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Post by 49ersfootball on Jun 8, 2021 16:47:04 GMT
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Post by 49ersfootball on Nov 6, 2021 14:47:49 GMT
Tidbits on the TL:
Chapter 1:
1.) Profile on United States Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC)
2.) Profile on NC Governor James Baxter Hunt (D)
3.) Profile on the hotly-contested NC US Senate contest
4.) July 23rd, 1984: One fateful night in the outskirts of Charlotte, NC
5.) The aftermath
6.) Hunt & Helms Debate from July 29th, 1984
Chapter 2:
1.) Eyewitness accounts
2.) Cries of social justice across Charlotte & other parts of the Tar Heel State
3.) The Foley family
4.) Investigation into Thelma's mysterious death begins
5.) Autopsy details
6.) Finalizing of arrangements
7.) Profile on the Reverend Jesse Jackson
8.) August 6th, 1984: Thelma laid to rest
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Post by 49ersfootball on Dec 14, 2021 16:29:18 GMT
Prologue 2:56 PM EST, May 27th, 1984
Somewhere in Raleigh, NC 
Hunt, who had been in statewide office for the past 12 years (4 years as NC's 27th Lieutenant Governor & a successful 8 years as NC's 69th Governor) had discussed his accomplishments such as appointing more women & minorities to boards, commissions than any of his predecessors, supporting the federal Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday, achieving a budget surplus, pushing balanced budgets, etc., during his governorship.
North Carolinians were awaiting the results with just a few months to go with twists & turns, nobody wanted to predict a winner due to the uncertainty, it was going to have major ramifications on statewide politics in the Tar Heel State in the coming years....
Enjoy! |
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Post by 49ersfootball on Dec 14, 2021 16:47:41 GMT
Chapter 1: Helms 2:00 PM EST, Saturday, July 21st, 1984
NC Republican Party Headquarters, Raleigh, NC In a fiery campaign speech, the hardcore, staunch iconic conservative two-term incumbent United States Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC) delivered to the GOP faithful blasting what he called "the Northeastern liberal establishment, big government progressive policies" of NC Governor Jim Hunt (D); Helms' campaign was also aggressive in employing racially-charged divisive hot-button issues with the ultimate goal of scaring Anglo voters & Independent voters away from the popular two-term Democratic Governor.
Helms' favorite special diet of race-baiting: blatant attacks against the Civil Rights movement by referring to them as "outside agitators", even going so far as to calling them a national security threat to the United States that needs to be exterminated altogether. He also blasted the 1964 Civil Rights Act, 1965 Voting Rights Act including desegregation of public schools across the Tar Heel State as well as desegregation of colleges & universities, which were the normal obvious points of attack. His allies were also contributing to the violent racially-charged dog-whistle tactics as well in more aggressive levels.
Television advertising commercials launched by the Helms campaign blasted Hunt's record as Governor with outright lies ranging from milking with the "Bloc Vote", big government tax-raising policies, etc.,
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Post by 49ersfootball on Dec 14, 2021 17:14:31 GMT
Hunt 5:10 PM EST, Saturday, July 21st, 1984
NC Executive Mansion, Raleigh, NC 
James Baxter Hunt, Jr., had been supporting as well as pushing for civil rights long before getting to the NC Executive Mansion. In 1970, as Chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party's Reform Commission: he expedited a rewrite of party rules to requiring more participation by African Americans, women & the youth (18-29 year-olds); he also pushed the North Carolina Democratic Party on reaching out to minority voters.
Elected as NC's 27th Lieutenant Governor in 1972 during the GOP landslide (where then-President Richard Nixon won reelection in a massive landslide over then-United States Senator George McGovern (D-SD); Nixon's landslide victory resulted in down-ballot coattail effects that led to the election of Helms winning the NC US Senate contest that year & Jim Holshouser (R) becoming the Tar Heel State's first Republican Governor since Reconstruction. Hunt began working in bipartisan way with Holshouser on getting things done: such as passing $300 million bond issue to raising teacher pay (which would result in other US State Governors pushing years later) & establishing statewide kindergartens. Both Hunt & Holshouser teamed up to pass the Coastal Area Management Act, which provided for the preservation & management of the 20 coastal counties between VA & SC. He was also a strong advocate for the establishment of the medical school at Eastern Carolina University. Hunt served as the President of the NC State Senate; member of the Council of State; NC Board of Education; NC Capital Planning Commission & NC Board of Community Colleges as well as serving as chairman of the eLearning Commission.
Prevented by the State Constitution at the time from succeeding himself as Lieutenant Governor, Hunt had his eyes on the Executive Mansion in 1976 & NC Democrats were badly itching to win it back after losing it in 1972. Hunt declared his candidacy in April of 1976: campaigning on a platform that stressed crime prevention, economic development & education. Fast forward to election night: Tuesday, November 2nd, 1976, Hunt emerged victorious easily crushing David Flaherty (R) in a landslide victory garnering 1,081,293 votes (64.99%) to Flaherty's 564,102 votes (33.90%); Hunt also carried 96 out of 100 counties & was inaugurated into office as the Tar Heel State's 69th Governor on January 8th, 1977.
