Speak up against Art Pope for UNC’s future

TO THE EDITOR:

By now word has spread around campus: Politicians in the N.C. legislature have initiated a full-on attack against students, workers and people of color in North Carolina.

Behind this push to radically alter our state is billionaire political kingmaker Art Pope.

On a national talk show this weekend, panelists called North Carolina’s GOP the “Pope Party”, a deserved title given that Mr. Pope has spent $40 million during the past decade manipulating North Carolina’s elections.

This money buys influence. Mr. Pope has been appointed as Gov. Pat McCrory’s budget director and senior adviser.

Today, Mr. Pope is speaking at UNC — an insult to a University community he aims to dismantle.

Students will counter by speaking out in front of Gardner Hall at 12:30 p.m. and educating our peers on the impact of his vision.

Some, including Mr. Pope himself, will question why we refuse to “hear him out.”

The answer to this is clear: We have heard enough!

Lawmakers backed by Pope have already moved to repeal the Racial Justice Act, eliminate the estate tax for the wealthiest 23 NC families and begin offshore drilling; additionally, they are proposing to ban gender non-specific housing, slash voting rights for students and cut $185 million in funding for UNC-system campuses.

These are the actions of Pope’s empire, and they speak louder than any words he will say today.

Instead of hearing more from him, let us hear from each other — let us lift our voices as a University community. We demand a future.

Matthew Hickson ’13
Business