If you feel like there’s a lot happening (and going wrong), you’re certainly not alone. Our national politics has a way of bringing folks down these days. But politics is, first and foremost, local. When we’re reminded of that, don’t we feel a sudden surge of empowerment?

It isn’t about the White House, it’s about your and your neighbor’s house. National politics is intimidating. Local politics is… accessible.

Sometimes, it’s takes a little jolt for us to remember this simple truism, to shift focus and change our perspective. A few weeks ago, Jay Carey, a retired combat veteran and Western North Carolina resident, gave us that jolt.

I met Jay last October, when I dropped off food, water and Rosh Hashana supplies to him and his wife, Leslie, in Hendersonville, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. But if his name sounds familiar to you, you’re probably recalling Jay’s angry, screaming face from news coverage of Rep. Chuck Edwards’ Asheville town hall in March.

Why did Jay yell at Rep. Edwards? What made him so angry?

I had the chance to catch up with Jay recently and ask him about that town hall, the recovery efforts in Western NC and his activism in the wake of his very public confrontation. Please watch our full conversation.

I’ll just drop a few choice quotes for you here as a preview:

• “They’re picking on the most vulnerable of us first. And they’ll just keep on moving on down until there’s no one left […] no one left to stand up. That day I had enough and I stood up. I was not expecting the impact that it had. I was not prepared for it to go across the world.”
• “It’s going to take years [to recover in Western North Carolina]. It’s also going to take a government that’s willing to help us.”
• “They’re giving away our power. You don’t want to comply in advance.”
• “I want to hold our elected officials - Democrats and Republicans - accountable. We saw people out there saying 'do your job' the very next day[…] I want to see people out there protesting every chance they get.”
• “Be loud. Be angry. It’s ok to be angry. Don’t give in.”

Your next chance to not give in is right around the corner. There are more than 800 local rallies happening all around the country this Saturday, April 5, in a national day of action. Please check our Calendar for information about a Hands Off! rally nearest you.

In solidarity,
Mark