The Mountain Xpress deserves a note of credit for highlighting my glaringly obvious, self-serving efforts to grandstand around the drug issue. It takes special talent to alienate the drug community and the police at the same time, and such shenanigans merit editorial attention. Heck, if you throw in the any-way-you-like-it crowd, those with a knee-jerk resistance to conservative-Christian Republicans, and the slumbering majority who resent having their comfortable complacency on our drug problem interrupted, I’ve managed to alienate about 90 percent of the people of Asheville. That’s certainly a savvy way to secure my personal safety and political future.
Keep your keyboard warmed up though, because I am not done. I hope to finish off the remaining 10 percent in the near future. With the help of those few people who take the time to raise my awareness, I plan to continue grandstanding on our drug issues every chance I get. At some point, I have faith that your readers will grow in their understanding that we are losing too many of our children, friends and neighbors to the harms of drugs—and that’s not a joke.
To pretend what goes on at some Civic Center events is a little harmless pot consumption is naive. Acid, ecstasy, and a host of other hard drugs are a core component of some events.
A primary issue with addiction, including the “soft” drugs marijuana and alcohol is that the rest of us have to pick up the disability, treatment, and medical bills that lay at the end of that journey.
There are not shortcuts to happiness and it is not just about choice – it’s also about consequences.
Carl Mumpower
Asheville City Council
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dear Carl,
i sympathize greatly with your concerns, but what about all those who don’t have a “problem” with soft drugs? is arresting them and extorting money from them going to solve the drug problem which faces all of America — or even our city of Asheville? NO!
regarding the notion that “the rest of us have to pick up the disability, treatment, and medical bills that lay at the end of that journey,” this problem would be better addressed by actions which would lead away from the path of socialized medicine on which our nation is headed.
for MANY people drink alcohol, smoke marijuana & tobacco, drink coffee and participate in other recreational drug use MODERATELY, without becoming a burden on society. why adopt the kindergarden/military style form of punishment which targets not merely those who transgress this line, but also all those who don’t?
i find it surprising to read that you are also adopting a popular socialist technique of using children as the means to support such evil legislation.
it is a fact that the American “War on Drugs” serves to stifle the much needed public education and awareness of the dangers of various drugs, which could save the lives of many. not only that, but it also serves to attract and financially foster the more criminal faction of society — prohibit something and its value goes UP greatly, thus creating a huge and attractive market.
and regarding these other hard drugs you allege were being done at this concert, the fact is unless these folks actually did something that would cause law enforcement involvement, the only people that would be arrested are those who were merely smoking some form of herb, for there is no physical trace of those tripping on acid or ecstasy other than their actions.
so while i understand and have much sympathy for your goals, i entirely disagree with your means. if you want to do something effective to help those suffering with drug problems, it must be done on the Federal level by ending the American “War on Drugs”.
this way, at least individual states can decide how they want to move forward in this area, rather than leaving up to bought-and-paid-for politicians in DC — We the People have a better chance of effecting our state bought-and-paid-for politicians! 8-)
IMHO, your efforts are largely misdirected. you COULD be gaining support for your goals, which many people already support here in Asheville and across America, rather than alienating them to your cause, which actually might in the long run serve to act AGAINST it!
all food for thought.
8-)
bernard baruch carman
– seeker of truth / seeder of truth • http://www.SeedsOfTruth.org • http://www.FellowshipOfTheWord.org
– Born to Win supporter • http://www.BornToWin.net
– founding member, Libertarian Reform Caucus • http://www.ReformTheLP.org
– chair, Libertarian Party-Buncombe • chairman@LPbuncombe.org
– Fair Tax supporter • http://fairtax.org
– We The People supporter • http://www.GiveMeLiberty.org
– audio/mac specialist • infinity solutions • bbc@infinitygames.com
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“If drug use is occurring in a public facility, then the people in attendance have a responsibility to follow the rules of the house or be held accountable by the police charged to uphold our laws. Otherwise we should quit pretending and change the laws. There are no other options with a sustainable society. Follow the law, enforce it or change it – don’t ignore it…
It is not about unsavory – it is about harmful and illegal.
Carl Mumpower
Asheville City Council
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dear Carl,
some people call it, “civil disobedience”.
unfortunately, our government — local, state, and federal — have set up a system of legislation that is largely empowered by corporate interests and lobbyists backed by lots of money.
voting has become a sham because of corruption and its “winner-take-all” construct. therefore, people are standing up in protest of various issues the only way they know how… by LIVING as they see fit and by example.
do you want everyone with marijuana in their system who attends a concert at the Civic Center to be put in jail? after all, you could drug test everyone there and put them in the slammer… if the AVL jails have that much room! what on earth do you expect to accomplish with such actions?
when the National ID laws are passed by our federal, state, and local governments, so you also want to arrest everyone who refuses to accept it? if not, what is the difference?
if you want to persist in this misdirected effort of yours, you will find — and as you have already said — that hardly anyone will support you in it. why not find another means to your goal’s end, of which there is already a large consensus of support?
but perhaps you don’t want to end the “War on Drugs”. perhaps you really feel it is a good thing. since this seems to be a hot button issue for you, i strongly suggest you speak with some of the fine law officers who belong to LEAP ( http://leap.cc/ ) who strive to end this dangerous war on people.
i have had correspondence with a couple of LEAP representatives who have offered to send a LEAP speaker here to Asheville should we ever have some kind of drug awareness or related public event. would you be interested in something of this nature?
8-)
bernard baruch carman
– seeker of truth / seeder of truth • http://www.SeedsOfTruth.org • http://www.FellowshipOfTheWord.org
– Born to Win supporter • http://www.BornToWin.net
– founding member, Libertarian Reform Caucus • http://www.ReformTheLP.org
– chair, Libertarian Party-Buncombe • chairman@LPbuncombe.org
– Fair Tax supporter • http://fairtax.org
– We The People supporter • http://www.GiveMeLiberty.org
– audio/mac specialist • infinity solutions • bbc@infinitygames.com
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