Entries written by: Maximilian Longley

Maximilian Longley is a law student at Hofstra University in Long Island, New York.  A former contributing editor of the John Locke Foundation's Carolina Journal, Longley has written several articles and books, including the upcoming Conservative In Spite of Himself: A Reluctant Right-Winger's Thoughts on Life, Law and the Three Stooges (Monograph Press).

Affirmations Encyclopedia

Affirmations are statements made in lieu of oaths by people who have conscientious scruples against taking oaths. Under modern North Carolina law, this means saying “solemnly affirm” instead of “solemnly swear,” and avoiding any invocation of God in support of one’s statement (North Carolina General Statues 11-1 and 11-4).  Starting its colonial history with a de facto freedom to affirm instead of swear, North Carolina returned to a more restrictive position based on English law, then extended affirmation privileges to certain Protestant groups, and ultimately made affirmations available to anyone with objections to oaths.

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Greensboro Shootings Encyclopedia

On November 3, 1979, an armed confrontation between members of the Maoist Communist Workers Party (CWP) and several Klansmen and Nazis ended with four CWP members and one supporter being shot dead.  Three trials soon followed, and CWP survivors and their supporters claimed that their anti-establishment views incited a conspiracy to have them killed.

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Oaths Encyclopedia

Many times North Carolina law has required people to prove their words or actions with a solemn official statement when, for example, testifying in court or assuming public office.  Such official statements must be given by a solemn oath or by affirmation.  First passed in 1777, the North Carolina oath statute describes oaths as “most solemn appeals to Almighty God.” The affiant is declared to invoke divine “vengeance” on himself if he lies. The proper format for oaths and the issue of sworn testimony eligibility have been contentious issues in the history of the Tar Heel State.

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Speaker Ban Law Commentary

Enacted in 1963, the Speaker Ban was a North Carolina state law that restricted the appearance of Communists and other radical speakers at state-supported campuses, including the University of North Carolina.   The Speaker Ban sparked a major controversy over Communism, academic freedom, and the First Amendment.

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Robert Franklin Williams (1925-1996) Encyclopedia

A Monroe native and an African American leader who gained national fame for advocating “armed self-defense," Robert Franklin Williams inspired Black Panthers and other groups that criticized what they considered the ineffective, less-violent techniques of the Civil Rights Movement.  During the 1960s, Williams went into exile and lived in Cuba and China, where he published newsletters and produced radio programs for dissemination in the United States.

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