I was afraid of this. This is how it starts.. It was just a matter of when, not if.


https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/vandalism-moore-county-north-carolina-power-b2238601.html


A widespread power cut in North Carolina is being investigated as an intentional act of vandalism, authorities say.

Power went out in several communities in Moore County just after 7pm on Saturday, Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields said in a Facebook post.

“As utility companies began responding to the different substations, evidence was discovered that indicated that intentional vandalism had occurred at multiple sites,” the sheriff said.

Utility company Duke Energy said nearly 38,000 customers were without power in Moore County, while the Randolph Electric Membership Corporation reported outages affected nearly 3,000 customers in the county’s southern area, WRAL-TV reported.


According to the News & Observer, protesters had picketed the Sunrise Theater in the city of Sunrise Pines over a drag queen show earlier on Saturday night.

A resident who had promoted the protest wrote on Facebook: “The power is out in Moore County and I know why.”

The woman, who says she works at a group called Moore County Citizens for Freedom, later said she had been visited by law enforcement officers.

“I told them that God works in mysterious ways and is responsible for the outage,” the woman wrote.

“I used the opportunity to tell them about the immoral drag show and the blasphemies screamed by its supporters.

“I told them God is chastising Moore County, thanked them for coming, and wished them a good night.”

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article269579392.html

https://www.thepilot.com/news/substations-vandalized-by-gunfire-more-than-half-of-county-without-power/article_b3b19780-7370-11ed-865d-c78d0de5d921.html

anybody Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> “As utility companies began responding to the
> different substations, evidence was discovered
> that indicated that intentional vandalism had
> occurred at multiple sites,” the sheriff said.


> “I told them that God works in mysterious ways
> and is responsible for the outage,” the woman
> wrote.


> “I told them God is chastising Moore County


Intentional vandalism perpetrated by people who want to tell other people how they should be.

The (weak, very weak) defence that God did it won't win the day in court.

I heard a brief, good definition today of a core value of liberal democracy: An individual has the right to choose their own happiness and so does everyone else.

Why are people losing their grip on that concept? (Or more like, never knew it or rejected it).

We. Are. Not. All. The. Same. What is so impossibly difficult to conceptualize about such a simple and obvious reality?

NG, you are just not a team player and will never know the happiness of letting others do the thinking for you.

SMH

Lot's Wife Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NG, you are just not a team player and will never
> know the happiness of letting others do the
> thinking for you.

Yes. My cross to bear.

The thinking part: Never submit. :)

Seriously, I always deliberately did not allow my mind to completely succumb to one specific ideology.

But it can get lonely.

Imagine being a JW and not believing in preaching door to door, such a major part of their belief system, or worse, thinking that Armageddon isn't really a thing. I often found myself thinking that I can't be more compassionate than God and I wouldn't kill everybody outright so why would He? Kind of a buzz-kill when the religion's major teaching is the imminent end of the world.

Too, try fitting in with Mormons when you think JS was a pumpkin short of a Thanksgiving pie, at best.

Well, the latter you all know about personally.

If you want to march to your own tune you won't fit in. Perhaps anywhere.

But at least you have a better chance of keeping a grip on your mind.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/04/2022 02:40PM by Nightingale.

I worked in the power industry. Our power grid in the US is surprisingly vulnerable to simple attacks. The majority of local substations have at best a wire fence for protection. Transformers, depending on their size, can take up to 18 months for replacement. Few are in stock. Generating switch yards, usually at power plants, are also quite vulnerable. The concept of cyber attacks on our grid are not my major concern. There are 9 critical stations, if taken out, would totally cripple the US for months. Reading this brings back the memories of numerous meetings I attended during my career.

These people need to go to jail for a long long time. This is not a simple protest. It can and will kill innocent folks who need power to survive.

NC law enforcement confirms it was intentional sabotage, press conference at 4pm EST today

https://www.wral.com/sheriff-intentional-vandalism-substation-attacks-cause-mass-power-outage-affecting-more-than-45k-moore-county-residents/20612201/

Eric K Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> These people need to go to jail for a long long
> time. This is not a simple protest. It can and
> will kill innocent folks who need power to
> survive.

