Robert Shetterly's portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt

I was fortunate to have a few minutes of conversation with Mr. Shetterly last night and found him a fascinating individual who gave me permission to post his work on our blog.

He began his artistic career as a surrealist painter but found himself in 2001, after the current events –9-11 Attacks, US foreign policy, conservation, economic injustice – not content with that work nor content with nature of politics and the media and the truth not being told. So, out of his frustration he painted his first portrait – that of Walt Whitman – the first “truth teller”. He found this was his was to channel his anger and grief with current events. He began studying history of great “truth tellers” to include over 100 to date. Below is quote from Mr. Shetterly. I hope you will visit his website and enjoy his portraits as much as I did. http://americanswhotellthetruth.org

“I began painting this series of portraits — finding great Americans who spoke the truth and combining their images with their words — nearly three years ago as a way of to channel my anger and grief. In the process my respect and love for these people and their courage helped to transform that anger into hope and pride and allowed me to draw strength from this community of truth tellers, finding in them the courage, honesty, tolerance, generosity, wisdom and compassion that have made our country strong. One lesson that can be learned from all of these Americans is that the greatness of our country frequently depends not on the letter of the law, but the insistence of a single person that we adhere to the spirit of the law.

My original goal was to paint fifty portraits. I’ve now gone beyond that and have decided to paint several more. The more I’ve learned about American history — past and present — the more people I’ve discovered whom I want to honor in this way. The paintings will not be for sale. They will stay together as a group. The courage of these individuals needs to remain a part of a great tradition, a united effort in respect for the truth. Eventually, I will give the portraits to one museum or library on the condition that they continue to be shown. These people form the well from which we must draw our future.”

With as many as 3,200 Liberty University students eligible to vote in Tuesday’s election, the school has turned into a battleground for local politics.

To encourage a strong turnout on Election Day, the university canceled classes and announced plans to run buses to the polls.

Meanwhile, the election is unfolding across campus, from dorm-room debates to a 10-page election special in the student newspaper.

Friday morning, Republican Scott Garrett manned the main entrance to the Vines Center as thousands of students flooded past for convocation — a required event for all on-campus undergraduates. Garrett, who is challenging Del. Shannon Valentine in Lynchburg’s House of Delegates race, shook hands with students and encouraged them to vote.

A few feet away, members from the College Democrats and College Republican clubs distributed hundreds of pieces of campaign literature for Valentine and Garrett, respecti

I wanted to share some great news. The Washington Post just endorsed Creigh for governor calling him “a longtime champion” of “enlightened, bipartisan” accomplishments.

Noting that Creigh "has a compelling life story and an admirable record of achievement as a legislator" the paper wrote, "It is Mr. Deeds whose ideas hold the promise of a prosperous future."

This is a huge boost for Creigh’s campaign, but it won’t mean much if the voters don’t know about it.

Click here to read the full endorsement and get involved today.   http://deedsforvirginia.com/page/washpo

Just like in the primary, this endorsement could be crucial to Creigh’s victory.  Voters need to hear why the Washington Post believes Creigh is the best candidate for Governor.

With Election Day right around the corner,  the WashingtonPost confirmed what you and I have known all along — " There are plenty of reasons why Mr. Deeds is the better choice for governor in the Nov. 3 election. "

Click here to read the full endorsement and then share with your friends, family, and neighbors! http://deedsforvirginia.com/page/washpo

Excerpts from the Post‘s endorsement are below.  

Thanks,

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Mr. Deeds for Governor
His transportation realism and Mr. McDonnell’s bogus roads plan present Virginians with a stark choice on Nov. 3.

There are plenty of reasons why Mr. Deeds is the better choice for governor in the Nov. 3 election. He has stood with Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, the incumbent, and his predecessor, now-Sen. Mark R. Warner, in support of the sane fiscal and budgetary choices that have made the state one of the best-governed and most business-friendly in the nation.

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State Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, the Democratic nominee, has the good sense and political courage to maintain the forward-looking policies of the past while addressing the looming challenge of fixing the state’s dangerously inadequate roads.

The Republican candidate, former attorney general Robert F. McDonnell, offers something different: a blizzard of bogus, unworkable, chimerical proposals, repackaged as new ideas, that crumble on contact with reality. They would do little if anything to build a better transportation system.

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The central challenge facing Virginia and its next governor is the deficit in transportation funding projected at $100 billion over the next two decades — and only Mr. Deeds offers hope for a solution.

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Virginians should not confuse Mr. McDonnell’s adept oratory for wisdom, nor Mr. Deeds’s plain speech for indirection. In fact, it is Mr. Deeds whose ideas hold the promise of a prosperous future.