CJ Opinions // Read the latest
Opinion

SB 41 did not increase gun violence, new data suggests

On March 29, the General Assembly voted to repeal North Carolina’s requirement to obtain a permit from a county sheriff before purchasing a handgun. The bill’s opponents, including North Carolinians Against Gun Violence and Gov. Roy Cooper, claimed that the bill would significantly increase violent crime by allowing criminals easier access to firearms. That was...

Maclain Conlin
Opinion

Require more SNAP recipients to work

Requiring able-bodied people to work in exchange for government benefits is a popular idea. It’s a proven way to reduce dependency and break the cycle of poverty. And in the case of the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — what used to be called food stamps — it’s also the law. So why are...

John Hood

Help Support Non-profit Journalism & Donate Today

Opinion

The Cherokee people should say no to pot

Since 1996, Congress has shirked its responsibility to uphold the very laws it has passed regarding marijuana.  More and more states are thumbing their proverbial noses at federal laws that declare pot as a Schedule 1 substance under the Controlled Substances Act. And Congress has sat idly by and watched it happen.  In 2014, Congress took its gutless...

Chuck Edwards
Opinion

The meaning of Oliver Anthony

Over the weekend, an unsigned Virginia artist named Oliver Anthony performed his original song “Rich men north of Richmond” at a farmers market in rural Currituck County, North Carolina. Days earlier, only a few close family and friends had likely heard the song. But videos show those in attendance, some who had traveled many hours...

David Larson
Opinion

Feminism is not red or blue — it’s pink

Before I had a chance to see Barbie, someone described it to me as having “no real plot line.” I beg to differ. The plot line of Barbie is what a woman’s life looks like in The Real World. Let me explain…  In the opening scene, the introduction of the first Barbie doll is positioned...

Claire Olson
Opinion

We may soon pay double for less reliable electricity. Blame bad policy choices.

WRAL this week alerted people that higher electricity bills are looming. Duke Energy is seeking rate increases over the next three years of “10% in January 2024, then up another 4% in 2025 with a final 4% increase in 2026.” That’s 19% in three years.  Worse, the next round of ratemaking could end in power...

Jon Sanders