Television observations
leads to thoughts of gold

 As a guy who never sees daytime TV,  I was forced to watch an hour’s worth the other day at the doctor’s office.
The one thing that struck me was the advertising. Virtually ALL the ads were for “predatory” not “productive” segments of our society. For example,  motorized scooters and wheelchairs, Diabetes test kits and other medical supplies for the elderly — all paid for by the government.

Virtually all the remaining ads were for lawyers seeking to sue people on your behalf: Asbestos-related illness, hip and other joint replacements, recalled medicines that may have caused birth defects, even — and I swear I am not making this up — skin grafts from cadavers gone wrong!

And of course, the ubiquitous “buy gold” ads for the coming Armageddon.

After considering the consequences of this type of mind set — that we should make money off of someone else, particularly the government — I began to appreciate the claims of those hawking gold.

If we, as a nation, do not reject the current “predatory” approach, and instead embrace the “productive” route to success, all the gold in the world will not save us from ourselves.

Steven Chase
Miami Beach, Fla.

Who is Ayn Rand?
Who is Cecil Bothwell?

Cecil Bothwell	Ayn Rand

In the April 2011 issue of the Asheville Daily Planet, Cecil Bothwell, a member of the Asheville City Council and a “non-theist,” gives his analysis and opinion of Ayn Rand, author of the novel, “Atlas Shrugged,” on which the current movie is based.

Bothwell begins by asserting that “there can’t be another bad novelist who has done more damage to our world than ...  Ayn Rand.” How he knows this, he doesn’t say. Perhaps, since he is a “non-theist” (by his own admission), he must reserve omniscience to himself. At any rate, that sentence is the central thesis of his screed.

“The core problem,” he says, “is her insistence that human being are independent rather than interdependent, and that most of the commoners are eager to get something for nothing. The ignorance and arrogance of her viewpoint is stunning.”

No. What is stunning is the ignorance and arrogance of Cecil Bothwell.

To wit: Of interdependence, Bothwell cites the observation of Jane Goodall that chimpanzees ostracized and driven out cannot survive alone. This is significant, he says, because we share 97 percent of our DNA with chimps, and “to imagine that we are much different demonstrates a sort of biological hubris that is laughable at best.”

Well, Cecil, that extra 3 percent must account for the difference between men and chimps, i.e., that human action is purposeful behavior whereas animal behavior is not purposeful action. The attempts of behavioral science and scientists to fuzz the distinction between human action and animal behavior have been futile, to say the least. They have not shown that animals act purposefully, or that human beings do not act purposefully. That is why us “non-non-theists” believe that man was given dominion over the creation in the early days of that creation (by the Creator, of course).

Then, Bothwell continues: “As a social species, we have become the most successful mammals on the planet, and it is the division of labor enabled by our cooperative nature that created the possibility of advancement beyond a daily struggle for survival.”

Bothwell is correct that the division of labor created the possibility of advancement, etc., but he misunderstands the nature of that division of labor. The division of labor arose from the purposeful action of human beings trading and cooperating with one another for mutual advantage. By trading and cooperating, men were able to concentrate on the things they were best at producing, and trading them for the things other men were better at producing. Thus labor was divided, to the advantage of all. It was not because of men’s “cooperative nature,” but because of rational self-interest that men traded, each to his own advantage, and to the good of all. The “non-non-thesists” see in this the hand of Divine Providence. Adam Smith referred to it as the “Invisible Hand,” by which each man trading for his own benefit was led to benefit all.Bothwell sees this as a natural process arising from the cooperative nature of a social species. It was, in fact, the purposeful action of thinking human beings.

That is a difference, but not a large one. Where Bothwell goes astray is in the assertion that Ayn Rand did not believe this, holding out for the independence, rather than the interdependence, of human beings.

Nonsense. Rand never asserts that kind of independence for any of her characters. They want independence from the regulation and interferences of governments and quasi-governmental agencies, but they still buy and sell, trade and compete, act and interact. They are not the radical independents that Bothwell would have us believe.

It’s probably more that the kind of interdependence of Rand’s characters is not the kind of interdependence that Bothwell (and those like him) approve. Their kind of interdependence is that of cooperating with the government regulators; freedom to obey. Rand’s kind of interdependence is that of acting in the specific marketplace; freedom to choose, and to make one’s way by purposeful human action.

