The opinion by Danny Bernstein on guns and parks ["Safe and Sound: Let’s Keep Guns Out of Our National Parks,” April 23] seems to be coming somewhat out of left field. I wonder what her own personal firearm experience might be.
The notion that one might get into a shootout over a camping spot with an obnoxious old man is not modus operandi for most gun owners, anymore than running over arrogant bicyclists is par for the course for most motorists. Most gun owners regard their weapons as dangerous tools, much like automobiles and chain saws. The quote that people are in more danger in malls than national parks is not exactly true. In a mall, one is surrounded by people and the possibility of help. Alone in the woods, you must rely on yourself.
Ms. Bernstein uses extrapolation several times to argue “what if” people should use guns in arguments, or bring dogs and logging to the parks, but this is not a reasoned argument. “What if” more and more criminals decided to move operations to our parks? “What if” a mad bear or rabid raccoon attacked a child etc? On more than one occasion I have seen staunch anti-gun people look to those who are armed for help in dangerous situations. Let’s maintain a sensible balance and not let emotion and personal distastes prevent honest citizens from choosing the option of self defense.
— Marc Mandon
Asheville
A letter ["Hillary’s Disaster Record"] in the April 30 edition of the Mountain Xpress supporting Mr. Obama referred to his family tree, [naming several] U.S. presidents including “Hamilton—who authored our Constitution.” Such a lack of knowledge of American history surprises me from “a retired, progressive female.”
Alexander Hamilton was never president of the United States. Indeed, many have theorized that Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution, which requires the president to be a “natural born citizen,” was aimed at Mr. Hamilton—as he was born in the British West Indies. As to his reputed authorship of the Constitution, that claim usually is reserved for James Madison of Virginia, who was our fourth president. Hamilton did contribute to the Federalist Papers, which were a series of propaganda tracts urging ratification of the Constitution.
When one writes a polemic bashing one candidate and supporting another, it really helps to get your facts correct. Otherwise, both you and your favored candidate look like fools.
— John Richardson
Waynesville
Editor’s note: In preparing the letter in question for publication, Xpress missed this factual error. We do not knowingly publish erroneous information.
In response to “Looking Out, Not Up” [Letters, April 23] and other recent letters criticizing City Council’s policy on development, I can only make the following observations.
Asheville’s unique geography—on a plateau divided by a wide river valley—destined the city to be the metropolis of Western North Carolina. If you want to stay small, I would suggest Burnsville.
I keep hearing “Charlotte in the mountains” [or] “Atlanta in the mountains”; however, this scenario is unlikely unless Bank of America or Coca-Cola move their corporate headquarters here. In reality, our relatively expensive housing and tough job market are our best defenses against an all-out growth explosion.
In response to concerns over the size of the hotels being planned: In the early 20th century, tourists in Asheville had an amazing choice of downtown accommodations, including two of the largest buildings in the city—the George Vanderbilt and Battery Park hotels. Had these not been, sadly, turned into HUD or assisted-living facilities in our down-and-out days, perhaps we could have avoided building new. Imagine a time when visitors and locals could enjoy what must be an outstanding view from the ballroom of the Battery Park, but sadly it is off-limits except to a vocal few who enjoy those sunsets while fighting to stop parking garages that would actually help the surrounding businesses. Talk about your gated communities. I certainly have nothing against the elderly; I am heading there myself. But you cannot live in one of the biggest buildings in a central business district and not expect change all around you.
As for possible damage to the Basilica due to construction, I should think if it survived the leveling of the adjacent mountain with the old Battery Park, I-240 and the Civic Center, a parking garage should be a cakewalk. If you want to talk preservation, how about restoring the mosaics under the copper domes?
Edwin Grove’s original plan for the Grove Arcade included a tower that would have been squarely in front of his hotel’s western view. His vision included the fact that good architecture can actually enhance views. What Ashevillean does not love Beaucatcher behind the pink-topped tower of City Hall?
