You can fish on Sundays.

As noted previously, the legislature is considering a bill that would allow Sunday hunting, while the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is may allow bowhunting on Sundays.

But a reader points out to Dome that there are no restrictions on fishing on the traditional Christian Sabbath — especially notable because of this history.

The state NAACP will hold a rally on Christmas Eve.

Rev. Dr. William Barber II, president of the civil rights group, and advocates from the Adelante Education Coalition willrally to express their support for illegal immigrants to attend state community colleges.

In August, the board of directors for the N.C. Community College System voted to keep a ban on admission for undocumented students made earlier this year.

Barber will share the Christmas message from Luke 2:7 in the Bible, in which the baby Jesus is laid in a manger because there is no room at the inn.

A press release for the event says there will be "excellent visuals" for TV and photojournalists, but it does not explain exactly what.  

Last Sunday, Fred Smith was preaching to the choir.

At Cleveland Community Church, the megachurch in Johnston County informally known as "C3," pastor Matt Fry gave his sermon. Then his wife, Martha, told the 2,000 or so parishioners that the church would never tell its flock how to vote, but that it's important for everyone to vote.

She then introduced someone she said was a friend of C3's for more than a decade, and out walked Smith, a Clayton resident and Republican candidate for governor.

Microphone in hand, Smith talked for about 10 minutes. He explained how North Carolina needs political candidates who will fight for Christian values, push for the right to publicly practice the Christian faith and more.

He referenced the Sermon on the Mount from the book of Matthew and led C3 in a prayer as the offering plates were passed.

GREENSBORO — During a trip to the Bible Belt Wednesday, Barack Obama talked about his Christian faith.

In response to a question during a town hall meeting, Obama said he takes his religion seriously, Rob Christensen reports.

"I'm a Christian," Obama said. "What that means for me is that I believe Jesus Christ died for my sins. Throught his grace and his mercy and his power, through him I can achieve everlasting life."

Obama also said he believed in a gospel where it mattered what you did on earth, including helping the poor and being a good steward of the earth.

Obama said he believed that many Jews and Muslims and nonbelievers are good people whose beliefs should be respected. He added that his mother was a free thinker and a good person who did not share his religious beliefs.

"I'm sure she is in heaven," he said.

Obama said he hoped people would not be distracted from the important issues such as the war in Iraq by the controversial comments of his former pastor.

"My former pastor said some very objectionable things when I wasn't there on particular days," Obama said.

He noted that his pastor gave three sermons per week over 40 years. He said critics found five or six objectionable statements that have been played over and over again.

James Carville is coming to town.

The former political strategist to Bill Clinton, now a commentator on CNN, will be one of two keynote speakers at the Young Democrats of North Carolina's statewide convention.

The convention will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Research Triangle Park.

Carville is an informal adviser to Democratic presidential adviser Hillary Clinton, and recently compared New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's endorsement of Barack Obama to Judas' selling out for 30 pieces of silver.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who has endorsed Obama, will also speak at the event, as will former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, who has remained neutral in the race between Obama and Hillary Clinton.

All statewide Democratic candidates are also expected at the event, said coordinator Zack Hawkins.

The American Civil Liberties Union is politically radioactive in a Republican primary, which is why an ACLU ad has become an issue in the race involving 3rd district Congressman Walter Jones.

The ACLU is running a radio ad encouraging Jones to vote against a bill providing legal protections for telephone companies to help the government conduct warrantless wiretap program, Rob Christensen reports.

The ad asks voters to call Jones to oppose the Bush administration bill: "We need Congressman Jones to stand with Congress."

Jones says he is not interested in anything ACLU has to say. In fact, he notes he has a long history of opposing the ACLU on such issues as Boy Scouts and gay scoutmasters and the right of military chaplains to use the name of Jesus in prayers.

"Their ads are wrong and need to be stopped," Jones said. "While the ACLU is playing politics, the threat of terrorism is very real and must be addressed."

His primary opponent, Joe McLaughlin, claims the ACLU ad is designed to help Jones.

"Obviously all of Walter Jones work on behalf of the 'Blame America First' crowd is paying off as the ultra-left continues to pour money into our district to support their new found friend," McLaughlin said.

Kenneth Starr told a roomful of future lawyers to defend immigrants.

Speaking at the law school at Campbell University yesterday, the former special prosecutor who investigated President Clinton argued that Jesus was an immigrant.

"You know our Lord was a refugee," he said. "The family fled to Egypt because of the horrible atrocities and gross violations of human rights."

In a two-hour speech peppered with references to his Christian faith, the attorney and law professor said government officials set the immigration bar too high.

After the speech, he was asked about his recent work defending the Blackwater private security firm in a case related to the death of four contractors in Fallujah in 2004.

He said he decided to take on Blackwater as a client because "they came to the firm."