Letters to the editor

Co-op provides for community and beyond

I would like to publicly thank the French Broad Food Co-op for its recent help to Asheville Playback Theatre’s fundraising efforts. As many know, APT will soon travel to Cuba as part of an international conference and training in Playback forms.

It occurred to me as I was shopping one day just how many ways the Co-op supports the community. That day, I was able to post my flyers, reserve space in the Movement and Learning Center (at a discount, thanks to being a Co-op member), and arrange a day to “table” outside the Co-op (free of charge). As I bought my groceries, I remembered also that Co-op food would feed friends at an upcoming dinner, also to benefit Playback Cuba.

As I finished at the checkout, I was sure to pick up some buttons to contribute to my favorite organizations’ donation jars. Through the “Button Up” program, the Co-op encourages shoppers to walk or bike and to bring our own bags.

Best of all, throughout this shopping trip I remembered that I was an owner, participating in an organization that practices democratic decision-making. In times when a cynical reaction is tempting upon hearing the word “democracy,” I see the FBFC as a light of hope for the cooperative process.

Again, thanks to the FBFC for being a pioneer — not just of the products sold, but more importantly of the process involved — in the ways we feed ourselves, our community and our world.

And thanks, too, for supporting Asheville Playback Theatre’s trip to Cuba. The Movement and Learning Center will host APT’s “Stories of the People” on Saturday, Jan. 29, at 8 p.m. ($5-10 suggested donation). To those interested in social justice and activism, come share a story of the personal and the political — or just listen — as the actors “play back” stories from the audience.

Adelante pioneros — que viva la participacion!

— Sharon Bigger
Asheville

History explodes in Iraq

Early in our invasion of Iraq, we sent a stealth bomber over the site of the Garden of Eden, and here we dropped a super bomb which must have killed hundreds, perhaps thousands, of the enemy — a small colony of Jews descended from those freed from the Babylonian slavery, as well as some of the descendents of the earliest converts to Christianity — spewing body parts and debris into God’s two rivers (see Genesis 2:14) created to water the Garden and fertilize ancient Mesopotamia.

Then our forces moved inland, blasting away the infrastructure which we assured the world we would rebuild with the help of Halliburton and others, [while] at the same time, we would compensate the widows and orphans with some dollars. Not surprisingly, the path of our fighting men and women has not been strewn with roses as predicted.

By contrast, the terrorist strike against the people of Spain, which wrecked commuter trains and killed and injured thousands, was not followed by a useless war. Instead, the Spanish police and security agents, together with Interpol, searched out the terrorists, arrested and is trying them. Furthermore, they acted in good sense by withdrawing their limited contribution to the “coalition.”

We are now faced with the prospect of increasing the size of the “coalition” against the “insurgents” — favored buzzwords which the administration, from the president on down (except for Leezza Rice, who is after, all, a Ph.D.) may or may not be able to spell or define correctly.

But we must support our troops at all costs. … Can anyone argue that we should withdraw now and fail in our crusade?

— Ben Livingston
Asheville