Letter: Smith, Williams and Roney will make a huge difference

Graphic by Lori Deaton

… There are many progressive candidates to choose from. As voters, we should look at each candidate’s platform and see who best fits our ideals. But there are likely more than three candidates that you agree with that will fill the three open slots.

So sibling voters, when you’re looking to narrow down your choices, please don’t lean on the old standby of going with the familiar name or the person with the best record. Sure, that may seem like a good way to go, but in an inherently patriarchal, white supremacist culture like ours, who is likely to be familiar to you? Who is likely to have the longest public record? Yes, that’s right. The white men.

In my faith denomination, white male progressive leaders are realizing that the best way to realize the equitable future they believe in is to step aside and make room for women and people of color leadership. I am so thankful for their humility and vision in making this radical move. I wonder if any male candidates in Asheville could have such humility and vision.

I wonder, too, if Asheville citizens will look seriously at their own sexism and racism and reconsider their natural inclinations. And when you hear vitriol spouted about any female or person of color candidate, seriously question its source and your own biases.

Personally, I will be voting for Sheneika Smith, Dee Williams and Kim Roney. I really believe these three amazing, strong, outspoken, forthright, visionary women will make a huge difference that is needed on our City Council. Thank you for taking your vote and our elections seriously. It really does matter.

— Elizabeth Schell
Downtown business owner,
Asheville Showing Up for Racial Justice member and mom

Asheville

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15 thoughts on “Letter: Smith, Williams and Roney will make a huge difference

  1. NFB

    Visionary?

    Please.

    That so many are falling for Dee Williams’ latest incarnation is bizarre. She’s been all over the map. She’s run so many times and always under a different political persona.

    She’s run as a Democrat. She’s run as a Republican. She’s run as an independent. She’s run as a part of Chris Peterson’s attempt to create a political machine as a rubber stamp for developers. Just two years ago she ran on a slate with reactionary Carl Mumpower and now she is running as a candidate for the Green party and a s self described “socialist.”

    And oh, let’s not ever look into her past with the Opportunity Corporation.

    Sorry, but all the fawning over Ms. Williams on the LTE pages of MX just shows that some people will fall for anything.

    • luther blissett

      This is where I may end up sounding like, um, other commenters.

      When you have an electorate that includes lots of people who are relatively new arrivals to Asheville, and who don’t have an obvious point of reference for the history of city politics and the different blocs who’ve asserted power over time, then they’re going to base their votes on what a candidate is saying at this specific point in time. This is what makes possible multiple political reincarnations.

      The C-T doesn’t talk about this stuff because all of its city-politics reporters got laid off, and MX doesn’t talk about it much in a broad context, and the Blade and Tribune sort of talk about it a little bit, so it’s going to take people showing up at candidate forums and the media covering those forums for it to become a factor.

      • NFB

        Yeah, I get that a lot of it is people new to town who don’t remember her being a part of Chris Peterson’s gang, her runs for office under different part banners, and he stint at the Opportunity Corporation. But her time with Carl Mumpower was only two years ago and the hullabaloo with her and Eastview Condos wasn’t that long ago.

        • luther blissett

          The letter-writer makes a valid point: voting on familiarity and experience inevitably reinforces the position of those with existing access to power. The question then becomes how to broaden representation without handing back power to non-elected officials because of the inevitable learning curve for newly-elected members.

  2. John Penley

    So far I have not seen any candidate specifically mention that they will do something to honor the City’s pledge to end Veteran’s Homelessness. How about doing it ?

    • James

      How many “progressive” politicians and candidates do you really think care about veterans? I’ll come right out and say few to none. These are people who despise the U.S. military. The ones in their 60s and above are the people who spat at returning Vietnam veterans and today, are tenured college professors, teaching their contempt of the U.S. military to two generations and counting. The younger ones – and especially the ‘social justice warriors’ – are the first ones to blame the police first for any altercation that ends tragically. Hatred for the police and law enforcement maps right up to hatred for the military and these same SJWs are also known for working overtime (with their college professors) to get ROTCs banned from colleges. So seriously, you may hear a few of these candidates talking about helping homeless veterans but if you really think they’re going to do anything about it, you’re going to be disappointed.

      • NFb

        “How many “progressive” politicians and candidates do you really think care about veterans? ”

        More than on the right. Republicans talk a good game about “supporting our veterans” but are the first to propose and enact the most draconian cuts to services for them.

        • luther blissett

          The best way to support veterans is to not send them off into dumb wars on false pretenses that will ultimately bring those wars home for the next half century. The next best way is to divert a lot of the money spent on militarizing everyday life on veterans’ needs.

          • Lulz

            LOL oh how we forget about Vietnam.

            How about we clean up such stellar performers as Wanda Greed who you seem to be ignoring. I guess it’s those double standards and all.

    • Big Al

      Please remind us of the date and content of this pledge. It is the first I am hearing of it.

      It matters little as CoA makes as many pledges and proclamations as I take trips to the potty (and the results are much the same).

      In “progressive” Asheville, unless you build a hotel or a brewery, you get empty promises and little else.

  3. Deplorable Infidel

    I have not seen nor heard any candidate express their concerns over all the CRIME that constantly emanates from TOO MUCH public housing in Asheville. WHERE are the calls for the housing authority to furnish their OWN police force and stop overworking ours? WHERE is the local housing authority accountability TO the CITIZENS of Asheville, while STEALING MILLIONS from us with no vote ? ? ?
    WHERE is the outrage and demands to STOP this heinous blight on our city ?

    • Big Al

      Democratic response: Putting a dedicated police force in the mostly-African-American public housing is racist. Shame on you. Let them work out their own problems, they don’t need your so-called help.

      Republican response: Putting a dedicated police force in the mostly-African-American public housing would APPEAR racist. and we get enough of that already. Let them work out their own problems, they don’t want us there anyway.

  4. Deplorable Infidel

    …duh, NOT if we put ethnic officers into public housing…no problem…it’s not a racist issue , it’s a cultural issue that can be dealt with…and will be.

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