On December 3, 2022, an attack on two electricity substations in Moore County, NC plunged 45,000 households and businesses into darkness for almost a week. A year on, no arrests have been made and authorities have named no suspects other than to say that whoever did this “knew what they were doing.” In this special episode, we report from the site of the attack and attempt to get answers from law enforcement. Did the sabotage of the grid have anything to do with an anti-drag campaign led by a former US Army psy-ops officer who in 2021 led a busload of residents to Donald Trump’s January 6th rally?
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The attack on the substations coincided exactly with a drag performance in the Moore County town of Southern Pines. That show, “Downtown Divas”, and its producer drag artist Naomi Dix, had been harassed for months before the lights went out. In this episode, Laura sits with Dix, as she returns to Moore County for the first time, to visit a young trans girl whose family Dix helped during the blackout. In Durham, we are present for the first reading of a defiant drag opera that is being created by drag artists working with Blueprint NC as a tool for education and building community safety. All that, plus a commentary from Laura on real threats - and distractions. This episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in domestic terror threats, public safety, LGBTQ rights and more. Join us for this moving conversation on how a community stood strong as the lights went out.
What You Need to Know:
The Deadly Blackout: An in-depth examination of the December 3, 2022, attack that left Moore County in the dark - and even resulted in the death of a senior.
Community in Crisis: Personal accounts from residents like Erica Street and her daughter Alex, capturing the fear, confusion, and resilience of a community in the aftermath of the attack.
Another Attack?: A look at the increasing threats to the U.S. power grid, the rise in domestic terrorism, and the groups spreading extremist ideologies and dangerous how-to guides.
NC’s Drag and LGBTQ Community: Artists with Durham's House of Coxx and activists with Blueprint NC and others raised money to send food and comfort to Moore County residents during the blackout - they're using art and performance to spark conversation and create safe space.
Law Enforcement: Did the Moore County Sheriff's Office, Duke Energy or the FBI have any updates for Laura Flanders? Watch to find out.
Guests:
Naomi Dix: Drag Artist, Activist & Member of Durham NC BIPOC Operated House of Coxx; Co-Chair, Pride: Durham, NC
Alex Lafferty: Daughter of Erica Street, High School Student & Youth Activist
Tori Grace Nichols: Drag Artist & Cultural Organizer
Serena Sebring: Executive Director, Blueprint North Carolina
Erica Street: Mother of Alex Lafferty; Co-founder, PFLAG Southern Pines
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Our thanks to
Jim Davis
Kym Register
Special thanks
We deeply appreciate the Blueprint North Carolina staff whose collaborations have been key to the success of this award-winning and ground-breaking set of episodes.
Blueprint North Carolina Staff
Mab Segrest, Anti-Racist Research Program Director
Serena Sebring, Executive Director
Christina Davis McCoy, Organizing Coordinator
Heather Ahn-Redding, Anti-Racist Research Associate
D Juan Owens, Executive Security Lead
Tori Grace Nichols, Research & Media Intern
Jazmynne Cruz, Research Intern
Correction: Sheriff Ronnie Fields is the former mayor of Carthage, not Southern Pines as stated at 1:00. The Laura Flanders Show deeply regrets the error.
0:00 Moore County Blackout
0:46 Moore County Attack Details
2:40 Energy Infrastructure Sabotage
4:55 Drag Performance Defiance
5:42 Grid Security Investigation
7:59 Drag Show Symbolism
11:27 Hate Crimes Analysis
16:08 LGBTQ Community Resilience
21:02 PFLAG Support and Activism
23:50 Lessons from Electricity Grid Vulnerability