Respecting the other side

      I’ve been canvassing for North Carolina’s Wake County Democratic Party, which is headquartered in Raleigh, NC. I volunteered to knock on doors at the homes of the very conservative rural farmers in the nearby towns of Zebulon and Youngsville.

      It’s Trump country! In addition to Trump signs on their homes, some even had Confederate flags!

      My mission was to break the super majority that Republicans now hold in the North Carolina legislature by convincing them to vote for the Democratic candidate that represents them in the state House. I listened to their issues. They also listened to me and nodded in agreement when I mentioned the importance of having a balanced state legislature.

      We had good and insightful conversations about the state of our state and the country. When we were done, each farmer shook my hand and thanked me for driving a long way to talk to them. Not one slammed the door in my face!

      Maybe they’ll vote Republican; maybe they won’t, but they were grateful even a Democrat went out of her way and took the time to listen to them.

      They felt heard. We didn’t agree on everything, but we found common ground. It’s what I will hold on to as I approach this election.

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