Category Archives: Current Affairs

PRIDE Wrapup: “Prophetic & Scary” — A Quaker Mystery from 1993 That “Foretold” the Course of U.S. History Til Today

I In 1992, I spent much of my free time planning a murder. I mapped it out it out to the last detail: victim, weapon, motive, opportunity, covering the tracks, the whole meticulous homicidal mess. In the end, it went almost exactly according to plan, and was a complete success. Almost. Fortunately for all concerned, … Continue reading PRIDE Wrapup: “Prophetic & Scary” — A Quaker Mystery from 1993 That “Foretold” the Course of U.S. History Til Today →

The Shadow at the Pride Festival

A year ago last Saturday, the Friends Meeting I’m part of took a big step, for us: we rented a booth at the Alamance Pride Festival, held in a large park in downtown Burlington NC. Outwardly, our booth was not particularly eye-catching. Amid the fluttering of a thousand floating rainbows, the yellow table banner we … Continue reading The Shadow at the Pride Festival →

A Quaker Doing His Incognito Bit in North Carolina Politics

Burlington is in North Carolina’s Alamance County, once notorious as a hotbed of the Ku Klux Klan back in the day, Neo-Confederates now. A 35-foot statue of a rebel soldier still guards the county courthouse, and the monument itself is surrounded by a thick wrought iron fence and plenty of Don’t-Tread-On-Me attitude. The county … Continue reading A Quaker Doing His Incognito Bit in North Carolina Politics →

Part Four (Conclusion): Why September Should Be “Willie Frye Month”

Why September Should Be “Willie Frye” Month — Part Four- Conclusion [Part One is here.] [Part Two is here.] [Part Three is here.] 21. 1994-1995 — In a 1994 statement to the NC Yearly Meeting Ministry and Counsel Committee, Willie wrote, “It seems somehow odd to be on trial for heresy within the Society of … Continue reading Part Four (Conclusion): Why September Should Be “Willie Frye Month” →

For Quakers (& Justice Seekers), September Should Be “Willie Frye” Month; Here’s Why . . .

The Top Ten Things Quakers & Seekers Need to Know About Willie Frye Jr.: A Preamble: Why should September be Willie Frye month? Two main reasons: One, because he was both born (on the 26th) and passed away (on the 9th) in September. And– Two, because of the remarkable but little-known legacy he left us … Continue reading For Quakers (& Justice Seekers), September Should Be “Willie Frye” Month; Here’s Why . . . →