[sunnykerr]

Well, he did just pass a law wherein all the offensive names in old laws were changed to, you know, not-offensive ones.

Which, I gotta be honest, I didn't realize that it needed to be done.

It's a little shocking that, in 2016, there would still be laws on the books refering to black people as Negroes and to Asians as Orientals.

So, I don't know if that says anything specific about Obama, but to me it's a no-brainer move.

[There You'll Be]

Yep, we have some seriously outdated, and offensive, laws on the books.

And I live in an idiotic state that is passing offensive laws just because they can.

It disgusts me. And, a lot of people, who don't live in NC. think all of us believe in those laws.

It's full of laws within the main transgender laws.

Like, blacks and women can not get a job, just because a manager/company doesn't hire them.

And the manager can tell you to your face that's why he's not hiring you.

I'm disgusted to live in a country & state that passes these laws, in this day and age.

And that's why I don't want Trump to become president, because he pushes that view.

It makes me seriously fear where the country is headed.

[sunnykerr]

I have no doubt that there are outdated and offensive laws on the books in the USA, since that's the case pretty much everywhere.

And I have heard of the ridiculous bathroom bills being passed.

I was actually refering to Obama changing the wording on federal laws.

He can't do anything about state laws, as you know.

He can't change federal laws either, come to that.

He just changed the words in them to make them 21st-century acceptable.

The thing about discriminatory laws, though, is that they're a challenge waiting to happen.

How do you think gay people got the right to get married in the end?

It takes too long, really, but you can have stupid laws stricken down.

Assuming the judges don't get there first.

Because the other thing is that, the legislature can write all the laws it wants, if the courts don't uphold it, those laws may as well not exist.

[There You'll Be]

Yeah, I got that about the wording Obama has been after changing.

It just reminded me of what we're dealing with in this state, and I went off on a rant.

It's huge here, living in NC especially, so I've been paying more attention to that, rather than higher up government.

Our state (lawmakers) are taking the DOJ to court, and vice versa, so I agree, the law isn't changing any time soon.

I guess with the US government as well. I just don't have the mental capacity/ devotion to look beyond our state.

[sunnykerr]

Well, the states control more than the federal government.

So they tend to forget that the U.S. Constitution controls them.

The NC governor is suing the federal Department of Justice because the federal government said it would cut off funding to the state if it passes the bathroom bills.

They would cut off funding because those bills are discriminatory and, therefore, unconstitutional.

Naturally, the NC governor thinks the federal government is over-stepping.

God forbid someone step in and force them to respect everyone equally.

Whatever happens with that, the point is that those laws will not stand forever.

[There You'll Be]

Yeah, they do.

And the fact that the government controls the money, and could take it away, terrifies me.

Because the first thing to go would be my food money, and health care-which are supplied by the state.

No kidding. He is definitely not supporting equality, in any sense of the word.

I know they won't, I just wouldn't survive not having health care.

And I get anxious at any of my friends being discriminated against just because of who they are, etc.

[sunnykerr]

I think they would have to figure something out.

Because, if North Carolina loses federal funding because of its laws, that opens up the door for massive lawsuits from citizens who would also lose their health care.

I mean, I know your legal system is different than ours, but there has to be a law somewhere that says that you can't deprive people of access to health care.

Not if the reason you're doing it is because you're also discriminating against a whole group's human rights.

And that's not even going into how many politicians would lose their jobs if that came to pass.

That's actually probably what's gonna carry more weight at the end of the day.

People won't want to lose their jobs, so they'll find a way to not lose that federal money.

[There You'll Be]

My problem is the law suits we would file would take years, and the politicians know that.

So for years, they'd keep their jobs, and we'd be on our own.

Granted, they may pay the price eventually, but people can't live without the benefits from the government.

I think their temporary payoff might outweigh the possibility of losing their jobs.

Who knows what will happen.

I just hope for the best right now, while expecting the worst.

[sunnykerr]

Lawsuits would probably take years, for sure.

But elections don't rely on lawsuits.

That's what I was trying to say.

You're super right in saying that politicians prefer short-term gains.

I'm just saying that usually includes looking to make sure they'll get re-elected.

And, for sure, you're gonna be affected by the health-care aspect.

But you have to know that businesses will also be affected.

That's why Georgia backs out of similar laws precisely because they stood to lose too much business.

So if enough North Carolina businesses stand to be affected by those laws and the consequences to passing them...

Lawsuits take years, but elections come quickly and, in the meantime, policians can always be impeached.

[There You'll Be]

Our state comes up Republican every election.

Granted, different ares come up Democratic, but even our county always comes up Republican.

People vote parties here, in general, though not always.

We've already lost major businesses who had hired hundreds of employees, and many, many businesses have stated they're not interested in NC anymore.

Some concerts, and other venue gatherings have cancelled.

It hasn't made difference one to the politicians.

There are protests standing against the law, and against local businesses though.

I guess we'll see when elections come around.

[sunnykerr]

Enough businessmen and women see their earning potential diminished because of politicians making the wrong call, I think there could be a change.

I'm not even saying it would go to the Democrats in the next election, although your Democrats can be super conservative, too.

I'm thinking more like there would be tremendous pressure put on the politicians to rectify the situation.

The states that are suing the government aren't gonna win this one.

Unless they're waiting on President Trump to nominate a super conservative Justice to fill Scalia's seat.

Even then, though, Trump came out against these bathroom bills.

[There You'll Be]

I think democrats are more conservative here, to try and sway some of the republican voters.

I'm hoping enough people vote to make a difference.

Trump goes back and forth on issues, and even his "image", so I don't trust anything he says.

Trump really has momentum on his side.

He's given a lot of people the "right" to spread their brand of discrimination and hate.

I know they always had the right, I just think now they feel they have a loud voice to them.

[sunnykerr]

I think you're very right.

Trump is giving all kinds of nasty people some sort of validation in expressing their ugly views.

They say that they have the right to freedom of speech and opinion.

But that's not entirely right.

Everyone has freedom of speech, but you still can't yell "fire!" in a crowded theatre.

There are limits.

And you can't incite people to violence.

There's a reason motive is important in the prosecution of a crime.

There is no thought police, but that doesn't mean that people have the right to say every ugly thing they want.

And they certainly don't have the right to act out that ugliness on other people.

[There You'll Be]

It's truly frightening to me how much hatred has come out here.

And that he has real potential of becoming our president.

Of course I've had little faith in people's views, and said all along he would end up where he is.

Right now they don't have the right, there is no telling what's going to happen on that front.

Or how much hate our possible "president" will spew and get through.

[sunnykerr]

Just remember that there's a cycle to everything.

Maybe we're on an upswing of hatred.

But that can't last.

If anything, what happens when hatred coalesces like this, it creates the opposite reaction.

It mobilizes people who fight back.