Cecil Bothwell
Encyclopedia
Cecil Bothwell is an American
politician, writer and builder. Bothwell was elected to the Asheville, North Carolina
city council in 2009.
In 2011, Bothwell announced he would challenge U.S. Representative Heath Shuler
in the Democratic primary for North Carolina's 11th congressional district
in the 2012 U.S. House of Representatives election
.
, lived in several states and held several jobs in the area of Asheville, North Carolina
. Bothwell did not graduate from college and moved to Buncombe County, North Carolina
in 1981 to work in construction with an emphasis on environmental building. He was an editor of the alternative newspaper Mountain Xpress
and published nonfiction and poetry as well as music. Bothwell is the author of Whale Falls: An exploration of belief and its consequences; The Prince of War: Billy Graham's Crusade for a Wholly Christian Empire, which reports on the political activity of North Carolina preacher Billy Graham
; Asheville's best-selling guide book; and a syndicated column, "Duck Soup".
, and ran for the Asheville, North Carolina
city council in 2009, winning the most votes in the October 6 primary election. Bothwell raised more than $19,000 for his council election and ran as a progressive candidate in support of water conservation, government reform, and eliminating capital punishment
. He stated that he favored the public financing of elections
and would support its implementation as a city council member. Bothwell had been endorsed by the Asheville Fire Fighters Association. Fliers mailed to voters before the election criticized Bothwell for his nontheism.
Bothwell was elected on November 3, 2009, to the city council after he won the third highest number of votes in the city election. Following the election, opponents of Bothwell, including H. K. Edgerton
, a former president of the Asheville NAACP
, challenged his election because the North Carolina Constitution
does not allow for atheists
to hold public office in the state. Law experts argued the provision was invalid because the United States Constitution
prevents religious tests for public office
. The Supreme Court of the United States
held in Torcaso v. Watkins
(1961) that such provisions violate the First
and Fourteenth
Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Bothwell began his service with an affirmation of the oath of office. Bothwell was raised as a Presbyterian
, became a non-theist by the age of 20, and is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church
. He later stated that he believed the question of the existence of a deity was irrelevant to governance and that he believed in the Golden Rule.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician, writer and builder. Bothwell was elected to the Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
city council in 2009.
In 2011, Bothwell announced he would challenge U.S. Representative Heath Shuler
Heath Shuler
Joseph Heath Shuler is a businessman, a former NFL quarterback, and the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
in the Democratic primary for North Carolina's 11th congressional district
North Carolina's 11th congressional district
The 11th Congressional District encompasses most of Western North Carolina, anchored by Asheville. Starting in the 110th Congress, it is represented by Heath Shuler, a Democrat. Shuler defeated 8-term Republican representative Charles H. Taylor in the 2006 midterm elections.The 11th District is...
in the 2012 U.S. House of Representatives election
United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 2012
The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 to elect the 13 U.S. Representatives from the state of North Carolina. The elections will coincide with the U.S. presidential election, N.C. gubernatorial election, statewide...
.
Early life and career
Bothwell was born 1950 in Oak Park, IllinoisOak Park, Illinois
Oak Park, Illinois is a suburb bordering the west side of the city of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is the twenty-fifth largest municipality in Illinois. Oak Park has easy access to downtown Chicago due to public transportation such as the Chicago 'L' Blue and Green lines,...
, lived in several states and held several jobs in the area of Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
. Bothwell did not graduate from college and moved to Buncombe County, North Carolina
Buncombe County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 206,330 people, 85,776 households, and 55,668 families residing in the county. The population density was 314 people per square mile . There were 93,973 housing units at an average density of 143 per square mile...
in 1981 to work in construction with an emphasis on environmental building. He was an editor of the alternative newspaper Mountain Xpress
Mountain Xpress
The Mountain Xpress is a free alternative newspaper covering news, arts, local politics, and events in Asheville and western North Carolina. Published each Wednesday in print and online, it has a print circulation of about 29,000...
and published nonfiction and poetry as well as music. Bothwell is the author of Whale Falls: An exploration of belief and its consequences; The Prince of War: Billy Graham's Crusade for a Wholly Christian Empire, which reports on the political activity of North Carolina preacher Billy Graham
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
; Asheville's best-selling guide book; and a syndicated column, "Duck Soup".
Local politics
In 2008, Bothwell ran unsuccessfully for the Buncombe County Board of CommissionersCounty commission
A county commission is a group of elected officials charged with administering the county government in local government in some states of the United States. County commissions are usually made up of three or more individuals...
, and ran for the Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
city council in 2009, winning the most votes in the October 6 primary election. Bothwell raised more than $19,000 for his council election and ran as a progressive candidate in support of water conservation, government reform, and eliminating capital punishment
Capital punishment in the United States
Capital punishment in the United States, in practice, applies only for aggravated murder and more rarely for felony murder. Capital punishment was a penalty at common law, for many felonies, and was enforced in all of the American colonies prior to the Declaration of Independence...
. He stated that he favored the public financing of elections
Campaign finance
Campaign finance refers to all funds that are raised and spent in order to promote candidates, parties or policies in some sort of electoral contest. In modern democracies such funds are not necessarily devoted to election campaigns. Issue campaigns in referendums, party activities and party...
and would support its implementation as a city council member. Bothwell had been endorsed by the Asheville Fire Fighters Association. Fliers mailed to voters before the election criticized Bothwell for his nontheism.
Bothwell was elected on November 3, 2009, to the city council after he won the third highest number of votes in the city election. Following the election, opponents of Bothwell, including H. K. Edgerton
H. K. Edgerton
H. K. Edgerton is a black Southern heritage activist and former president of the NAACP's Asheville, North Carolina, branch.Edgerton runs a website, , which provides Southern viewpoints such as that there was and remains a feeling of brotherhood between black Americans, slave and free, historically...
, a former president of the Asheville NAACP
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
, challenged his election because the North Carolina Constitution
North Carolina Constitution
The Constitution of the State of North Carolina governs the structure and function of the state government of North Carolina, United States; it is the highest legal document for the state and subjugates North Carolina law...
does not allow for atheists
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
to hold public office in the state. Law experts argued the provision was invalid because the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
prevents religious tests for public office
No religious test clause
The No Religious Test Clause of the United States Constitution is found in Article VI, paragraph 3, and states that:This has been interpreted to mean that no federal employee, whether elected or appointed, career or political, can be required to adhere to or accept any religion or belief...
. The Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
held in Torcaso v. Watkins
Torcaso v. Watkins
Torcaso v. Watkins, was a United States Supreme Court case in which the court reaffirmed that the United States Constitution prohibits States and the Federal Government from requiring any kind of religious test for public office, in the specific case, as a notary public.-Background:In the early...
(1961) that such provisions violate the First
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
and Fourteenth
Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted on July 9, 1868, as one of the Reconstruction Amendments.Its Citizenship Clause provides a broad definition of citizenship that overruled the Dred Scott v...
Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Bothwell began his service with an affirmation of the oath of office. Bothwell was raised as a Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
, became a non-theist by the age of 20, and is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church
Unitarian Universalism
Unitarian Universalism is a religion characterized by support for a "free and responsible search for truth and meaning". Unitarian Universalists do not share a creed; rather, they are unified by their shared search for spiritual growth and by the understanding that an individual's theology is a...
. He later stated that he believed the question of the existence of a deity was irrelevant to governance and that he believed in the Golden Rule.