Bothwell calls this greed, but he says he sees neighbors helping neighbors, churches feeding the hungry and housing the homeless, doing for others, giving of ourselves (not that there’s anything wrong with that!). But Bothwell should recognize that that is also purposeful human action, by freely-choosing men making free choices, and exercising rational self-interest. In a free society, unrestricted by government policy and regulation, free men make choices, some to make wealth, some to give away their wealth. That’s what freedom is.

So, says Bothwell, Ayn Rand didn’t have a clue. Bothwell doesn’t either. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised to find that a member of the City Council can only think in terms of the coercive force of government and obedience to its regulation. But there is, Cecil, a world out there that does not think that government is the be-all and end-all of life. There is life outside government, a place where men cooperate in freely chosen ways.

Terrill I. Elniff
Asheville

Ayn Rand’s critics need
to get a clue (and a life)
Ayn Rand is often unjustly maligned.

Given the time constraints and variety of other interests people may have, it is no wonder so many have only read part of Ayn Rand’s work, or only the commentaries.

Titles selected for shock value like “The Virtue of Selfishness” carry more weight in many minds than the point intended by Rand. Putting things in perspective, what Rand said, what somebody thinks she said, or what somebody wants to mislead others to believe she said; are not as important as what truly works toward supporting a healthy, happy society.

Rand’s selfishness was not a cold independence. Her heroes who were at the top of the line for self-mastery were always sharing with each other. In John Galt’s Atlantis, there were theatrical productions, lectures and symphonies. All are much better when performed by groups.

In the “real world,” protagonists Dagny Taggart and Hank Rearden ran a railroad and a steel mill, both of which would be impossible without numerous employees. Rand’s heroes are constantly rescuing and looking after each other. It is particularly absurd to suppose Rand promoted independence in light of the love affairs in her novels.

 Rand used the word “selfishness” to describe looking after one’s interest. It is good to be kind and loving and sacrifice for people and things one holds dear. It is ridiculous and dangerous to override one’s thoughts and impressions in order to go along with the collective, when all others in the collective are doing the same. Rand was serving commentary on many crazy instances in which people were asked to endure personal hardship for groups “raising awareness” about some specious cause, that in actuality laundered overhead for good ol’ boys and lobbyists.

 A perusal of “Atlas Shrugged” might lead one to believe that Galt’s Atlantis was a Marxist utopia. The residents were industrious, and there was no poverty among them. The motto “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs,” could have applied. But, unlike students of Marx, Rand approached the utopian dream from the supply side. Modern attempts at creating utopian societies have neglected the first part of the slogan, just as many who claim to be followers of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. forget the last half of the key line in his “I Have a Dream” speech.

 The American welfare state is criticized because of the perception that a great number able-bodied and able-minded people are collecting disability or unemployment. They are paid almost as well as people working one or two jobs. It would take a hard heart to frown on looking after the general welfare. However, unhappy emotions sometimes fester when there is an inversion, and the working have-nots are forced to support lifestyles of the non-working haves. Those among us who have not mastered their emotions on occasion express resentment at seeing the comfortable digs, fancy accouterments, and expensive leisure pursuits of those who cannot pay their own rent or their own grocery bills.

 A sense of injustice is stirred whether the non-working haves are in public housing or living off second-generation tax loopholes in McMansions. Contrary to popular opinion, Rand was dead set against crony capitalists. Rand supported what was called a free market before the term was corrupted. Rand wanted creative people to freely exchange things of value. Antagonist characters, like Jim Taggart and Wesley Mouch, were despicable worms who thought they could somehow exchange contributions to campaign chests for government grants and legislation that strangled productive competitors, without any noticeable effect on the economy.

 Another fallacy repeated in criticizing Rand and her concept of utopia is failure to address the role of government. Rand’s heroes were motivated and disciplined. People followed their bliss, and as a consequence, they created feats of art and engineering that others valued enough to purchase. The standard of living in Atlantis was exceedingly high because everybody was, by nature, passionately involved in creative and productive pursuits. They did not need a task-master lording it over them and hiring bureaucrats to make sure quotas and benchmarks were achieved, and to comply with guidelines for reporting. They did not sacrifice 25 percent of their income off the top to pay the salaries of those who sacrificed their creative spark in order to collect pay for concocting, administering, and enforcing the bureaucracy that prods the herd in directions contrary to genius. Instead, when individuals enthusiastically engaged the first half of Marx’ dictum, the second fell in place.

