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Today’s disputes have historical roots

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Tuesday, 29 July 2025

Written by John Hood

The ancient Greek thinker Heraclitus observed that one cannot step in the same river twice. In the interval between the first and second step — be it a moment or a year — the water keeps flowing, the current shifts at least slightly, sediments in the riverbed move or erode or dissolve. Some reword his insight as “the only constant is change.”
Speaking of change, longtime readers of mine in this publication and others will have noticed a gradual but unmistakable shift in focus. While I still write about current events — recently praising North Carolina politicians for enacting health reforms and castigating them for blowing tax money on sports arenas — historical subjects now claim more of my attention.
You can credit (or blame) the calendar only in part. We are in the midst of our country’s semiquincentennial, and I have indeed been chronicling North Carolina’s many contributions to the origin story of America. But I’ve also written about other historical eras and personalities.
Nor is it just that I have my own anniversary approaching. You see, it was in July 1986 that I wrote my first bylined column for a commercial newspaper. A year from now, then, as everyone is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a somewhat-smaller crowd will also commemorate my 40 years as a regular columnist for North Carolina media outlets. (I expect fewer fireworks.)
Over the years, I’ve assessed mayors, county commissioners, state lawmakers, federal lawmakers, governors, and presidents. I’ve covered elections, legislative debates, business openings, and natural disasters. I’ve discussed taxes, education, regulation, transportation, health care, housing, and other policy issues. I’ve described past events and predicted future ones. I’ve repeated tall tales and told small jokes.
Many readers appear to have enjoyed the ride. Others tell me otherwise, often with blunt language and colorful metaphors. For those who opine for a living, it has ever been thus.
It has ever been thus. Sounds inconsistent with that constant-change bit from Heraclitus, doesn’t it? Other thinkers have emphasized historical continuity, the persistence of humanity’s fallen state, and the recurrent patterns of behavior it produces. “What is government itself,” asked James Madison, “but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?”
A careful study of history, I have come to believe, reveals the crucial interaction of possibility and constraint. Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, one of the first editors of France’s oldest national newspaper, Le Figaro, put it well in 1849: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
Human beings are capable of great good and monstrous evil. We always have been and always will be. Still, the conditions of our birth, the substance of our intellectual and moral education, and the institutions and incentive structures within which we live our lives can all influence the choices we make — and their consequences for ourselves and others.
Our political arrangements, in particular, can help align our common interests with the individual pursuit of happiness. History shows, I would submit, that free societies do it better than autocracies. Free economies combat poverty and promote abundance more effectively than command economies.
When I write about the history of North Carolina politics and government, then, I aspire not just to inform or entertain but to help readers see recurring patterns and how our institutions have evolved in response to them. At the national level, the Freedom Conservatism project I co-founded seeks to apply the timeless principles of the American Founding to current controversies. FreeCons reject the platforms of both the progressive Left and populist Right because their supposedly “new” ideas are merely iterations of old collectivist ideas that time has already tested — and found wanting.
History isn’t a handcuff. It’s a compass. To quote one more sage, the British thinker Edmund Burke, “a disposition to preserve and an ability to improve, taken together, would be my standard of a statesman.” By shining a light on North Carolina’s past, I hope to brighten North Carolina’s future.

Editor’s Note: John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member. His books Mountain Folk, Forest Folk, and Water Folk combine epic fantasy with American history (FolkloreCycle.com).