Once in office, during the early part of Hunt's first term, he introduced a double-pronged strategy designed to encourage long-term economic growth in the Tar Heel State: first by improving education & second, by recruiting more industries & businesses with high-paying jobs. While successfully passing measures to achieve these goals, he also coped with several issues that caught national attention. The first of these was then-US Health, Education & Welfare Secretary Joseph Califano's campaign to outlaw cigarette smoking. This controversial campaign from the administration of then-US President Jerry Brown would have the effect of dramatically lessening the profitability of tobacco in NC's major cash crop. The second major issue of national attention occurred when Califano struck again: this time announcing that the University of North Carolina System had failed to adequately desegregate.
During Hunt's first term, the Democratic-controlled NC General Assembly passed a measure allowing the Governor to serve two consecutive terms including sitting out in a four-year respite & allowed to seek third, fourth or fifth terms, etc.,; taking advantage of this opportunity, Hunt chose to seek reelection to a second term in 1980: this drew a primary challenge from former Governor Robert W. Scott (D)....which Hunt won very easily & at the same time, distancing himself from the unpopular outgoing President Brown (who chose not to seek reelection in 1980), where the Reagan Revolution was taking over across the United States. On November 4th, 1980, Hunt was easily reelected in another landslide victory defeating I. Beverly Lake (R) garnering 1,143,145 votes (61.88%) to Lake's 691,449 votes (37.43%) including carrying 91 out of 100 counties; Hunt was inaugurated for a second term as Governor on January 10th, 1981.
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Post by 49ersfootball on Dec 28, 2021 22:48:26 GMT
COMING UP IN CHAPTER 2 OF THE CAMPAIGN.... The Reverend Jesse Jackson & how he'll impact the fightin bringing those responsible for Thelma's death to justice... |
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Post by 49ersfootball on Dec 28, 2021 22:50:10 GMT
COMING UP IN CHAPTER 2 OF THE CAMPAIGN August 6th, 1984: Thelma Foley laid to rest |
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Post by 49ersfootball on Dec 28, 2021 23:01:12 GMT
COMING SOON IN CHAPTER 3 OF THE CAMPAIGN The Hunt & Helms Debates.... |
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Post by 49ersfootball on Dec 28, 2021 23:07:22 GMT
COMING UP IN CHAPTER 4 OF THE CAMPAIGN Profile on NC State Attorney General Rufus Edmisten (D) |
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Post by 49ersfootball on Jan 18, 2022 17:24:58 GMT
Meanwhile in Charlotte.... Monday, July 23rd, 1984
Somewhere in the outskirts of Charlotte, NC. While the 1984 NC US Senate campaign was featuring key debates between Hunt & Helms, there was a voter registration drive by the NAACP & other civil rights organizations, who were working hard in registering new voters to participate in the upcoming November general election when a mysterious group of hardcore Helms backers were stalking a group of voter registration workers with typical taunts such as "You outside agitators need to get out of North Carolina and move up back North. We don't want you mongrel kind over here stirring up trouble. Do you fucking understand ?"
Thelma Foley was a graduate of North Carolina A&T University & had served 3 1/2 years in the United States Army; later worked with the administrative staff of North Carolina A&T University including stints on the University of North Carolina Women's Gymnastics Team's coaching staff. She was startled at first, but she responded "You need to stop harassing us. People have the right to register to vote in free and open elections. This is a free country!" Fuming at being called out, the driver of the red pickup truck snarled back "You outside agitators better be gone from here. Curfew is coming in 5 HRS and if we see you agitators still on the street, y'all better start running.."
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Post by 49ersfootball on Jan 18, 2022 17:43:20 GMT
Thelma's final moments.... 9:00 PM EST, Monday, July 23rd, 1984
Somewhere in the outskirts of Charlotte, NC It was a Monday night as Thelma was getting into her Oldsmobile after a long day working with the NAACP Voter Registration initiative by getting new voters registered in preparation for the upcoming November elections. She had a long day at work, driving past the highway overlooking the neighborhood when suddenly, she was blinded by large lights blinding her as she was driving...
Thelma was trying to keep her eyes on the road as she made the turn towards a curve at Holland Drive (similar to Muhalland Drive in Los Angeles, CA); the red pickup truck had kept ramming into Thelma's Oldsmobile & then another pickup truck had gotten in her view Thelma was driving to swirve out of the way when she was trying to make a right-handed turn. Sensing something wasn't right, Thelma said to herself "What's going on over here ? I am trying to go back to my house."
Once again, the red pickup truck behind her rammed into her vehicle non-stop, causing Thelma to lose control of the Oldsmobile she was driving...
Those inside the red pickup truck were laughing "That's right. We've got your ass now BITCH!" as Thelma's vehicle flipped twice before crashing into the ground overlooking a waterfall river resulting in Thelma being bruised & bloodied.
Once they got out of the red pickup truck, the rednecks looked out to see the damage, checking to survey their job. Some of whom were high-fiving themselves "No outside uppity agitator will get these mongrels registered now! This is Helms Country Today, Helms Country Tomorrow and Helms Country Forever!"
Following the crash, Thelma managed to get out of the damaged Oldsmobile. Disoriented & confused to where she was, Thelma tried walking gingerly toward higher ground in attempt to ask for medical assistance & help.
Then all of a sudden, the same group of rednecks jumped Thelma from behind, one of whom knocked her out with the butt of their pistol. Jimmy Forester of Durham, NC was one of the instigators who snarled "You uppity outside mongrel BLOC agitator. You're gonna get it tonight! Teach this freak a lesson!" What would happen next was disturbing: Thelma, who was unconscious, was stripped completely naked with her legs spread wide open, was being thoroughly violated non-stop by each of the five rednecks (some of whom were taking turns)....
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