Congressman Bennie Thompson adressess teens in Coahoma county

Bennie Thompson spoke to youths in Coahoma county on Wednesday. Congressman Thompson, the people's representative, made two major points in his talk. First he called on the young folks of Coahoma county and surrounding areas to vote for change by casting their votes for Barack Obama in November. He urged the youngsters who will be turning 18 before November to register to vote. Second he shot down he myth that growing up in rural areas meant one had no shot to be successful.

From the Clarksdale Press Register:

"If your parents do as well in November, you will do well in January," Thompson told 70 high school students at CCC’s 28th annual Upwards Bound awards banquet in the Pinnacle.

"We are spending $20 billion a month in Iraq," said the congressman, a ranking member of Homeland Security. "We need to fix the war, fix health care, and bring our boys and girls back home with the right team in the White House."

"If anybody here will be 18 before November, you need to become a registered voter," he told an audience of 250.

Thompson said his own personal background was similar to Upward Bound students from Bolivar, Coahoma, Quitman, Tallahatchie and Tunica counties who probably believed the rural roots myth implying:"I can’t be somebody."

"I lived so far in the country, we had to pipe in sunlight," he joked.