Trouble with a capital Tillis

Friends and neighbors, there is trouble in Raleigh. I mean real trouble in Raleigh at the General Assembly. The trouble starts with a capital "T" that stands for Thom Tillis.

Having never met Mr. Tillis until he came to McDowell Community College on Friday, I had expected more of a quality leader than [the one who] presented himself to voters at the meeting at MCC.

He came with an entourage of staff and puppet legislators, which included Reps. Mitch Gillespie and Hugh Blackwell, Sen. Ralph Hise and others. I suspect they were traveling at the expense of the North Carolina taxpayers.

The room was sparsely scattered with citizens. Most came to demand accountability for the attempts by Tillis to destroy education in North Carolina. Tillis started the meeting by saying [legislators] wanted an amicable exchange where all questions would be received and answered. He was condescending to the group of adults when he set the primary-school limits on the crowd of no applause or jeers. The reactions of the crowd could have been an indicator to him of how the people felt, but he did not want to know. Truth does not seem to matter to him.

He then enumerated a list of his perceived accomplishments by the General Assembly under his leadership. Contrary to his sanctimonious attitude, the citizens do not agree that measures taken to promote corporate America and to tether the people from economic and social advancement are progress. Thom Tillis and his group are an affliction upon the people of North Carolina.

We must cleanse Raleigh of those who are condemning the people to poverty and ignorance by electing representatives and senators who care about the people of North Carolina and our future.

North Carolina must stop being for sale to corporate America. Vote and take all your people to vote with you. Search for the truth and do not be distracted by the lies money can buy. The children are watching us and they depend on us. As a native of North Carolina, I know we are not stupid or ignorant people. Take a stand and vote. Save North Carolina.

— Janice Poteat Hensley
Old Fort

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