PRESS RELEASE
Public Safety Support Rally Canceled
A public rally in support of police and public safety officers scheduled for Thursday, December 11 has been canceled. Organizers noted concerns conflicting with the original intent of the event.
Former Buncombe Republican Party Chairman Chad Nesbitt and former Asheville City Councilman Carl Mumpower have voiced concerns for potential violence as the primary reason for the cancellation of the pro-police rally. “The self-described LBGTQ community has publically announced their intention to hold a counter-protest in time and location proximity to our event,” said Nesbitt and Mumpower. “That increases the potential for duplication of the aggressive actions we’ve seen in San Francisco and other cities that various liberal factions in Asheville seek to imitate. We want to thank our police, not create more risks and work.”
“Lawless protestors across the country are ironically duplicating the methods and missions of racist organizations we rightfully rejected at an earlier time. Anarchy, violence and protest as a form of entertainment merit no support from those wishing to keep our society healthy and whole,” said Nesbitt and Mumpower.” “We’re happy to step aside and let these folks have the field – there are other ways to thank those in law enforcement.”
In an effort to highlight the “insincerity” of the anti-police protestors, Nesbitt and Mumpower noted a number of statistics. “Each year roughly one hundred black Americans are killed by police officers. Coincidently, almost those exact numbers of law enforcement officers are killed in the line of duty. Both are sad statistics, but the damning figure is the 6,000 black Americans that are killed by other black Americans. Why is no one protesting that horrific number? We believe it is because these folks are operating out of hidden agendas having little connection to compassion.” For further validation of such, Nesbitt and Mumpower noted harms they say tellingly escapes “the scrutiny and passion of the protest crowd.”
- To date we have aborted 55 million children in this country.
- A quarter of a million people die in hospitals each year due to medical errors.
- There are 39,000 drug overdose deaths in America each year.
- Mexico has had 120,000 murders in a war funded by America’s drug users.
The conservative activists shared a video they say illustrates the true mission of the anti-police protest crowd. “On their best day, the rightfully discredited KKK could not conduct a public protest matching the anti-police venom demonstrated by the liberal-progressive crowd during their recent San Francisco protest,” said Nesbitt and Mumpower. “We are not interested in providing a duplicate opportunity here in Asheville.”
The conservative activists are encouraging another pro-police support effort. “We invite people from WNC communities to send a thank you note or Christmas card to their local law enforcement departments,” said Nesbitt and Mumpower. “If you see an officer, offer a ‘thank-you’ or a smile. One ‘Atta boy’ is a meaningful anti-dote to the malice of those who resent the men and women we charge to uphold the law.”
The rally was to be held from 12:15 to 12:45 on Thursday, December 11th on the City-County Plaza near the front of the Asheville police station.
My guess is that the APD politely asked Carl and Chad to “stay off our side”.
The local protests have been non-violent, and relations with police on the scene have been mostly amicable, from what I’ve witnessed. I want to thank APD for handling the protests well thus far, and hope you’ll not be swayed into seeing us as your enemies, as Dr. Mumpower and friends clearly want.
“concerns conflicting with the original intent of the event.” Translation: we couldn’t pay enough people to show up for our self-promoting PR stunt, so we’ll huff and puff and blame the usual suspects as we whine and snivel about “progressives.” Two of the more self-deluded losers around town.
I can agree that with the angry, inflammatory atmosphere in some areas of our country right now , our police department could use some public thanks and support. Police officers have a tough job. The APD officers I have interacted with have been very professional, effective and helpful. This story doesn’t get told enough.