 Galt’s Atlantis was not an equal-opportunity outfit full of dead weight. It was an invitation-only group of consenting adults (and a few very happy children). People were free to follow their hearts. Back in the “real world,” people had to cooperate with the avarice of legislators in order to support their families and remain in good standing. Others bent to the breaking point to comply with hyper-regulation, and then turned to the black market. Resentment for the government, akin to that expressed by modern-day taxpayers completing IRS forms, encouraged gaming the system.

 Yet Rand’s utopia is lambasted as naive because she explored the concept of a group of motivated, intelligent people pleasantly and peacefully governing themselves. Students of Marx receive less criticism for trying to enforce the second half of his philosophy on live human subjects, finding it horribly difficult to keep the pieces together, and eventually resorting to blood and terror because they lost track of the first half.

 For the record, I am not a disciple of Rand, just an admirer. I merely read her works and agreed with well over 95 percent of what she said. I started with her nonfiction and read it backward, chapter by chapter, to make sure I wasn’t getting slowly snookered into a lie.

LESLEE KULBA
Asheville

City accused of making
bad APD situation worse

William Hogan

As a devoted supporter of the Asheville Police Department and law enforcement agencies in genera, I have watched with great dismay at the CONSTANT BARRAGE of reports regarding misconduct within the APD.

I can only imagine the pain and embarrassment being felt by the overwhelming percent of OUTSTANDING APD officers and employees as they are colored by the “brush of dishonor” warranted by only a few of their total. Nine years ago, while I was orchestrating the first Memorial Day Ceremony in City/County Plaza, it was because of my innate respect for law enforcement personnel (and fire fighters) that made me INSIST that they — our first line of defense — always be included among the honorees on Memorial Day. Thus, the anguish I feel throughout this ongoing fiasco, is physically and mentally palpable to me. Unfortunately, because of the way the series of violations has been handled by those “in power,” exacerbates the adverse reputation brought onto the city “in toto.”

Regrettably, the situation in “The Evidence Room” is only one in a sequence of questionable APD activities that have occurred in the past few years, e.g., an officer’s blatant misuse of the communications system to harass another officer, etc.  What angers me even more is the fact that after conducting a five week “stalling operation,” the Chief of Police is allowed to gracefully RETIRE, with all pension and benefits intact, rather than being placed on administrative leave during the conduct of the ongoing investigation.

Having overseen one of the most egregious forms of misconduct, the city and media have even PRAISED him when, in actuality, judgment should have been reserved pending the outcome of the investigation. To have allowed a five-week delay before reporting the problem to the district attorney raises questions of culpability, dereliction of duty, and even misprision of felony!  Can you imagine the frustration felt by dozens of Defense Attorneys who could not even gain access to evidence needed to provide their clients with “timely justice”? (Remember: Justice delayed is justice denied?)  And now we face the frightening situation wherein numerous seriously dangerous criminals will be set free to roam our (your) streets and further victimize innocent citizens! All this because of a chief of police took FIVE WEEKS to report that there “might be a problem!”

It is my fervent opinion that the very first time there was a break in the “chain of evidence” whereby EVERY piece of evidence MUST be accounted for, THAT fact should have been reported. That very first piece of “missing” or “misplaced” evidence might have been the piece of the evidence puzzle that could have freed an innocent person or kept a guilty person behind bars.  Why wait FIVE WEEKS? Why wait ONE week or one day? If a piece of evidence cannot be located, that fact should be reported IMMEDIATELY, to EVERYONE in the chain of command AND to the DA’s office, and THEN the search should begin!

To “sit” on such information, or “stall” because the evidence “might” be misplaced, is unconscionable and despicable. And then our city leaders add insult to injury by praising the “captain of a sinking ship” when he chose to “jump ship.” In the event that any innocent persons are victimized — even killed — by one the those who were granted early release due to “The Evidence Room Caper,” each of you, but especially those in the “chain of command,” will bear part of the blame. You MUST run a “tighter ship” and be more judicious when handing out official praise to almost every city employee who shows up to work.

In the meantime, I am considering a request to the “Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement” to reconsider the accreditation of the APD, which continues to operate under a cloud of misconduct.

