[Regarding “Quirky Is Not Important,” June 14, Xpress:]
Why would you print such a hateful letter? Karen, the author, equates being “cool” and “quirky” with being trashy. It’s the greedy, unrestrained development that is ruining Asheville and the surrounding communities.
Our infrastructure simply cannot support such a large influx of people, people who cut down vast numbers of trees to build their homes, consume our natural resources and generate more trash than the city can deal with.
Karen states that folks here have no pride in their communities when it’s largely all these newcomers who don’t care. They want “a pretty view” and could care less what has to be destroyed in the process. Karen states that she must “now move on.” Good riddance.
— Lindy McClure
Leicester
This provincial “make Asheville great again” attitude is seriously toxic. Our land and infrastructure can support lots more folks—but we have to build up rather than out, and make our communities more dense and walkable.
Testify, testify.
The feds project that the US population will grow by 40+ million people by 2050. Obviously some of the added people are going to move to our region. We can plan for it or just let it happen. There will not be a moat built around the region.
Margaret Sanger needs to up production. Or is the increase due to illegal immigrants?
B.
Like many developed countries our birthrate is well below replacement level of 2.1 kids per woman.
There’s a natural barrier to unlimited growth here called the Blue Ridge Mountains. Next, just building a dozen residential towers doesn’t mean we ‘planned’ for Anthropogenic Climate altering the planetary balance in currently inconceivable ways. Whatever happens, people think there’s an ‘Asheville Golden Parachute’ for them too… rich or poor.
Neither screaming nor ‘ libertarian insight’ have made things better since the turn of the century. Others keeping their piece of the planet livable would have been best.
I oppose ‘some’ of the destructive developments being proposed, and I believe that ‘some’ newcomers are adding to our woes. But ‘some’ change is positive, and ‘some’ newcomers are bringing good vibes, new ideas and working hard to be kind and thoughtful neighbors. I agree that we have far to go with infrastructure and I wish that no one would litter.
The only thing that is constant is change. Yes folks are coming, what has Asheville done to improve infrastructure and plan for growth except turn the decisions over to study groups who won’t make decisions. Leadership by committee is not leadership.
“Leadership by committee is not leadership.”
Hmmm . . . on this Fourth of July, I wonder what P Fifer would think of the “leadership by committee” from the Continental Congress that led to the Declaration of Independence? Or the Constitutional Convention of 1787?
That’s why John Adams actually “ran things” and kept them on track. Even so, it took them 2 continental congress meetings and years to reach consensus. To my point. Happy 4 th
Thanks for that! Yep, even a committee needs a strong leader.
By 2030 there will be TWICE as many NON productive homeless people UNLESS some LEADERS do something…I say OUTLAW homelessness in cities…let them live off the land out of town…
On whose land?
(Not to mention the many challenges that come with living off the land even for motivated folks who are physically and mentally fit.)
No one asked to be born, even you. Yet here we are trying to make it work out. Ever curious about how homelessness occurs? Ever wonder how it feels to be ignored as people walk by you, ignore you and carry on with their shopping and eating? If you’re a real Christian, please remember “what you do to the least of mine, you do to me.” Now let’s have a productive discussion about root cause and solutions.
alchohol, drugs and low self esteem, no ambition, too lazy, mental cases…all part of it…too many people are just too lazy to work…lots of them…
I’ll take the over on only twice as many.
Newcomers ruining Asheville? Hmm. Ask some Cherokee how they feel about the “newcomers” that arrived in the 1700s and ruined their home.
I am a bear. I have 4 cubs. I can testify that there are too many people.
Our Water System will not support the population within 10 years. An engineer needs to lead the department. We are in trouble if we don’t focus on the goal.