From Monroe Gilmour of the Western North Carolina Citizens for an End to Institutional Bigotry (WNCCEIB)

Racial hate activity directed at Leicester family, we can help

Friends,

Cars doing donuts tearing up the front yard in the middle of the night while yelling racial epithets. In daylight, family sitting on the porch, people driving by yelling "f..... n.... go back to town." This has been the experience of the Nathanial & Peaches Hodge family of Leicester, outside Asheville a half dozen times since May. See attached photo of the house.

There was coverage of this hate activity on WLOS TV on September 10, 2010:
http://www.wlos.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wlos_vid_2882.shtml

This past weekend, it happened again on Friday night. Then, on Sunday morning, Mr. Hodge had to be taken to the ER and was admitted for a heart cauterization. He was released Tuesday, told he had come very close to a massive heart attack, and told to lessen the stress in his life. He's already had five bypasses. How do you lessen the stress in your life when it is happening in the middle of the night in your own front yard? How do you lessen the tension when you have middle school and high school children sleeping in bedrooms on the front of the house?

Good news is that the Buncombe County Sheriff's Department has opened an investigation assigning two detectives to the case; the Hodge's landlord is supportive and told them not to move; individual neighbors have come by to express support, one lady bringing a plant and and nice note; and the proprietor of the store next door has been helpful.

Each of us can be part of that web of support in the community by simply letting the Hodge family know they are not alone. Ms. Hodge gave permission for me to share the family's contact information. Please take time today to drop them a note of encouragement & support:

Nathanial & Peaches Hodge
2710 New Leicester Hiway
Leicester, NC 28748

Or you can send a note via email to me and I'll get it to them.

Thank you. Together, a community is strong.
Best
Monroe

Monroe Gilmour, Coordinator
Western North Carolina Citizens for an End to Institutional Bigotry (WNCCEIB)
PO Box 18640
Asheville, NC 28814
828-669-6677
828-669-8862 fax
mgilmour@main.nc.us
http://www.main.nc.us/wncceib/