Note from Troy Williams: Colvin's sudden flip flop

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Tuesday, 22 July 2025

Written by Troy Williams

On Friday, July 18, many voters in Fayetteville were shocked and some very agitated to learn that Mayor Mitch Colvin, who had previously announced on June 12 that he would not seek reelection, filed to run for mayor again just minutes before the deadline.
This decision marked his attempt to secure a fifth term in office. Politicians frequently change their minds, but this feels like betrayal, motivated by a desire for power for reasons that remain unclear.
The dynamics of potential candidates waiting for or responding to an incumbent's decision are a key factor in candidate entry into political races. Candidates often assess the likelihood of defeating an incumbent when determining whether to run for office. Mayor Colvin's "flip-flop" is not only unfair to the other mayoral candidates, but it's also unfair to the community.
Should Colvin's flip-flop come with reputational costs that prevent his reelection? It's difficult to determine, but timing matters, and Colvin's actions may be viewed with suspicion due to how he orchestrated the outcome.
Voters ultimately hold the power, and they may reflect on this: Political responsibility is essential to democratic behavior. When politicians often shift their positions, it erodes accountability and weakens political responsibility.
Which mayoral candidate is most affected by Colvin's change of position? District 3 Councilmember Mario Benavente announced his candidacy months ago, expecting Colvin to be his opponent.
Colvin's decision to run could prove to be a significant advantage for Benevante's overall campaign strategy. However, Colvin's presence is likely to be very damaging to Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Jensen's campaign. Understandably, she wouldn't have entered the race if she had known he would be her opponent. I
n the grand scheme of things, this may mark the end of Jensen's political career.
Candidates Freddie del la Cruz and Paul Williams both have unsuccessful runs for the mayor’s office on their resumes. Before the Mayor's surprise visit to the Board of Elections on Friday, there was high drama as District 8 Councilmember Courtney Banks-McLaughlin and former Councilmember Tisha Waddle entered the race for Mayor.
Ten candidates are vying for the mayor’s office at City Hall, and it is likely to be a slugfest until the polls close on election day.
This election is likely to be one of the most closely watched in Fayetteville. I encourage all voters to participate.

Elections: Planning ahead

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Tuesday, 22 July 2025

Written by Margaret Dickson

Hope Mills Town Commissioners tiptoed way out on a limb earlier this month. They voted 3 to 2 to establish staggered 4-year-terms for board members, beginning with this fall’s election cycle. The vote came despite the fact that town voters turned down the same proposal 7 years ago. To no one’s great surprise, some angry constituents are threatening a petition drive to put the issue to the voters yet again on the November ballot, citing a need to keep the elected officials more immediately responsive to public pressures.
That is an understandable sentiment, but it may not be the most thoughtful and productive one. The School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has this to say about how most municipalities and counties in our state handle member terms.
“All terms, both for county commissioners and for city council members, are for two years or four, with the larger number of governing boards having four year terms. Most boards with four year terms stagger elections so that about half the members are elected every two years; of all the changes made to governing boards in recent years, initiating a staggered four-year term has been the most prevalent. This staggering ensures a degree of continuity in county and municipal affairs and a constant level of experience.”
Government at every level is complicated, convoluted, contradictory, and just plain difficult. It takes time to learn the ins and outs, if that is even possible. Issues and projects can take years to settle and complete. It makes little sense to risk the possibility of electing a totally novice board, whose members are more likely to be swayed by the loudest, least thoughtful constituents and the professional, though unelected, governmental staff.
That said, the 3 town commissioners who voted for longer, staggered terms care enough about Hope Mills to put their political futures in significant jeopardy.
Another related issue is term limits, especially at the Congressional level. We have all seen elderly electeds who freeze mid-sentence, cannot remember what was just said in a committee meeting, and are guided from place to place by hale and hearty junior staffers. Some states have indeed enacted term limits for legislators, though doing so for members of Congress would require a Constitutional amendment, a much higher bar than a legislative vote.
That said, support for term limits is also understandable, though it comes with even more complicated governmental issues than those facing a town of 18-thousand residents. Former electeds, particularly those who have served in Congress, readily admit that it takes a term or two to learn the ropes, make allies, and to begin being effective.
I once met a man, the leader of his party in the Arizona House of Representatives, a term-limited body. He was in his second elected term and readily admitted that he had little idea what he was doing, and that he would be “retiring” shortly when his term ended. He made the point that his legislature, and I suspect all those that have term limits, are actually controlled not by the electeds but by the professional staff for whom there are no term limits.
Americans live, at least for the moment, in a representative democracy, one in which the people elected to public office do what they believe is best for the community, whether that is Hope Mills, North Carolina, or the United States. Their decisions may or may not be exactly what the loudest among us are shouting at them.
That is why we should elect thoughtful and compassionate representatives, not people who merely spout the partisan positions of whatever party they might be.

