WASHINGTON, D.C. (WECT) – The petition page for
WhiteHouse.gov has seen a surge in secession supporters since the presidential
election. North Carolina is one of more than 20 states represented with
petitions calling for the Obama administration to allow for the peaceful
withdraw from the union.
At the time of this report, more than 14,000 people signed
the North Carolina petition. That's more than half of the required 25,000
signatures in 30 days that would prompt an official response from White House
staff. One can be expected for the Texas petition that already shows more than
43,000 signatures.
The North Carolina petition contains a number of names
claiming residence in Wilmington, but signers do not necessarily have to be
from the state. The state constitution reads that North Carolina will remain a
part of the union, and a Supreme Court case (Texas v White) from 1869 set the
precedent of secession as unconstitutional.
Angela Douglas, of UNC-Wilmington's Public and Internal
Affairs Department, said Monday that U.S. citizens have a reason to be
frustrated with elected leaders who speak of jobs and the economy with little
details as to how to make it happen. Still, she considers secession a radical
option.
"This kind of reaction is easy to divide people," said
Douglas.
She also mentioned that a lack of federal money for
independent states would make secession an unlikely option.
"Some states, including ones in the south, have poor
education systems, high unemployment and issues with an aging population," she
said.
The 30-day window for signatures on the North Carolina
petition closes on December 9, 2013.
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There are more than 20 petitions calling for a state to secede, including North Carolina.
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