I’m a white man who worked well all my life with a highly diverse group of people in law enforcement. Now I’m a volunteer firefighter working with a racially diverse group of good citizens.
Recently I met a black couple from Bladen Co. and I offer them some information on a candidate for President. He happens to be a black man and I found they were interested in knowing more about him. I shared some facts including that he grew up poor, in a single parent home in the worse part of Detroit. In spite of those very significant challenges, he, with the help of the Lord and a determined mother, became a world renown neurosurgeon and the youngest directior of Pediatric Neurosurgery in the history of John Hopkins Medical Center.
A movie about his remarkable life is titled “Gifted Hands” from the book by the same name.
For a few minutes I thought I had them, and then they learned he is running as a Republican. The response was: “I’m a Democrat; I couldn’t vote for him.” I asked for a better explanation and was told “because Democrat’s look out for poor people.” I surprise them by pointing out the fact that the Civil Rights Act was passed by Republicans against strong Democratic opposition. I also noted that the poorest amoung us has faired the worse during the last 7 years.
My plea to folks of all political parties is to weigh the candidate against your principles, your expectations, your hope for the future of our country regardless of that candidates label. When you do I expect you will find Dr. Ben Carson is head and shoulders above the rest.
Charles Massey,
Chairman
Bladen 2016 Committee