Publisher's Pen:Mayor Mitch Colvin: Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

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Tuesday, 22 July 2025

Written by Bill Bowman

Leadership and integrity are two of the most essential qualities needed to move Fayetteville forward in the 21st century. Unfortunately, they are also two qualities our community continues to lack. This became abundantly clear when Mayor Mitch Colvin reversed his public decision not to seek reelection, filing for another term in the final minutes before the candidate registration deadline.
This last-minute reversal calls his integrity into question, and for many, confirms its absence. It leaves residents wondering about his true motivations and how his leadership will shape our city’s future. That concern cannot be overstated.
Mayor Colvin’s credibility has eroded. That’s precisely why a record-breaking nine candidates have stepped forward to run for mayor, each hoping to lead Fayetteville in a more positive direction after four terms under Colvin’s divisive leadership.
His deception speaks volumes. Trust and confidence are foundational qualities we expect from public servants entrusted with our community’s well-being and resources. Without integrity, trust deteriorates—and with it, the public’s confidence in ethical decision-making. This is where Mayor Colvin stands on the leadership spectrum. His tenure has made it increasingly difficult for civic leaders, businesses, and organizations to collaborate effectively. That breakdown in communication breeds apathy and resistance to public initiatives, making good governance nearly impossible.
The mayor’s decisions directly impact the daily lives of Fayetteville’s citizens. Integrity ensures those decisions are made in the public’s best interest, not for personal gain, political favors, or external pressure.
Mayor Colvin has consistently demonstrated a lack of these guiding principles. Integrity also fosters accountability. A trustworthy mayor is transparent, willing to admit mistakes, and accepts responsibility for their actions. Such openness is vital to democratic governance. Sadly, Fayetteville has not seen it.
Our elected officials must be held to the highest legal and ethical standards. Mayor Colvin’s leadership has undermined the rule of law, suggesting that ordinances can be bent or ignored for political convenience. No one understands this better than mayoral candidate and former City Councilwoman Tisha Waddell. In 2021, she resigned from the council, citing serious concerns she and her constituents had regarding Mayor Colvin’s conduct. She pulled no punches in her resignation letter, raising several red flags about alleged unethical behavior, including undisclosed negotiations (PWC), conflicts of interest, and irregular permitting practices involving his downtown property (Kress Building). She called for an independent investigation and urged the community to demand accountability.
Up & Coming Weekly published an article covering Waddell’s resignation by reporter Jeff Thompson on November 10, 2021. (https://www.upandcomingweekly.com/local-news-briefs/8123-tisha-waddell-resigns-from-city-council-seat) Thompson outlined Waddell’s specific allegations and published her resignation letter in full. Without a doubt, these issues will resurface. In fact, some election observers speculate Colvin’s reentry was a last-minute maneuver to defend himself against a challenger who has already gone on record advocating for trust, integrity, and transparency in city government.
We agree. When trust in leadership erodes, so does the ability to govern effectively. Trust, integrity, and transparency aren’t optional—they’re essential. As we enter the 2025 election season, every resident of Fayetteville must take responsibility for vetting the candidates.
Read local news publications, tune in to radio interviews on WFNC and WIDU, and attend candidate rallies and fundraisers to hear their platforms and motivations for leading our city. And, by all means, put no stock in what you see and read on social media. We all have a choice.
This writer hopes that we elect leaders who reflect our values and vision for the future—and above all—respect the citizens’ voice.
Our mayor and city officials should be visible, engaged, and principled figures in the community. Their actions—both in and out of office—shape public perception and influence Fayetteville’s brand and reputation. This election cycle offers a slate of promising, trustworthy candidates. We do not need to recycle the ones who’ve failed us. Choose wisely. Fayetteville’s future depends on it.
Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly, your community newspaper.

(Top Photo: Mayor Mitch Colvin. Photo courtesy of the City of Fayetteville. Bottom Photo: Mayoral Candidate and former City Council member Tisha Waddel. [File photo] )