Dear Friends & Voters:

A few weeks ago, I was interviewed on State Government radio and was asked who my judicial hero was. I had to think for several minutes and came to the conclusion that I do not have one. Real judicial scholarship has been absent from the courts for some time. Moreover, we have been treated to some good decisions but some bad ones as well, like the famous Dred Scott case or the decision last year in Kelo v. New London, which eviscerated the right to private property. What this has taught me is that sometimes the Court is correct, but it is not infallible, and while its decisions must be treated with respect, the justices are not heroes to me.

I previously explained how a judge who I encountered early on in my legal career served as my role model. While he is from the old school and among the last of the true judicial scholars, he is a role model, but not my hero.

Who then are my heroes? Over the past year or so, I have read the Federalist Papers, Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine. I have read the biographies of Ben Franklin and John Adams. In addition, I have read about the Revolutionary War, from the Battle of Saratoga to a book written from the perspective of Native Americans, who really were given short shrift. I have read all this and more and recently have been watching a series on the History Channel about the Revolutionary War.

To be sure, our founders were all human and possessed various flaws in character. Some had mistresses. Others were slave owners, but some realized that slavery was wrong. Some even tried to do something about it and struggled to come up with a viable solution but were not able to do so. However, their humanity or wrongness about issues such as slavery or in treating women as second class citizens does not lessen what they accomplished.

In reading the above works, I am amazed that with all of the various egos at work and that with an army that was poorly fed, armed and disciplined, that despite all of this, these men were able to somehow pull off a stupendous victory.

While Independence Day passed last week and you were out enjoying barbecue or beer or fireworks, let us pause a moment to reflect on the awe-inspiring achievement of these brave men and women who risked everything that they had, including their lives, for an idea. And, to the extent I have heroes, it is men such as the founders and men and women who fought and died in the Revolutionary War. And so it is that these people, who were ordinary individuals doing extraordinary things, should be my heroes.

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending the Democratic Party state convention. If you recall, I was the subject of much unfavorable publicity prior to the convention. I am not running to be mocked or called vulgar names or to endure verbal abuse. I do not wear a “kick me” sign. In response to the ugly and unfounded comments, my first thought was to leave the party and just strive to do the best I could on my own. In fact, I had told several people that I would declare my “Independence” on Independence Day, absent some unusual event. Little did I expect that an unusual event would indeed occur.

Rachel With Her Sisterhood Or
Democrat Degates At The State Convention

Friends and acquaintances persuaded me to attend the state party convention. I saw the wisdom of their arguments and decided to follow their advice. But prior to attending, I had many misgivings. Not only was I ridiculed, but individuals had threatened to picket my table if I dared show up. However, I went anyway. And I was glad I did.

Numerous people came up to me and convinced me not to leave the party, whether it was Pro Life Democrats or others. In fact, not a single person was in favor of my leaving. Moreover, I was greeted by some not with insults, but with hugs. And this treatment came from African Americans! They know that I am not a racist.

Rachel's Staff In Greensboro Along
With A State Senator From Durham

Many African American came up to me. Some told me privately that they did not like the state party’s treatment of me and had voiced their opinion to the state party chair. Others, like women from Greensboro, came to express their support – it’s a sisterhood thing and women who are in business or are professionals stick together. And there was Curtis Pickard, his son and his friend Jeff, helping my campaign. Curtis is amazing with his communication skills and really knows how to work a crowd!

In thinking about it later, I came to the realization that is not the rank and file Democrats who are opposed to me. It is members of the Republican Party or members of the beast that I talked about. I saw that the negative publicity was nothing more than the beast’s attempt to demonize me. What better way than by calling me a racist? The publicity is just a smokescreen to hide their true motives. They want me to quit the party.

Well, I won’t quit. In fact, in another radio interview that I did on Republic radio, I was asked about the negative attacks and why I continue. Most people will not put up with the kind of treatment that I have endured and simply never run for office. They do not want the aggravation and ill-treatment. Humans have a basic desire to be accepted by one’s fellow man and I am no different.

I told the host, Greg, that it was the good wishes from people like the lady who works at my grocery store, or the veteran from eastern North Carolina or my neighbors, and from little people throughout the country and throughout the world who give me encouragement. It is not only that; there is something else. There is the kind of determination, determination like that our founders must have had to see them through their dark days, when there was nothing but money troubles, cold and hunger, when there was defeat after defeat, when it seemed that Independence was a hopeless cause.

But they persevered and so will I. Call it the hand of Providence or call it part of my stubborn character and attitude. Whatever you want to call it, I will not be driven out of this race by the beast. I will not quit, regardless of what the beast or its minions tries to hurl at me. Like the men of the Revolutionary War, I have had my battle of New York and the loss of Fort Ticonderoga. But I have had my Saratoga as well. There will undoubtedly be more battles as the campaign wears on. Like our founders, I too am risking all. And like them, I believe that despite the odds, I will emerge as victorious.

So may the true spirit of Independence Day live on in each of you and be celebrated, not just on July 4th, but every day!

For Liberty and Justice,

Rachel Lea Hunter