The political hoopla, including the colorful and convincing commercials of the Democrats and the Republicans, has ended for the moment. As the politically-charged letters to the editor have dominated the papers in recent weeks, I am writing my letter to offer a different perspective. I write to say that before I went to bed on the night of Tuesday, Nov. 4, I was first of all a proud African American. I was next a proud Virginian. Finally and most importantly at this time in my life, I was a very proud American.

I grew up in a segregated society for the first 10 years of my life. As I attended school through grade five, I was in an all black (Negro) school because my people were not allowed to go to school with the white children. In spite of what we were denied by society, I will always remember how patriotic and how Christian we were as we carried out our daily devotions at school each day.

Beware! Those relentless scammers are working Franklin County. They mail you a very realistic check for several thousand dollars with a convincing letter that you have won something. To cover your taxes, you mail them your personal check or Walmart money gram after depositing their check into your account.

Don't do it! Their check will bounce.

They prey on the elderly and the gullible.

I feel good about our country, our state, and our Fifth District. The biggest transformational story for me is Fifth District candidate Tom Perriello, who ran a visionary, progressive campaign emphasizing service and engagement, hope and action, against a fear-based campaign by an incumbent, and our Fifth District responded.

At the end of official the canvass, Perriello is about 750 votes ahead out of 300,000. Official certification is Nov. 24.

On behalf of the Franklin County Veterans Memorial Commission, we would like to thank everyone for attending and supporting our Veterans' Day ceremony to recognize and honor our veterans.

An estimated 250 people listened to our distinguished speakers, who delivered a message of praise and "thank you" to our veterans.

We thank Ms. Edna Oeser for performing our national anthem and our speakers, Rocky Mount Vice Mayor Posey Dillon; Mr. Charles Wagner, chairman of Franklin County Board of Supervisors and member of Veterans Commission; the Honorable Virgil Goode, U.S. Congressman; and Mr. Wayne Outlaw, Ruritan National President, who traveled four and one-half hours one way just to speak to us.