There is protest and then there is law-breaking and danger-making.

The latter two can never be tolerated.

It's easy to hear about it and think it's just another protest which people have a right to mount. Thanks, Eric, for highlighting the clear line between acceptable demonstrations and dangerous criminal activity.

I immediately think of hospitals that obviously need power to keep life-saving machines running, among other urgent needs. As well as folks needing to keep warm, as a bare minimum.

I think we're one disaster away from more people realizing, as you say, how truly vulnerable many of our taken-for-granted services actually are.

Those vandals are punishing themselves. Unless they have a backup generator, they will most likely lose most or all of what is in their refrigerator or freezer. They won't have any heat for freezing nights. Vulnerable people will be in danger.

I don't think that they will win any friends with this stunt.

I would have expected this to happen in a more liberal or urban area, such as, say, New York City or Los Angeles, where drag queen shows and support for liberal ideas about religion and sexuality are more commonplace. Could it be that thos who pulled this nasty stunt in North Carolina were trying to drum up more support from wavering moderates? Hmmm.

I would have expected exactly this NC type of scenario. The Deliverance crowd is going to be rural or rural-adjacent. They aren’t going to travel to the big city, which they are unfamiliar with. They are going to play on their home court.

Transgender HS athletes are a new phenomenon. I would expect patriarchal gender panic about that. Drag shows have been around for decades - vaudeville in the 1920s. Why the sudden patriarchal gender panic about that?

Brother of Jerry wrote in part:

"Drag shows have been around for decades - vaudeville in the 1920s. Why the sudden patriarchal gender panic about that?"

I suspect that with the allowance of homosexual marriages, drag shows are now being seen by the religious right to be legitimate, whereas in the past, while they were tolerated, you could only see these types of shows in the seedier parts of town.

That said, your first response to me takes in to account a couple of practical aspects I had not considered. Thank you.

When I was growing up in the church in the 60s and 70s we had a couple of talent show events every year, one was at Christmas time and one was at "The Ward Dinner." The Bishopric in my home ward used to dress up in drag and dance and sing sometimes it was the Andrew Sisters, but there favorite was Dianna Ross and the Supremes. I don't remember them doing it blackface I do remember they were very good. All three of them were veterans of WWII and all three had been in the thick of the fighting in the Pacific or Europe. ( I learned later in life that one of them was gay or at least bi). I still think they could pull this off with today's members, except for the whackadoodle-we want to be right wing nazi types.

Brother Of Jerry Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would have expected exactly this NC type of
> scenario. The Deliverance crowd is going to be
> rural or rural-adjacent. They aren’t going to
> travel to the big city, which they are unfamiliar
> with. They are going to play on their home
> court.
>
> Transgender HS athletes are a new phenomenon. I
> would expect patriarchal gender panic about that.
> Drag shows have been around for decades -
> vaudeville in the 1920s. Why the sudden
> patriarchal gender panic about that?

Drag shows have been around in Utah for well over a century. Remember Brigham's son B. Morris Young, who organized the church's Young Men's program, was a well known drag performer in Utah in the 1880s, performing under the name "Madame Pattirini". He even did drag performances for Mormon church leaders, including for the birthday celebration of Lorenzo Snow in 1901.

Me thinks this squeamishness over drag shows is a relatively modern invention, much like many other ideas of present day conservatism.

IMO, people who live in big cities tend to be more tolerant of differences among their neighbors. It's not perfect, of course, but they tend to do better with diversity.

Call it what it actually is .... terrorism !

Yep.

Riddle me this, Penguin.

What is the difference between these evangelical activists and the Russian army knocking out the Ukrainian power grid in anticipation of winter?

I mean other than the fact that the evangelicals are doing God's will.

Putin is destroying Ukrainian power grid to prevent gay parades. It's god's will.

Freedom means others are allowed to do some/ many things you don't like, aren't obligated to do the things you want...

