No matter what happens, Obama’s candidacy has made true progress in the Appalachian mountains and beyond. It should be a given that things like race don’t matter anymore, but it isn’t, and this guy is an example of someone who truly has a newly acquired open mind and heart. Three months ago he read The Audacity of Hope, given to him by a friend who encouraged him to give it a shot, two months ago at a WNC Democratic chapter meetup he shook hands with a black person for the first time in his life, five weeks ago he started going door to door in his primarily “conservative white country” neighborhood sharing Obama’s story, he is not stopping until the polls close, providing shuttle service on voting day for those without vehicles (no subway in Asheville), and today, he emphasized over and over again that he cannot believe he lived life so long, so ignorantly. Thank you, Obama. I hope you take NC. We are rooting for you. [photo from Asheville rally today, it and his story shared by my friend Chris]

No matter what happens, Obama’s candidacy has made true progress in the Appalachian mountains and beyond. It should be a given that things like race don’t matter anymore, but it isn’t, and this guy is an example of someone who truly has a newly acquired open mind and heart.

Three months ago he read The Audacity of Hope, given to him by a friend who encouraged him to give it a shot, two months ago at a WNC Democratic chapter meetup he shook hands with a black person for the first time in his life, five weeks ago he started going door to door in his primarily “conservative white country” neighborhood sharing Obama’s story, he is not stopping until the polls close, providing shuttle service on voting day for those without vehicles (no subway in Asheville), and today, he emphasized over and over again that he cannot believe he lived life so long, so ignorantly.

Thank you, Obama. I hope you take NC. We are rooting for you.

[photo from Asheville rally today, it and his story shared by my friend Chris]