Conscious party: Kill the Bill

WORD PROBLEMS: "Writing is a political act," says Melanie McNair of Mapaprop's Bookstore and Café. "And a lot of writers want that aspect of their writing to be known. One of the reasons people write books is they want to bring awareness about something." That's the change-making spirit the shop hopes to harness through its new Authors for Action events. Image courtesy Malaprop's Bookstore and Cafe.

WHAT: A literary fundraiser to fight House Bill 2

WHEN: Wednesday, May 18, at 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Asheville Community Theatre

WHY: When acclaimed author Sherman Alexie canceled his North Carolina book tour stops in protest of the controversial House Bill 2, Malaprop’s Bookstore and Café general manager Linda-Marie Barrett penned a response that was published by The New York Times.

“This horrible legislation goes against what we stand for: human rights, tolerance and inclusiveness. … But now we’re being made to pay a price for a law we vehemently oppose” — both financially and culturally, she pointed out.

Local author Sara Gruen stepped up to fill the empty slot, though, prompting the development of a new event series by the bookstore. Authors for Action pairs literary figures with similarly minded nonprofits.

“It [is] a way for us to formalize something that we already do,” says Melanie McNair, assistant manager and author events coordinator. “We create the space for people who want to raise awareness of issues and connect with readers and talk about those issues in a safe place. I wanted to take it one step further, though, and connect that conversation with the people who are actually working for change.”

The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina, Campaign for Southern Equality, Tranzmission and Equality NC will benefit from the inaugural iteration called Kill the Bill. It’s main attraction: roughly a dozen Southern-based authors (Charles Frazier, Joshilyn Jackson, Jake Bible, Wiley Cash, Mary Laura Philpott, Beth Revis, Denise Kiernan, Joe D’Agnese, Kim Michele Richardson and Jamie Mason among them) will respond to the same writing prompt that’s loosely connected to the Bathroom Bill. Still, McNair expects the evening’s overall tone to remain “fun to zany with a dash of earnestness mixed in.”

“These are a lot of New York Times best-selling authors on the stage together and [it’s] a really unusual event,” she says. “This really should be the literary event of the year.”

Kill the Bill tickets are $20 (VIP includes an author cocktail party and premium seating for $50). Visit malaprops.com for details on all Authors for Action events.

 

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About Kat McReynolds
Kat studied entrepreneurship and music business at the University of Miami and earned her MBA at Appalachian State University. Follow me @katmAVL

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12 thoughts on “Conscious party: Kill the Bill

  1. Allal

    CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER LEADS TRANSGENDER RIGHTS EFFORT IN NORTH CAROLINA
    by Austin Ruse
    Mar.7, 2016

    The homosexual leader of efforts in North Carolina to allow men to use women’s bathrooms is a convicted and registered sex offender, according to documents made available to Breitbart News.
    Chad Sevearance is president of the Charlotte Business Guild, which describes itself as “a network of LGBT professionals, business owners, employees and individuals in the Charlotte area who meet to nurture a network of business contacts; encourage fellowship and support among community business, professional and charitable pursuits; and provide and promote positive role models in the LGBT community.”
    Sevearance and his group have taken a lead role in seeking the right to allow males to use the restrooms and showers of females, including those of little girls, which is described by advocates as nothing more than nondiscrimination measures. Sevearance was quoted in the Charlotte Observer saying that because a recent bathroom “nondiscrimination ordinance” bill did not pass, “someone can ask me to leave a restaurant because I’m presumed to be gay or transgender.”
    In 1998, Sevearance worked as a youth minister and in that capacity allegedly lured younger men to his apartment to spend the night where Severance showed them
    pornography and tried to talk them into sex. One boy testified that he woke up to find Severance “fondling him.” Severance was convicted on one charge of sexual molestation of a minor.
    As a result of his 2000 conviction, Sevearance must register with the police on a regular basis for a minimum of ten years. His most recent mug shot and registration took place at the end of last year.
    A reporter with the Charlotte Observer confirmed for Breitbart News that the Chad Sevearance they frequently quote is the same man who was convicted for sexual assault of a minor in 2000.
    Repeated calls to the Charlotte Business Guild went unanswered. Both the webpage and the Facebook page of Severance’s group have been disabled.

    • Lulz

      LOL, this is America where societal decay and cultural dysfunction is brought upon by those that DON’T personally deal with it. They are out of touch, ignorant, and liars.

  2. C

    This is an SJW created issue brought to you by the Universities of America, and the academia-like Executive Branch has took the bait. How many times have I heard proponents say things like, ” What’s the big deal? In Europe both genders use the same restrooms”. So I ask the Trans community, so what is the big deal? If it’s no big deal one way, then, by the same reasoning, it should not be a big deal the other way. If confused about which ways I’m referring to, it doesn’t matter. The reasoning of it being that “no big deal” applies to either/ or.

    • Lulz

      LOL, if you’re stupid enough to go to school and get in debt so you can experience the college years of being a drunk and a oversexed fool, obviously you haven’t the brain power to discern how fake those six figured teachers sermons are. Merely because they don’t practice what they preach.

      • Lulz

        LOL and let me add, the democratic party is nothing more than the SJW wing of the government. They care not who they rip off, steal from, put into poverty or homelessness or persecute as long as it’s not one of their protected classes. They no longer support or even can claim to benefit working class people. And they will stop at absolutely nothing to ensure their ideology and goals are carried through. Even if it means bankruptcy for the country and complete and utter destruction of societal cohesion lulz. These people are insane.

    • bsummers

      Sure, what could possibly go wrong, if this person went into your average men’s room?:
      http://bit.ly/1T8NjOK

      Or this person, into your average women’s room?:
      http://bit.ly/23N3pFU

      There would be no negative consequences for either of them, right?

      Wrong. Your ““no big deal” applies to either/ or” argument is simply wrong.

      • c

        If they change their birth certificates, according to the law, they can use the bathroom they desire. I didn’t come up with the no big deal argument. Those who want transl gender bathroom rights use this argument. I’m just turning it back on itself.

          • bsummers

            And yet, that’s not how the law is written, is it?

        • bsummers

          Sure, I suppose “I’m just turning it back on itself” is one way to refer to twisting an argument out of shape until it makes no sense.

          • c

            You know, after thinking about it more , I’ve decided that I really don’t care.

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