This is the Wilmington Standard Daily Update for Friday December 19th, 2025.

In North Carolina, it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to get a tattoo – even with parental consent.

In North Carolina, a child under 19 cannot smoke or be supplied tobacco – even if the parents give a go ahead.

In North Carolina, the age of consent to engage in sexual activity is 16 – and no amount of parental permission slips can change that.

Yet, for some reason, Democrats in Washington think it is just fine to cut off children’s body parts, sterilize them for life, and incur inexplicable mental trauma – as long as parents are involved here in North Carolina and across our country.

The House this week voted almost entirely along party lines – with four Democrats joining the Republicans – to ban the use of Medicaid dollars to fund transgender treatments for minors.  Democrat Don Davis from North Carolina joined his GOP colleagues in voting for the bill, Deborah Ross voted against it and Alma Adams had no recorded vote.

 Rep. Mark Takana – Democrat from California – took exception to the bill, stating:

The healthcare that trans youth receive is a decision that they should be able to make in consultation with their parents, therapists and doctors, not politicians.

Again, children cannot get a tattoo, they cannot smoke, they cannot have sex, they cannot do host of other things – even if parents are involved – because they are children.  Yet Democrats are fine with inflicting a lifetime of pain and dependence on drugs just so they can appease the far left – and get their election donations.

The Senate has not passed the bill – and given the tight margins in the Higher Chamber it’s passage is far from certain. Unless Democrats finally decide to start protecting children.

For the Wilmington Standard, I’m Reuel Sample.  Thanks for listening.