Leaving a legacy is not a bad thing—after all, we would not have the Biltmore Estate, the Grove Arcade and City Hall without the legacy-building likes of George Vanderbilt, Edwin Grove and Douglas Ellington. I cheer Tony Fraga and his ambition to recreate the tower of the Grove Arcade into a new Haywood Park Hotel, as well as [cheer the] Grove Park Inn and The Ellington. To have two neo-deco hotels anchoring our skyline will be extremely cool.
As for Mr. Majors’ suggestion of building a two-story structure instead, that horse has been out of the barn since the ‘20s, when most of our beautiful, tall buildings were built. Up is way better than out.
— Steve Woolum
Asheville
I certainly don’t mind if people do not want to carry guns to protect themselves in the national parks. In her recent commentary ["Safe and Sound: Let’s Keep Guns out of our National Parks], Danny Bernstein implies that she may have some type of impulse-control problem that would cause her to use a handgun in an inappropriate manner. If this is the case, then she has wisely chosen not to carry a handgun.
In North Carolina, many thousands of people carry handguns lawfully with no incident whatsoever. It is not rational to conclude that Ms. Bernstein’s choice should prevent the rest of us from being able to defend ourselves by carrying a handgun.
— Joel S. Trilling
Asheville
Your self-indulgent practice of allowing Xpress writers to swipe back at letter contributors reached a low point in your April 30 edition. A woman wrote a letter taking exception to having been tarred by a broad-brush criticism of those residents who lack “roots” ["Hardly Bewitching"], and the writer of the referenced piece was given response space to chastise the letter writer for having such a reaction.
This backtalk was gratuitously insulting to the letter writer; more important, it added nothing factual or substantive to the issue at hand. The response was simply one last opportunity for its writer to bloviate.
You promiscuously afford this opportunity to your staff writers or contributors. The purpose of letters to the editor is to give the readers a turn, and the common journalistic practice is to simply let them do so. If the letter writer’s facts are wrong or their comments are libelous or manifestly unfair, just spike the letter. Otherwise, bite your lip and take it. Failing any compelling reason to do so, it is childish to afford your own people the last word.
— Arthur Helms
Asheville
It is tempting to blame Stewart Coleman and Black Dog Realty for the deplorable Parkside project, but the real culprits are the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners and the Asheville City Council. What were they thinking?
As many others have said and written, the project is idiotic, necessitating the appropriation of parkland, the destruction of a fine old tree directly in front of City Hall, the razing of an historic building and even more vehicular gridlock in that area.
Government is supposed to protect the public from such gross insults, but in this case, the government sided enthusiastically with the insulters. If the decision to proceed with the building is not overturned, it will serve as an enduring symbol of the unholy alliance between government and developers—a permanent reminder to the citizens of Asheville that their elected officials cannot be trusted.
— Michael Carlebach
Asheville
Prior to Ringling Brother’s last visit to Asheville, the Mountain Xpress did a great job calling attention to the controversy behind the Big Top with your feature article “The Elephant in the Room” [May 31, 2006]. I hope this time around you will spend less time reporting on opinions—both from those who enrich themselves from animal slavery and those of unpaid activists like myself. Instead, I encourage you to take a look at the voluminous data (USDA inspection reports, number of animals that have died due to neglect and abuse etc.) and video footage showing the egregious cruelties and indignities routinely inflicted upon these helpless animals. Much documentation can be found at http://www.circuses.com.
The facts show what common sense already tells us: Animals perform stupid tricks because they are terrified of further beatings. According to Ringling Bros. founder Henry Ringling North in his book, The Circus Kings, tigers and lions are “chained to their pedestals, and ropes are put around their necks to choke them down. ... They work from fear.”
— Stewart David
Asheville
As far as I’m concerned, Obama’s disowning of Rev. Wright’s comments comes way too late. And his vocabulary seems primarily to consist of one word: change.
Hillary is who we need to save this country.
— Lloyd Kay
Asheville
