Today's gubernatorial debate over proclamations sent us searching to see what sort of proclamations Gov. Mike Easley has issued.

He's issued ten so far this month, including proclamations for Severe Weather Awareness Week, N.C. Azalea Festival Season, Small Farms Week and Small Farmers Appreciation Day and Sunshine Day (we, of course, like that one).

There were six in February, including Financial Aid Awareness Week, Black History Month and Peace Corps Week.

There were only four in January, including Data Privacy Day and Mentoring Month.

Fred Smith likes proclamations. Pat McCrory doesn’t.

The two Republican gubernatorial candidates expressed strong opinions today about the value of the formal statements given by governors, mayors, city councils and other government entities.

At a forum sponsored by the N.C. Center for Nonprofits, they were asked whether they would proclaim November as nonprofit awareness month.

“Proclamations don’t accomplish a whole lot, and I say that as someone who’s signed probably a 1,000 of them,” said McCrory, Charlotte’s mayor. “When you read them, most people aren’t listening anyway.”

Smith, a state senator from Clayton, said he disagrees.

“Proclamations are a call to action. Many times in life you need a call to action,” Smith replied. He added, “It’s through our nonprofits that the moral fiber of our state is woven.”

Two other GOP candidates for governor – Salisbury lawyer Bill Graham and former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr – also seemed warm toward proclamations, though their answers were more tongue-in-cheek than Smith’s.

“I think we ought to just declare the Year of the Nonprofit,” Graham said.

Update: Democratic candidates Richard Moore and Dennis Nielsen said they like the idea of a nonprofits Awareness Month, but they didn't take a position on proclamations. Beverly Perdue did not attend the forum.