I wonder if there's any concern(s) about such as this in the COB (is that where the GAs/15 have their offices?)

As far as I'm aware, they haven't said Bleep about Russia/Ukraine;

No Spines

The drag show was scheduled to start at 7pm.

https://www.sunrisetheater.com/events/828-downtown-divas-a-live-drag-experience.html

Join us Dec 3 at 7pm for the Sunrise's first Drag Show! Thank you to Sandhills Pride for joining us to present this fantastic show!

Sponsored by Realty World- The Nikki Bowman Team & Manifest Boutique

 

Showtime: Sat. Dec 3 at 7pm



******


Two different electrical substations were hit just after 7pm at the same time -- and the attackers knew *exactly* what pieces of equipment to hit to cause a power outage:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/north-carolina-power-outage-moore-county-police-investigation-crime-vandalism/

Tens of thousands were left without power in North Carolina after two power substations were damaged by gunfire, authorities said Sunday. Power in Moore County may not be fully restored until as late as Thursday, an official for Duke Energy warned.

The power outages left at least 40,000 customers without electricity and rendered wastewater pumps out of order across the area. Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields said Sunday that someone had "opened fire on the substation, the same thing at the other one." 

"It was a gate, and they went through the gate, got at the substation and shot it as well," Fields added. He said investigators were still working to determine a motive, but he said that the person or persons responsible "knew exactly what they were doing" and that the attack was "targeted."

"It wasn't random," Fields said. The incident is being investigated as a criminal act, but Fields could not say Sunday if it rises to the level of domestic terrorism.

Duke Energy spokesman Jeff Brooks said the extended outages will be because the power cannot be rerouted like it would be during a storm. Instead, Brooks explained, the equipment will have to be repaired or even replaced.

"We are looking at a pretty sophisticated repair with some fairly large equipment and so we do want citizens of the town to be prepared that this will be a multiday restoration for most customers, extending potentially as long as Thursday," Brooks said



******


https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article269579392.html

What happened in Moore County Fields said at Sunday’s press conference that power outages began shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday and then spread throughout central and southern Moore County. Jeff Brooks, a spokesman for Duke Energy, explained that the first substation went offline between 7 and 8 p.m. Saturday night


***********

Bottom Line:

Southern Pines, NC is a small town -- population approx. 12,334. There is no claim of responsibility yet, but given (a) the timing, (b) the threat level, and (c) massive protests from fundie groups, there's no way this is just a "coincidence."


Two and two still make four.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2022 01:11AM by anybody.

So this "God's will" christian fundie termagant probably resides in Moore Co. also, meaning that her own power will likely be out for several days. Genius move.

Next time, schedule the drag show at noon. If the lights go out, the show can still go on.

----

"God is chastising Moore County"

Yes. That's how god traditionally chastises, with bullets. It's in the bible, you know.

Oh, LA Exmo's in a sardonic mood tonight!

Sometimes it's the only appropriate response to events.

Indeed. People like her put the "MAGA" in "termagant."

It doesn't matter if there is no direct order from fundie leaders. Brigham Young was still ultimately responsible for the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Ever notice the folks calling for "jihad" aren't blowing themselves up -- they get someone else to do it for them. As I said previously, they know exactly what they are doing. They keep amping up the rhetoric until someone lights the fuse or pulls the trigger.

This is going to get worse -- and it won't stop unless we find a way to hold them responsible.

> They keep amping up the rhetoric until someone
> lights the fuse or pulls the trigger.

Yep. That's how it's done; that's what happened on January 6, 2021.

Norway, Spain, Portugal, Maybe Costa Rica for me, TY.

Ah yes, another veteran who has forgotten her oath to uphold the constitution.

Charming.

https://www.pride.com/politics/drag-show-moore-county?rebelltitem=6#rebelltitem6


https://www.thepilot.com/news/controversial-drag-show-ends-early-following-power-outage/article_576fbe72-7355-11ed-9e6c-bf04b3a3e425.html

Protesters said they were also there to pray for those participating in the show.

