June 2 marked the beginning of an 8 p.m. curfew. I did not go out to protest. But I wish I had.
On the night of June 2, at a … medical station at One World Brewing, [medics] were targeted by the Asheville Police Department immediately at 8 p.m. Officers physically assaulted medical personnel. Officers intentionally slashed water bottles, milk jugs and damaged all of the medical equipment. Everyone should watch the video posted on the Asheville Politics Facebook page. Everyone should watch the small creek of wasted water and milk that flows down the street after officers in riot gear stomp on these potentially lifesaving resources.
On the morning of June 3, I woke up. Checked the news. Scrolled through Facebook. I was safe and warm in bed. Because of this and so many other reasons, I am privileged. Because of this privilege, I can and must speak out against injustice.
[On May 29], the Asheville chief of police wrote the following in an opinion article for the Citizen Times: ”To our community, and especially our black, brown, and minority communities, I vow to work tirelessly to regain your trust and to fulfill the pledge to serve and protect.” But where is this respect now?
I am devastated by the acts of violence and racism happening in my community. We have to do better. To the Asheville Police Department, I am begging you to do better.
To everyone else, especially white people like myself, I am begging you to speak out.
We need to engage in discourse, to examine biases and prejudices within our communities. We need to demand that APD’s budget of $2.5 million be cut. We need to challenge the systems that disproportionately oppress black and brown bodies.
— Annie Livingston
Woodfin
no Annie, you live in Woodfin. you are not privileged. stop the worry. stop your anxiety.