Deciphering Carl Mumpower’s comments in his Oct. 10 letter, “Xpress is the Marketing Arm for the Seven Deadlies,” elicits many questions pertaining to his fragmented opinions. Spared of generalized psychology-isms, pseudo-theology, sexology, business models and the usually implicit GOP white-bread dogma, what remains are rhetorical statements which are supposed to pass for opinion or expertise, or something to print as artificial eloquence.
I understand the “seven deadlies” to be wrath, greed, sloth, pride (excluding positive self-esteem and self-worth), lust, envy and gluttony. I know that each of these seven have counterparts which are inversely related. Thus lust is countered by chastity, sloth by diligence, wrath by patience, envy by kindness and pride by humility.
A Buddhist colleague offered her take on “The Seven Deadly Social Sins,” which are offered here as a meditation for Carl. These are: “Politics without principle, wealth without work, commerce without morality, pleasure without conscience, education without character, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice.” …
Unlike the seven deadlies, which impact upon individual virtue, the seven socials impact the quality of existence for everyone on our planet. Indeed, the seven deadlies strike at the heart and soul of Mumpower’s covert political agenda as a tea bagging, Grand Obstructionist Party, right-wing, conservative (whatever that means) religious dogmatist. …
When all else fails, attack, marginalize, defame or kill the messenger, as Mumpower attempts to criticize the freedom of the press. … Mumpower writes as Asheville’s own native Don Quixote, forever jousting and tilting at windmills of his own archaic misperceptions of a reality he alone understands. Mumpower’s misguided criticisms of Mountain Xpress confirm this much. …
Xpress is staffed by dedicated professional journalists and staff, many of whom are recognized statewide for excellence, relevance and accuracy and truth in reporting. Compared with the corporate, out-of-town-managed Asheville Citizen-Times, and the Asheville Tribune, which is actually run by Republican interests, Xpress has, over the years, positioned itself as the sine qua non publication in this city for the 21st century, second to none. Thus each Wednesday’s publication is a special day to celebrate our town, and more importantly, to be reminded that “We the People,” all of us, have the power of our vote to chart our own future, solve our own problems and to do our best in making ours a more perfect, all-inclusive union together.
— Michael Blankenship
Asheville
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