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***Updated with comment from a Democratic Party spokesperson at 5:15 p.m.***
An e-mail message sent to Xpress this morning announced that the Buncombe County Democratic Headquarters had been “trashed in opposition to oil drilling and war.” The e-mail, sent in the name of a group purportedly called Citizens Hoping Against New Gas Emissions, took credit for spilling motor oil on the front porch and painting the words “No war / No warming / No Drilling” on the walls of the headquarters, which is located on Old Fairview Road in Asheville. The vandalism occurred last night, according to the message.
Kathy Sinclair, chair of the party, confirmed that vandalism had occurred. “We were vandalized. I would not say that they trashed our headquarters — our headquarters is intact,” she told Xpress after hearing the contents of the e-mail. “There was some oil — I wouldn’t necessarily say it was several gallons, as they are saying — and they definitely wrote those words on our building. The side of the building’s going to have to be cleaned up. I don’t think [the cleanup] is going to be expensive. We are continuing business as usual.”
Sinclair added that the headquarters staff have filed a police report and notified their insurance company, and that Asheville police had visited. The vandalism is estimated to have occurred between midnight and 9 a.m.
The sender of the e-mail was listed as “Janelle Anderson.” The e-mail was signed as “Citizens Hoping Against New Gas Emissions,” which appears intended to form the acronym “CHANGE.”
“It’s ‘change’,” Sinclair observed when the name was read to her. “Well, that’s our candidate,” she said, referring to the message of change put forth by Sen. Barack Obama, the party’s presumptive nominee for president.
Later in the day, Sinclair released a statement responding to the incident, which reads: “The acts of vandalism committed against the Buncombe County Democratic Party last night were cowardly and criminal. There is no place in politics, or society at large, for this type of behavior. Honest protest and debate are healthy for a democracy like ours. However, for these individuals to resort to criminal behavior is unacceptable, and we will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”
The full text of the e-mail from the purported vandals is reprinted below.
— Rebecca Bowe, contributing editor
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Last night, on the eve of the Democratic National Convention, we trashed the Democratic Party Headquarters in Asheville, NC. We dumped several gallons of used motor oil onto their front porch and painted, “No war, No warming, No Drilling” on their walls.
We took this action to express our outrage at the Democrats pandering to the oil companies. Instead of looking for real solutions to global warming, the Democratic party, including the head honcho himself, Barack Obama, is pushing to open up more of our fragile coastal ecosystems to oil drilling. If this plan is allowed to go forward thousands of miles of coastline could be devastated by this toxic industry. All the while, greenhouse gas emissions will escalate, and our Earth’s climate will teeter closer to the tipping point.
Meanwhile the Democrats continue to fully support the war on terror. While making half hearted gestures about ending the Iraq war, they have remained unabashed supporter of the war in Afghanistan. One recent highlight of this “just” war was the massacre of over 90 civilians at a wedding last week. Democrats, may the ghost of these innocents haunt you for the rest of your lives.
This action was taken in solidarity with all those in the streets of Denver, and people around the world who refuse to be silent.
Citizens Hoping Against New Gas E.missions
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We dumped several gallons of used motor oil onto their front porch and painted, “No war, No warming, No Drilling” on their walls. This is a joke right? Doesn’t this belong in the Disclaimer? They dumped used motor oil to make an environmental statement? |
 Aug 25, 2008 at |
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It’s not a joke but it sure has me LMAO! And so, in solidarity with the Denver protesters on the opening day, begins the dénouement of this mile-high circus. I hope the rest of the week is as interesting around the country as events here in the “Capital of Meaningless Protest” - Asheville!!! |
 Aug 25, 2008 at |
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Well, there we have Sean Hannity’s opinion. Now houw about yours? |
 Aug 25, 2008 at |
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Well, there we have Sean Hannity’s opinion. Now houw about yours? How about yours indeed. |
Aug 25, 2008 at |
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TMS, I’m sure others would be curious as well. Still LMAO. |
Aug 25, 2008 at |
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What Asheville needs is a caged, barbed wire “FreeSpeech Zone” like the Deamoncrats are using in Denver. |
Aug 25, 2008 |
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I wonder if the “protesters” drove to their target? And don’t they realize dumping motor oil is ruining the environment? These protesters are spoiled brat little kiddies who love the freedom of the USA, the convenience of cars and the products available because of capitalism and corporations, yet WHINE about the imperfection of it all. protesters, if you don’t like big oil, STOP driving. And for Pete’s sake, quit your whining. |
Al Cottingham Aug 26, 2008 |
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Sounds like provocateurs to me. Doesn’t matter. Left versus right is a false paradigm anyway. The game is rigged. |
 Aug 26, 2008 at |
