Over the past two years, my heart and mind have returned to Aug. 19, 2015, many times. On that day, a friend completed officer-involved suicide in front of a small church in Western North Carolina. Knowing a great deal more about the circumstances that preceded this tragic event, I have considered what might have changed the outcome.
I know about the valuable care extended to Wade [Baker of Clyde] through the Asheville VA, the care extended by his family and the care extended through community-based nonprofits. If I could alter just one thing, it would be the availability of a community gun safe, a place where friends or family members could store guns until circumstances had calmed. If, on that single day in August 2015, Wade had no firearm, additional time to drive more resources to Wade may have been possible.
Until today, I watched silently as so many in our country voiced their position on firearms. [Recently], my attention was drawn to sheriff-candidate Daryl Fisher, whose comments at a recent campaign event in Asheville were highlighted in national media. What impressed me was the professional manner in which Mr. Fisher conducted himself, both publicly and privately, subsequent to the wide circulation of that video.
True leadership is visible only when a leader faces challenges. Mr. Fisher has not only secured my vote in support of his campaign for office, his actions have inspired me to be more forward in expressing my own positions on gun control.
— Nicole Shumate
Black Mountain
The writer makes a very good point. Mr. Fisher has been nothing but professional, reflective and humbled by the upset his bad attempt at a joke caused him and his campaign. He showed genuine leadership by graciously remaining true to his beliefs and not caving to public pressure to save himself or his campaign. Too many so-called leaders throw their beliefs to whichever wind is blowing in the moment. We desperately need leaders in Buncombe County with the kind of integrity Mr. Fisher has shown.
LOL threatens gun owners with death, letter writer perceives that as a challenge to Fisher that he overcame with some intestinal fortitude lulz.. LOL, leftism displayed for all to see.
After the recent incident of an Asheville police officer committing violence on a citizen, I would have hoped for a zero tolerance policy for law enforcement theatening to murder citizens.
When communist rule, death occurs.
Mr. Harris, that is one of the ironies I have noticed – so many people holler about the brutality of the police – criticizing and vilifying them at every turn (and yes, I would say that the jaywalking incident merited criticism), and yet in the same breath insisting that citizens need to rely on the police for protection and “leave self/home defense to the professionals.”
The existence of terrible doctors does not mean citizens should avoid calling a doctor when they’re sick.
Rather odd way of looking at it. Most emergencies involving self defense are right there and, unlike choosing a doc, someone being attacked or undergoing a home invasion is likely not thinking in terms of checking out the best doctors available to treat your particular malady (and which ones will accept your insurance), scheduling an office visit or requesting a consultation. Not many true parallels in your example.
When candidates fail and/or refuse to answer locally oriented website questions about existing conditions, they can forget this vote! They don’t want to talk about the biggest problem in Asheville, the crime from public housing, they don’t want to talk about why there’s no accountability from the Housing Authority, they don’t want to speak about the sketchy, shady ‘NC Sheriffs’ Association’ whose director lives in a $2 MILLION+ North Hills manse earning nearly $400,000 per year…for what you ask? So has The NewsObserver and WRAL TV …oh, but he does the jobs of THREE people they were told….ok, right…avoid the NC Sheriffs Association no matter how much they beg… Ask the candidates if they will continue to support the unnecessary sheriffs’ association, or NOT ?
Saw where a Macon County resident was recently shot and killed inside his own home by a Sheriff’s Deputy who showed up late at night with no light, no siren, no warrant, just to “investigate a complaint” but no probable cause has been mentioned yet. Looks like the rookie officer apparently saw the man coming to the door with a shotgun, shot him thru the window and let him bleed to death in front of his family. Oh well, I reckon the gun control folks will say that’ll learn him to keep his shades and curtains drawn….
Beat that straw man till it’s just a pile of hay. (Gun control folks are also cop control folks.)
Mr. Blissett, that is not an “argument” there – it is a fact that the man was killed INSIDE his home by a rookie law officer – and I included that “no probable cause has been mentioned yet” – at least not many details had been released when I posted my comment.
Find some “gun control folks” who make the argument you’re putting in their mouth. Until you do, it’s a straw man.
Combine the worst-trained cops in the developed world with the most-armed populace in the developed world and that’s what you get.