‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌[[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [[link removed]]
John ,
"The enemy of bigotry is travel." I thought that was a quote I had come up with, but after doing some research, it turns out Mark Twain once said something similar. Either way, the sentiment couldn’t be more true.
Everywhere I go, I am learning, exploring, and feel that I am growing as a person. When you open yourself up to different cultures and cuisines, you find yourself humbled by how little you know.
Right now, I’m spending some time in Bosnia, and I’m filled with mixed emotions.
On the one hand, this place is absolutely breathtaking, and the food is some of the most unique and delicious I have ever had. The kindness and generosity of the people here is infectious.
Yet Bosnia has a very dark history that we all remember from the 1990's, when Slobodan Milošević and the Serbian army waged a genocidal war campaign against these good people.
What I find truly remarkable is how this country and its people have healed. They hold no ill will toward the Serbian people; they place the blame for the articities committed against them solely on Slobodan Milošević.
With all that is happening in Ukraine right now, the Bosnian people can relate, and they’re praying for the Ukrainian people as they endure the same kind of suffering they once did here.
Growing up in West Virginia, I never in my wildest dreams imagined I would one day get to travel the world – first as a soldier, and now as a private citizen – but I am really grateful for the opportunity.
I can't help but wonder how different my home state would be if more of its people traveled and engaged with people outside of their comfort zone. I think if more people did, there would be a lot less hate and bigotry.
I can't control what other folks do, but what I can do is go back home and share my experiences in the hope that they’ll inspire others to explore new people and places, too.
That's why I’m documenting this whole trip on video and will be releasing clips when I get back to the good old U.S. of A. When people embrace one another and open themselves up, that is how divisions are healed. We need more of that as a country, so we can begin to heal from the current political climate we find ourselves in.
Speaking of politics, I got some bad news this week, and I’m not happy.
The staff at No Dem Left Behind told me that we missed some critical fundraising goals last month because donations were way down, so we may have to put a freeze on new endorsements and cut out some other vital projects we had planned.
This was my response to them: HELL NO! I will not stand for it! We’ll keep moving forward and the money will come – I believe that with every fiber of my being.
I’m returning to the U.S. next month, and when I do, I’m picking up right where I left off, and we’re going to flip some seats from red to blue in America's Heartland!
I’m also launching a Summer Tour; I’ll be traveling the country to meet with folks who are interested in raising money for our cause and candidates, and joining our candidates on the campaign trail along the way.
If you’re interested in setting something up in your community, click here [[link removed]] and let’s see if we can make it happen! I would love to meet you!
In the meantime, No Dem Left Behind will not be slowing down. I told the staff the money will come, so please prove me right and chip in generously today. Remember, we only have one country, and we must defend it with everything we’ve got.
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Sappers clear the way, Airborne all the way!
--Richard
No Dem Left Behind is a federal PAC focused on building a base of support for progressive values in rural America. We are committed to helping solve the issues that people in rural America face by creating a foundation of trust and helping great local leaders emerge to run for elected office. We provide a national platform for our endorsed Democratic candidates to increase their exposure and help them mount winning campaigns.
Pitch in today to join our Democratic movement and help us flip more seats blue >> [[link removed]]
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