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Tonya, it is precisely those obscene “free speach zones” that lead to actions such as this. And it is the height of absurdity reading official from one of the two approved parties talking about honest protest and debate, and a healthy democracy, when both parties do their best to suppress those things when the people involved aren’t in one of their two clubs. |
Aug 26, 2008 |
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“They dumped used motor oil to make an environmental statement?” Bobaloo, that surprised me too. Here’s some background on the environmental problems associated with used motor oil, according to the EPA (http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/usedoil/0): “Used oil from one oil change can contaminate 1 million gallons of fresh water - a years’ supply for 50 people! * Used motor oil is insoluble, persistent and can contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals. Whoever CHANGE is, it seems they didn’t plan ahead to make their action “green.” |
Aug 26, 2008 |
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Now, I support the environment- but I wouldn’t go dumping used motor oil. That’s just plain stupid, the stuff is toxic. Pretty immature bunch of miscreants. |
cwaster Aug 26, 2008 |
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Tonya, it is precisely those obscene “free speach zones” that lead to actions such as this. No it’s not, it’s bad parenting. |
Aug 26, 2008 at |
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Kinda reminds me of those radical groups that would blow up hummers and the like in protest of the sale of gas guzzlers. |
Aug 27, 2008 |
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It could be misguided environmental/peace activists, right-wingers hoping to embarrass and divide these activists and the Dems, or clueless kids. That’s the problem with anonymous actions - you never know for sure. Don’t jump to conclusions. |
Aug 27, 2008 |
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How about cleaning up a polluted creek to make a political statement? Why not volunteer at the V.A. if you are against war? I have never fully understood the value of protests, marches and rallies, and I definitely don’t understand how vandalism aids any cause whatsoever. The key to change is actually DOING something, not talking about it. |
Aug 27, 2008 |
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Molton Aug 27, 2008 |
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September Girl: “I have never fully understood the value of protests, marches and rallies…” Look into: You’ll see that responsible (at times illegal) protest, as well as the constructive actions you favor, has and will change the world. |
Aug 27, 2008 |
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Vrede, good points, although I think these days 99% of so-called protests and marches are hot air and do not yield the results of your above examples. I’m not opposed to civil disobedience (Anne Frank, Harriet Tubman) but vandalism is for low thinkers. I stand by my call to action: Well done is better than well said. -Benjamin Franklin |
Aug 27, 2008 |
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Some protests are good ones. Most are just a bunch of whining people acting like children, as this vandalism shows. |
Al Cottingham Aug 27, 2008 |
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Vede, none of the marches above dumped toxic substance on PRIVATE property. Even the Boston Tea Party was biodegradable material into a public waterway where it did no harm except give a few fish a caffeine rush. The REAL transgression of these ‘used dipsticks’ (thanks Molton) is that they damaged private property, i.e. that of whoever is renting to the Democrats. And that’ unwarranted, unforgivable, and against the law. |
 Aug 27, 2008 at |
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Ralph Roberts, If you’d read more carefully you would have noticed both that I was responding to September Girl’s comment on protest in general and that I referred to “responsible protest”. Further, if you’d bothered to look at my comment 3 spots above, you would have noticed that I in no way support CHANGE’s action. Perhaps you should organize a demonstration for better reading comprehension. Just be sure to Spellcheck your placard. :) |
Aug 28, 2008 |
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The vandals attacked the wrong political Party headquarters. Plus vandalism is illegal. The Republican Party is the one who hangs onto the war and oil, not the Democrats. Republican Senator McCain said just a few months ago that he would stay in Iraq 100 years if necessary. Go to the Democratic and Republican Party websites or their candidates’ websites and read what they’re for and against, please, vandals. And then also go and sin no more. |
Gigi Aug 28, 2008 |
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Gigi, the oil companies supply us with a comodity that most of us want, and need. I bet you drive a car don’t you? Or ride on the bus? Or fly? All these activities take OIL. So if you have a problem with oil companies, I suggest you walk your walk and STOP driving and riding in fossil fuel using vehicles. No the wrong headquarters was not targeted. As Ralph mentioned above, the “protest” was unwarranted, unforgivable, and against the law. |
Al Cottingham Aug 29, 2008 |
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10 bucks says it was provocateurs provocateurs provocateurs ... and ralph, that tea WAS private property. Get your facts straight. |
dave Sep 23, 2008 |
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Dave, I said the waterway was public, not the tea. |
Sep 23, 2008 at |
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Democrats trashing Democrats .... kind of in character I suppose. |
Sep 23, 2008 |
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travelah, Yeah it’s sad, kind of like McCain talking about Shrub. |
Sep 24, 2008 |
