Letter: No longer ‘of and for’ the people

Graphic by Lori Deaton

Over the past several years, it has become apparent to me that this nation’s people-centered, democratic republic has become eroded to the point of no longer functioning as “of and for” the people. I am sure you will agree that the fundamental and foundational rights of people have been usurped by special interests, corporations and those who have enough money to make their “speech” heard over the rest.

In North Carolina, there is a coalition of individuals, community groups and organizations working to correct this imbalance.

This coalition is working with the state Legislature to get a ballot measure on the 2018 ballot that would ask the people of this state what they think:

1. Should artificial entities such as corporations have constitutional rights of personhood?
2. Should money be considered speech and be protected as speech under the First Amendment?

Here is how you can get involved:
1. Sign the petition (www.ncwethepeople.org).
2. Send persuasive emails to your legislators.
3. Attend press conferences.
4. Recruit a favorite nonprofit organization to become a co-sponsor with the current 18 sponsoring groups in our coalition.

— Diana Kruk
Candler

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

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.

About Letters
We want to hear from you! Send your letters and commentary to letters@mountainx.com

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.

One thought on “Letter: No longer ‘of and for’ the people

  1. Lulz

    LOL, you mean sanctuary cities where illegals can do the deportation and re-entry dance over and over again is of and by the “people”? Especially as they are given slaps on the wrist for committing crimes all the while the slaves, oops I meant the “people”, are held to higher standards?

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.