Is Asheville really liberal? (Charlotte, Henderson: crime, mortgage, home)

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by cooperwx

I admire our community's willingness to reach out to those on the lower end of the economic ladder. With housing prices as they are, it's getting harder and harder for poor families and those on fixed incomes.

Liberal, probably. Socialist, no.

Giving a free place to live to those that won't fend for themselves (and it is happening today in Asheville) puts the burden of those that are trying to pay for their own home with the added burden of helping pay for a place to live for a drug addict that doesn't do a thing to support anything but their drug habit.

Perhaps you should read the plan and educate yourself http://www.ich.gov/slocal/plans/asheville.pdf. Of course you don't get the whole picture unless you watched the presentation of the plan to council. During the question and answer period by council it was made clear that drug addicts would be given a free place to live, and there would be NO REQUIREMENT for the person to remain drug free, or even seek treatment for their addiction. Sounds like a recipe for taxpayer supported drug houses to me.

[bargainmom]

I am sort of in the same boat. For example, I consider myself an Independent with Libertarian leanings. However, I wont' try to encompass all of my political beliefs to just one platform.

I do want live and let-live, respect for all, as long as people aren't aggressively "in my face" with their liberal mentality--which can be just as close minded as any neo-con. My political and sociological views are wierd: Pro-environment, pro-breastfeeding, anti-vaccination, married to a person of another race. However I am against "forced busing." I am theoretically opposed to abortion on moral grounds but believe it should be legal in most cases. Another big concern for me: Is Asheville a "sanctuary city" for illegal immigrants? I would hate to see the economy devastated there as it has been in my area by a great amount of people almost bankrupting the social service system.

[bargainmom]

Is there room for people who are against the war and think that Bush is evil (Not because he is a "christian conservative"--he is not that in any sense of either word--but who are not pro-gay marriage?

[Asheville Native]

There are plenty of people here that recognize that Bush is an idiot, and his war is a disaster.
There are plenty of people here that believe that gay marriage is a unforgivable sin, ,and some how threatens their marriage and that gays should burn in hell.

And there may be one or two that believe both of the above.

[brightmidnight]

Originally Posted by cooperwx

From what i know, it is the many church-based groups such as ABCCM, as well as the Manna food back and Habitat for Humanity that are "giving away" so much to those that "choose" to be homeless.

Actually, Habitat for Humanity doesn't give away homes. The people who qualify for homes with Habitat have to have a steady job and be able to pay for a mortgage-- but maybe not able to afford a traditional down payment or mortgage. They have to spend 500 or so hours in "sweat equity" for their own house. That's a common misconception, though.

While it does seem that Asheville's policy re homeless drug addicts is perhaps not the best solution, maybe it is-- not doing anything for the homeless might increase taxpayer costs in the long run (emergency room care for any health problems, jail costs for any petty crimes they may commit, lost business to any businesses they may be panhandling by, etc.) A cost-benefit analysis would have to be done on this one.

[bargainmom]

Originally Posted by Asheville Native

There are plenty of people here that recognize that Bush is an idiot, and his war is a disaster.
There are plenty of people here that believe that gay marriage is a unforgivable sin, ,and some how threatens their marriage and that gays should burn in hell.

And there may be one or two that believe both of the above.

Er...okay. Very helpful, there.

Being NOT pro-gay marriage does NOT equate with "gays should burn in hell."

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by bargainmom

Er...okay. Very helpful, there.

Being NOT pro-gay marriage does NOT equate with "gays should burn in hell."

Think you will find that it is more "black or white" here, and less gray.

[bargainmom]

That is very sad. It is truly the most small-minded people who try to pressure people into a black/white worldview. So, are you stating that people in Asheville either support gay marriage without reservation or believe that gays will "burn in hell"?

There should be room for all points of view. True diversity is diversity of political opinion and religious belief.

Which side of the coin do you fall on?

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by bargainmom

That is very sad. It is truly the most small-minded people who try to pressure people into a black/white worldview. So, are you stating that people in Asheville either support gay marriage without reservation or believe that gays will "burn in hell"?

There should be room for all points of view. True diversity is diversity of political opinion and religious belief.

Which side of the coin do you fall on?

Not that it matters, I don't fall on either side. I am hetro, yet I have gay friends, and I do not feel threatened in my marriage by the possibility of gay marriages.

For the most part I am odd man, in that I think Bush and the warmongering neocons are idiots,

I'm left standing in the gray area, watching the extremes on both fringes rage on. I am vehemently opposed to the current city council and there extreme liberal agenda, to the point of bordering on becoming socialists, and I am vehemently opposed to the right wingnut neocon agenda also.

Taking my tax dollars to care for a leach is simple thievery by government. Once the expectation of "I don't have to lift a finger to provide for myself" is created by this type of socialism, then it becomes irreversible and grows.

A conservative libertarian

[bargainmom]

Hi Asheville Native,

Thank you for explaining. I felt somewhat attacked by your words but perhaps I was just misunderstanding them. I have a gay relative. I am all for live and let live. However, I am not comfortable per se with "gay marriage". I support civil unions as a legal protection for homosexuals and their partners. In addition, this would prevent people from faking relationships to get the health benefits etc that some places and companies offer gay couples.