An open invitation to move

Instead of attempting to actively change some of the policies currently working their way through the North Carolina legislature, I would urge all Duke students (and all North Carolinians in general) to voice their dissatisfaction with the government’s current trajectory by leaving the state. In a knowledge-based economy, we are the state’s most important asset. We are the intelligent, creative people who have helped make areas like the Triangle vibrant and economically competitive. By voting with our feet and deserting North Carolina, we can reward areas of the country that are implementing progressive policies, while pressuring North Carolina lawmakers to reconsider their social policies.

North Carolina government officials need to recognize that adopting legislation that marginalizes whole groups of people is wrong and shortsighted if the state hopes to be economically competitive in the 21st century. By causing it to lose its most important asset, we can force politicians and their supporters in North Carolina to confront the effects of their policies by hitting them in their wallets. Our mass exodus, prompted by their backward policies, will hurt the economic growth prospects of North Carolina and may be more effective than appealing to people’s concepts of fairness and ethics.

If you want to live in a place that supports marriage equality, no longer has the death penalty, has a governor who champions women’s equality, would never think of establishing a state religion and has tried in recent years to give identification cards to illegal immigrants, then you should consider moving to states that have done all of these things. Better yet, if you want a place that has done all of these things, and where you can clearly see your personal impact on regional growth, then I further suggest Buffalo, N.Y. By moving to distressed places like Buffalo, we can show the North Carolinians who support backwards social policies how those policies affect them by undermining North Carolina’s economic competitiveness.

Dan Pellegrino

Trinity ’14