JPPENS

  This has been in my homes and offices my entire adult life.  I see it and read it frequently... Silence is never ever an option when things are wrong; it will not make things correct, it will not make things go away, it will never be okay to be silent when you know things are wrong.

Please know and understand what the word MARGINALIZED means... living our lives as marginalized people in this world gives us the right to speak out, stand out in order to live. Those of you who have never been placed in that arena really have no idea of our fight. You can educate yourself to support those you say you care about... We will not be quiet, we will not disappear, we will not go away...we will be walking the planet as long as humanity survives. Wake up women...this is you...some don't even know how marginalized they are...we have forever been quiet and looked over in the world of business, politics, religion, etc. We didn't get promotions because we just didn't ask, we didn't fight, we just accepted... what will it take for women to realize their worth...

Asheville UPdate #4... We gave a couple of family members from away an up close drive around, drive thru, go over tour of our so broken city yesterday. Seeing it "for real" was just beyond their imaginations. As I have said, pictures don't convey the immensity of the destruction. Progress is happening with some stores, shops and restaurants slowly reopening and groceries shelves are being stocked. We still have no drinkable water and we are being told if we are lucky we may have it by Christmas so the need to boil water is on going. Thankfully the military and Red Cross are still handing out drinkable water, food, blankets, laundry and bathing areas at well organized sites in parking lots positioned at multiple areas in the city. Flickers of renewal are being seen. The piles of 20 and 30 foot stacks of debris are still lining our streets and most are now open to traffic. Biltmore Village shops, the River Arts district, and some of our many well known restaurants and brew

  One of the scariest realizations is that no matter the outcome of this Presidential race, our America is almost split 50/50 on the integrity and character of people and that hatefulness of those who are not white and like is okay. The split is not the same demarcation that put a wedge between the North and South causing the Civil War but the outcome will be the same, those who have vs those who do not... white men with money and therefore with power continue to blast and drown folks with the false hopes of allowing those beneath them to grab the golden goose. That is the same line that dictators of the world have used since the Roman Empire ruled the masses and those choosing to follow this sick and warped mentality will in the end still be spit upon by the same white men of power... We can grapple with this split by throwing out and starting new. It's way past time to allow those fighting, strong, intelligent, empathetic women to rise and rule...after all, the guys have not don

  THIS TIME IS DIFFERENT... this time it is holding all the winning numbers in a lottery only waiting for the last draw. this time it is 2 out, bases loaded, bottom of the 9th, tie game and we are the home team, only it's no game. this time it is plain and simple, no gray area. this time there is no blue or red, only common sense and conscience. this time it is for good or for evil. this time it is for a free republic or a ruled one. this time it really is for all the marbles folks. VOTE for what you know in your gut, heart and brain is best for America.

Biltmore Estate sits along side one of our beautiful rivers and the entrance has been totally destroyed. The shops, hotels and restaurants that make up the village now all need to be restored totally or partially.  No telling what will come back but the Biltmore Estate will be open once again at some point for the Holiday season.  Our beloved River Arts District is another matter...they are still in the heavy mud and debris phase of cleaning up there.  All the working art studios, gallery's restaurants, shops are either totally destroyed or in some state of destruction.  It was a flavor and heartbeat of what made Asheville so cool, unique and amazing...we pray it will somehow overcome all of this and return in some new form. So yes, the sun still shines on our beautiful Asheville but we are forever changed to some degree.  People here still need help and support.  We are thankful to every soul who has contributed in some way to our restoring of lives, keep us in your thoughts...it