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"America is slipping into tyranny"

That is just one of many quotes from a press release announcing that Libertarian Party presidential candidate Michael Badnarik will be back in North Carolina this week.

At first, Scoop thought he might be coming to hit John Edwards up for a job after bonding over both being on the loosing end of the presidential campaign.

But no. A release sent in via our news-record.com feedback site indicates Badnarik is coming to speak about his campaign and Libertarian ideals at a couple of NC events:

  • Tuesday, Feb. 8. Badnarik will participate in the James
    M. Johnston Issues Forum on the influence of third parties
    and electoral fairness. The forum will be at the UNC-Chapel Hill.

  • Thursday, Feb. 10 he will speak at Duke University at
    noon in the Breedlove Room. The topic will be "How I Spent
    My Summer Vacation: Being Excluded from the Debates."

    For more information, contact: Barbara Howe, Telephone: 919-690-1423.

    Read the whole press release after the jump:

  • Libertarian Presidential Candidate Returns to NC

    DURHAM (Feb. 6) -- Does it surprise you to discover that
    the United States is not a democracy? Would you like to
    know - once and for all - what the "electoral college" is
    and why we have it?

    Michael Badnarik, the 2004 Libertarian Party candidate for President, will return to North Carolina next week to answer these questions and others, in his eight-hour workshop on the U.S. Constitution. The workshop will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 12 in the Faith Baptist Church, 902 Mendenhall Rd., Thomasville.

    "America is slipping into tyranny," Badnarik said. "Once
    upon a time, people would have scoffed at the thought. But today, in our hearts, we know that it is true.

    "We see the signs all around us. The sacred rights our
    Founders fought for -- rights to private property and individual liberty -- have been replaced by checkpoints, 'free speech zones,' and secret trials."

    Most Americans have been taught the constitution means
    exactly the opposite of what the authors intended, said Badnarik. "They have taught you that words mean the opposite of what they do, until you think you live in a 'democracy' - the form of government the Founders feared - and don't know the difference between that and a Republic," Badnarik said.

    In eight hours, the workshop will unveil more about the
    U.S. Constitution that you learn in years of high school or college, in a way you'll never forget, Badnarik said.

    On Tuesday, Feb. 8 Badnarik will participate in the James
    M. Johnston Issues Forum on the influence of third parties
    and electoral fairness. The forum will be at the UNC-Chapel Hill. Other guests will be Dean Steven Rosenstone, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota, c-author of the book "Third Parties in America," State Senator Ellie Kinnaird and Professor James Stimson of UNC-CH. I don't the formal title of this talk. I believe the general topic will be the influence of third parties and electoral fairness.

    On Thursday, Feb. 10 he will speak at Duke University at
    noon in the Breedlove Room. The topic will be "How I Spent
    My Summer Vacation: Being Excluded from the Debates."

    Despite appearing on the ballot in 48 states, more than
    Ralph Nader, Badnarik was excluded from the 2004
    Presidential debates. Badnarik was arrested and handcuffed
    when he peacefully attempted to cross police lines to serve process papers on the Commission on Presidential Debates challenging his exclusion form the Oct. 8, 2004 debate in St. Louis.

    Thursday evening, Badnarik will the Wake County
    Libertarians at their weekly meeting at Tir Na Nog, 220 S. Blount St., Raleigh. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.

    Comments (2)

    To report abuse of the comment feature on this site, please use the feedback form at the bottom of any page.

    Cool. Thanks for alerting the Triad, Mr. Binker.

    It's terrific to have someone like Mike Badnarik visiting North Carolina. I was able to attend the event at UNC on Tuesday evening, and greatly enjoyed it. All of the speakers had something to say, but Mike Badnarik really stole the show. He has a great talent for public speaking and addressing a crowd, and did a terrific job representing the ideals of Libertarians and other "3rd party" types.

    Anyone who has a chance to hear him speak, I encourage to you take advantage. Whether you share the Libertarian philosophy or not, I believe you will find it an enlightening and entertaining experience.

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