It’s a very simple equation. Less $$$s for police and fighting crime = more crime! What is it going to take for the media to start listening to the vast majority of folks who feel this way? Stop glorifying the fringe, please. This is why you all are losing your funding, i.e., readership.
— Barry Shoor
Asheville
P.S. That’s not to say that other social problems, i.e., homeless and other social issues, should not be receiving funding as well.
We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.
We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.
Yes Barry, you are correct.
Certainly, lets defund the police, ban people from defending themselves against criminals via “common sense gun laws”, that criminals aren’t impacted by, it’s “white supremacy” to defend yourself against people that will do you harm. Sure, let’s see how that goes. People that KNOW their rights don’t come from government will quickly demonstrate the error of your thinking.
It seems that reducing the number of police would reduce the number of crimes… at least the crime of assault and vandalism against Asheville citizens by said cops.
P.S. Based on the letters to the editor and the posts in response it seems most of the readers remaining are right-wing America-hating racists and traitors.