David Reynolds, pastor of Middle Cross Baptist church in West End, said that he attended the protest "to stand for morality," saying the Sunrise show was not moral.

Ron Burt, a West End resident, said that he didn’t show up to judge performers or the patrons

“Everyone's got an opinion, and we are just here to spread the word of Jesus Christ," he said. "This is not biblical. I don't judge it, but the only thing that can help is us praying for it."

Lynn Goldhammer, a Southern Pines resident, showed up to protest the Sunrise Theater allowing the show.

"This isn't like the drag shows of yesteryear, where a man would dress up like Cher and belt out 'Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves,’” Goldhammer said. “It's nothing about a man impersonating a woman. It’s extreme body — fake body parts — jumping and bumping and grinding and twerking.”

Jan Picerno, wife of Moore County Commissioner Nick Picerno, held a sign protesting the drag show alongside her husband.

"I've lived here for almost 66 years, and I care deeply about the county,” she said. “I have grandchildren and children that live and work and play here, and I don't think that this kind of show belongs inside the town where schools are close by.”

While drag show protesters gathered early, they were eventually outnumbered significantly by counter protesters, a number of whom waved rainbow flags, homemade signs and called out specific individuals who had stoked outrage toward the drag performance on Facebook over the past couple of weeks. Counter protesters chanted out expressions such as "I love you" and "love is love" and "love not hate."



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2022 09:03AM by anybody.

> "I don't think that this kind
> of the show belongs inside the town
> where schools are close by.”


Betcha all her kids and grandkids over the age of 10 have smartphones and/or know how to use them.

That's where the devil is, in the software and apps!


In the long run, domestic terrorists will face the wrath of their inconvenienced supporters, who obviously know where to find them, even as they protect them from The Authorities.


American Exceptionalism needs a new Jesus to nail on the Cross (or to stand in front of a main battle tank)!  I would immediately volunteer, but I'm gonna have to check my calendar regarding my availability due to some tracking issues I'm currently experiencing with Amazon.  Keep a good thought in your undies for me...

Whenever you're in doubt about what's best to do or not to do, make sure you're sincere when you make your final choice.  Because if you're sincere, telling the victims and the appalled on-lookers of your sincerity will lift you above all criticism.

Righteousness is its own reward.



(written before breakfast, so these views may be subject to sincere change.)

Cops met with suspect and had a chat and a prayer and then ruled her out as a suspect: https://www.rawstory.com/emily-grace-rainey/

cops praying on the job disturbs me.

Listen to Rachel Maddow's podcast from last night. She describes the past incidences of vandalism to power grids from CA and Ohio. According to her, we can't necessarily connect the NC incident to there being a drag show or even LGBTQ or EV issues in general. I suppose it could be a coincidence.

The only piece of evidence we have about what might be behind them was found at the residence of the Ohio incident perpetrators. There was evidence in print that certain white supremist groups think the chaos of power grid attacks can induce civil war which they are doing their darndest to incite.

Maddow doesn't elaborate or speculate beyond that. The CA and NC attacks are not solved and we have not solved exactly what is behind these costly and disgusting terrorist acts.

There is also the issue of inciting. That former soldier who organized the protest told the crowd, "You know what to do."

These folks want the benefits of (living in) 'Freedom' but only for themselves; How's that gonna work?

(reprise) Freedom includes allowing others to do things you don't like or agree with and refusing to do the things you enjoy.

I can see how the Spanish Inquisition justified their tactics in its day. It looks like these people would like to create version 2.0, and tout it as the new and improved method of saving souls.

Never let a Alcoholic be in charge of the liquor inventory!

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/12/7/2140480/-Signs-suggest-domestic-terrorism-in-North-Carolina-power-outage-but-motivations-still-unknown?detail=emaildkre&pm_source=DKRE&pm_medium=email

The most interesting thing that struck me was that the woman who made the claim on Facebook was an Army veteran and was involved with the attempted coup on 01/06/2021.

start with a list of those who recently purchased home generators...

just sayin'

Good idea right there!