In a new ad on its Web site, advocacy group Together NC says North Carolina has two options: continue to fund high-quality education and public safety, or become a boarded-up hellhole like South Carolina. The video, shown below, urges North Carolina legislators to take "the path to prosperity" and not "another path," which just happens to lead to a sign that says "South Carolina welcomes you." This obviously hasn't made many friends across the border. "We didn't intend to offend any South Carolinians, of course," campaign coordinator Louisa Warren told a Columbia news station. "The larger issue is that both states are having very similar budget struggles and challenges." Warren then asked the reporter if she needed to repeat that slower and with smaller words.