Letters to the editor

And the sun shall guide ye

Thank you for your article on Earth Fare [“Tempeh Fugit,” Xpress May 28]. It was inspiring to read about the founding three principles of Earth Fare: Stop poisoning the Earth; stop poisoning yourself; and take responsibility for your health. But then I read this statement by [founder] Roger Derrough: “There are some romantic notions that never came to fruition, like going solar, but who’s to say that would have ever happened anyway?”

Well, shoot. Solar does not have to be some fuzzy, romantic notion. It can — and should be — a reality for every soul that cares about the planet. It is a profound way to really achieve Earth Fare’s founding principles. And the truth is that for renewable energy to be embraced by the masses, people like Derrough need to follow through on their original vision. Can you imagine the impact a chain of [solar-powered] natural food stores could have on the consciousness of the Southeast?

It seems that Derrough has stated exactly what Earth Fare needs to do next — go solar! It is too perfect! Buying organics — and from small, environmentally and socially conscious companies — sometimes means that the consumer has to pay more. While [spending more] is never a preference, we, the consumers, are committed to our Earth and ourselves, and demonstrate this through our use of our financial resources. Setting your business up to run on wholesome, life-giving sunshine instead of dirty, toxic uranium and coal might cost more initially, but the peace of mind and deepening of our principles well offset this.

If the bottom line were only about money — how many people would shop at Earth Fare?

— Sierra Hollister
Vice President, Sundance Power Systems, Inc.
Mars Hill

Wake up, you political greens!

While I am a firm supporter of AGR (Asheville Global Report) and respect Eamon Martin’s bravery, I feel he’s opened a kettle of fish [“Alterman Stalls Rolling Thunder” letter, Xpress May 14].

I am part of the Democratic Party’s left wing. I feel that we must face the fact that there are many millions of right-wingers in this country. They have as much right to representation as I do. As such, it is critical to beat them democratically, by being unified against them. Facing the political realities in the United States, I feel I must, as a strong leftist, stick with the Democratic Party and “hold my nose and vote,” yes, to get the lesser of two evils.

When Ralph Nader ran [for president in 2000], I was glad for an alternative, and a damn good one at that, but realized the futility of his presidential hopes. I thought, and still think, that it was imperiously pig-headed of him not to concede at the end of the election, and send his votes to Al Gore. The history of the universe would read differently if he had. The 2 million votes [Nader] garnered were crucial. If we had an “instant runoff” system (where voters vote for their first and second choices), then Eamon and I both would have had representation. As it is, we are dominated by an objectionable minority.

My green friends say, “Maybe the American people will finally wake up.” Dream on.

Instead, I hope a few greens will wake up, realize this is going nowhere, and work with the center-left to turn our country toward the left, and toward a green reality. Paid right-wing provocateurs could not have done a better sabotage job than Ralph Nader did. I am disgusted by every single thing idiot George has done as president, and, for the sake of every living thing on the planet, I hope we do better next time.

— Name withheld upon request
Burnsville

[Ed. Note: Though asking to remain anonymous, this letter-writer also requested to be signed as “a pragmatic but hardly dead fish.”]

Turn your talents to constructive ends

This is a protest to a portion of Rebecca Campbell’s letter, “Rolling Thunder With a Broken Wheel,” in the May 28 Xpress. She attacks our most recent mayor of Asheville, Leni Sitnik — who, Campbell says, as mayor “unrepentantly violated democratic process and her stated principles to ram through an illegal war resolution giving unconditional support to a presidential administration that those attending [Rolling Thunder] almost universally decried.” Ms. Campbell concludes that Ms. Sitnik was ill-chosen to be “enshrined onstage as the host of these proceedings” and to facilitate constructive action.

I ask the reader to reflect back to the occasion of the so-called “war resolution” of the City Council. It followed on the heels of Sept. 11, 2001, when our nation was in shock. The Council, horrified and saddened, passed a resolution in support of the president of our nation to preserve and protect these United States — it was not a war resolution.

Leni Sitnik, throughout her term as mayor, was known for her democratic principles, especially in open discussions of letting the people speak because she wanted everyone to have a chance to express their opinions.

As for closing Pack Square and the “repression of citizens rights,” Leni Sitnik played no role in respect to such action.

As for the Rolling Thunder Down-Home Democracy Tour, this event was a cornerstone in support of peoples’ rights, and Leni Sitnik as its moderator helped to ensure that objective.

A word to Rebecca Campbell: Please remember that your often-brilliant talents, when pointed toward constructive thinking, are needed to lessen the powers of violence and evil in today’s world.

— Hazel W. Fobes
Asheville

Put a little spin on that controversy

Instead of being defensive, Councilor [Brian] Peterson should seize this opportunity to demand the legalization of prostitution and the open provision of health care and contraception to sex workers, like in Nevada and Holland. He should take the offensive, fire [Asheville Police] Chief [Will] Annarino for encouraging brutality, and reassign the vice patrol to the protection of the abortion clinic.

If the state insists on banning sex workers, then they can pay state police to watch and arrest them. Asheville police have a clinic to protect.

— Alan Ditmore
Leicester

[Ed. Note: Ditmore’s letter included as a footnote that he received 7,442 votes in the Soil and Water Conservation Board of Supervisors race in last November’s election.]