced rival Carson’s
recent comments about not wanting a Muslim elected to the White
House.
“Well I think that’s wrong,” said Fiorina. “You know it says in our
Constitution that religion cannot be a test for office.”
The leading Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Rodham
Clinton, addressed the issue Monday on Twitter: “Can a Muslim be
President of the United States of America? In a word: Yes. Now let's
move on.”
While the law is clear, the politics of Muslim culture in America
are not. Fourteen years after Islamic extremists executed the deadli
est terrorist attack in U.S. history, a suspicious stance resonates with
some voters despite the fact that - as Democratic Sen. Harry Reid put
it Monday - “they teach in our schools, fight in our military and serve
in Congress.”
The U.S. Muslim population is growing, according to a May sur
vey by the Pew Research Center, which found the group represented
just under 1 percent ofthe U.S. population.
A June Gallup poll found that 54 percent of Republicans would
not vote for a well-qualified Muslim nominee from their own party;
39 percent of independents and 27 percent of Democrats said the
same.
“Carson is not going to lose any votes in a GOP primary with
those comments,” said GOP strategist John Feehery. “He could prob
ably gain a few.”
Indeed, conservatives have repeatedly embraced anti-Muslim
sentiment in recent years.
Nineteen states introduced legislation in 2015 to restrict the use of
foreign law in state courts, Republican-backed steps largely designed
to block the influence of Shariah - the legal framework that regu
lates many aspects of life based on the Quran and Islamic tradition in
some Muslim countries. Nine states have already implemented such
laws, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
And conservatives have consistently tried to link President Barack
Obama to Islam throughout his presidency, using imaginary religious
ties.
Republican front-runner Donald Trump declined last week to cor
rect a voter who inaccurately stated that Obama is a Muslim. For
Trump, the election of a Muslim president was “something that could
happen. Would I be comfortable? I don’t know if we have to address
it right now.”
AP News Survey Specialist Emily Swanson contributed to this
report.
Ms. Viola Davis
Viola Davis says her
story doesn’t end
with Emmy win
By Lindsey Bahr
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Viola Davis made history on Sunday by becom
ing the first black woman to win an Emmy for best drama series actress, but
said there is still work that needs to be done in getting more diverse stories
on screen.
She won for her role as the professor and defense attorney Annalise Keat
ing in ABC’s “How to Get Away With Murder,” which is just beginning its
second season.
In her acceptance speech, Davis quoted Harriet Tubman.
“I can seem to get over that line,” said Davis, who will be playing Tub-
man in an upcoming HBO movie.
“The only thing that separates women of color from anybody else is op
portunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there,” she
said.
Backstage, Davis expanded on the line that exists in the industry, saying
“there is a difference when it comes to actors of color in this business. If
it’s been 67 years since an actress of color has won an Emmy then there is
certainly a line.”
She and her husband, Julius Tennon, have started a production company
to try to continue erasing that line.
“My story doesn’t end here,” she said. “There is so much work that needs
to be done in so many areas in the business with actors of color, so many
narratives that need to be seen by people, so many stories that need to be
seen and felt.”
Davis’s friend and peer Taraji P. Henson was also nominated in the same
category for her performance in “Empire.” The competition between the two
was only on paper, though. As Davis walked up to accept the award, she and
Henson hugged and exchanged words of support.
“We whispered to each other: 'Whoever gets it, it’s great, it’s wonderful
and I love you.’”
UNC, community colleges to
get most from $2B
bond proposal
By Gary D. Robertson
RALEIGH (AP) - Senate Republicans offered Monday a scaled-
down version of a bond package lobbied on for several months by
Gov. Pat McCrory but would borrow less than the governor wanted
and leave out proceeds he wanted for road projects.
The new proposal unveiled in the Senate Finance Committee
would borrow S2 billion, in keeping with a new agreement with
House Republicans. The governor wanted a package of about $2.85
billion.
McCrory wanted some proceeds for highway construction, but
legislative leaders from both chambers say road debt isn’t necessary
now that the final state budget approved late last week locates $700
million for roads and bridges through mid-2017. Those revenues
come in part from increasing Division of Motor Vehicles fees and
retaining $216 million that previously had been transferred from the
state Highway Fund to pay for general operating expenses.
The Senate bond package also differs from previous proposals by
the governor and a previous House bond offer by putting it on the
statewide ballot in November 2016. The governor originally wanted
a referendum this fall - citing very low interest rates - but appears
agreeable with one next March, which is likely when all primaries
will be held. The House proposal also set a March referendum date.
But Sen. Bob Rucho, R-Mecklenburg, the finance committee co-
chairman, said waiting more than a year before the referendum will
give bond boosters more time to persuade a majority of voters to
approve the bonds.
The Senate wants more than $1.3 billion of the debt proceeds go
ing to University ofNorth Carolina ($921.7 million) and community
college ($400 million). All 58 community college campuses would
receive a portion based on a formula.
The UNC proceeds would target 11 new projects, topped by a
$124.5 million life sciences and biotechnology building at East Car
olina University. There would be $115 million for a nursing school
building at UNC-Greensboro and $102.9 million for a science, tech
nology and math building at Western Carolina University.
The bond package “prioritizes our pressing infrastructure needs
across our state,” Sen. Kathy Harrington, R-Gaston, told the commit
tee, which took comments on the proposal. The panel isn’t expected
to vote on the package until Tuesday.
Sen. Dan Blue, D-Wake, urged GOP colleagues to consider lo
cating proceeds to additional historically black colleges in the UNC
system. The Senate proposal pays for construction at Winston-Salem
University and North Carolina A&T State University.