I also recommend that the city rescind, at least temporarily, the honorable retirement of Chief (Wiiliam) Hogan and place him on temporary suspension. Give some self-respect back to the 99 percent of APD who do their jobs in an honorable way, every day.

Walter M. Plaue
Asheville

‘Beer City USA’ accolade termed worth promoting

I am a bit amazed some people are disappointed that Asheville has earned the title “Beer City USA.” Tourism is the lifeblood of WNC, and whatever reason people find to come here is fine with me. If anything, our beer industry should be encouraged to thrive.

According to the World Bank, tourism is the largest and the fastest developing industry in the world today. That Asheville is a leader in tourism is essential to our economy. Beer is one more leg for our tourist industry to stand on. While Asheville has more attractions than alcohol — beer is just one more good attraction.

Recently I was in one of Asheville’s great places to have a beer, and I met some young people visiting from Greenville, S.C. In our conversation, I learned they all came up from the GSP area to have an engagement party. Good for them. Good for us.

A while back Fodor’s named Asheville the No. 1 place to visit worldwide in 2011. The Biltmore Estate was the most visited of all North Carolina tourist attractions in 2010. We also won the competition for Beer City USA. Let’s keep the accolades coming.

Ronald Hult
Weaverville

Would real Republicans
stand up for Trump?

Cable news has enabled a preference when choosing a media source. Left-leaning Americans watch either CNN, MSNBC or CNBC, while right-winged Americans watch Fox News. Differences between partisanship media has spawned a firestorm of opinions from news hosts, performing the good guy bad guy scenario of professional wrestling.

Over the past years, the Democrat Party has divided. The initial Blue Dog stance  combined with liberal progressivism contributes mixed viewpoints from the party. Lately the Republican Party itself doesn't escape withdrawals. The retraction of traditional conservative values has also divided that delegation, birthing the American Tea Party.

During the 2010 election The American Tea Party once deemed as a joke has received  recognition . The disarray we've seen between traditional Democrats and Progressives has occurred to Republicans by means of the Tea Party. The Tea Party has also created major disagreements for conservative media hosts.

The term RINO surfaced widely during the 2010 election. While accused RINOS such as Rove, and Krauthammer humbled the Tea Party candidate Kristin O'Donnell, others like Limbaugh, and Hannity, unequivocal backed O'Donnell. Little did we know Tea Party supporter Sarah Palin would received the same conservative media response as O'Donnell did. Obviously, the Tea Party had effected the partisan media, removing some from their comfort zone.

The American Tea Party has provoked and provided many surprises. The best so far is Donald Trump. The Donald sees a perfect grass roots opportunity. The uprising to sustain traditional American values has voters looking outside the box. Only after three short month the newly elected Republicans have voters concerned. Conservative media shows are also concerned and infatuated by Donald Trump.

Donald Trump's approach has the Republicans In Name Only very nervous. While American voters are intrigued, the media is down playing Trump as not serious, or too extreme. How long can conservative media keep pushing Trump away?  The momentous question is, why are conservative hosts so indifferent and fearful of Trump?

Trump's tactics are providing international solutions, not the same perpetually restricted resolutions of the past. Trump is exposing the unwavering repetitiveness within conservative media. Why are media hosts and their guests debasing Donald Trump? Are news broadcasters uncomfortable presenting Trump's viewpoints? Will Trump expose the true Republicans from the RINOS, entering into the realms of Palin and O'Donnell?

One thing for sure, the conservative media doesn't have a trill up their leg for Trump, while the American voters do.

Jerry Soesbee
Asheville

Military lauded for killing
enemy; wake-up call rings

Our Navy SEALS, in a CIA-led operation, killed America’s most reviled enemy (Osama bin Laden). The end of a long and twisted road that led us to a fortress in Pakistan, began with clue given up four years ago by enemy combatant terrorist, Kalid Sheik Mohammad, held at Guantanamo Bay.

We are reminded whose individual rights our government is constitutionally obligated to protect – American citizens. UBL did not have the opportunity to "lawyer up" or have Miranda rights read, as American citizens do. This is a wake-up call. This administration needs to go back to the tools that work: Gitmo is one of them.

The world isn’t what this administration wants it to be. It is what it is.

We killed Al Qaeda’s inspiration. We will remain relentless in this continued war on terror. American citizens expect our government to uphold its sacred obligation and to use any and all measures to “insure domestic tranquility, (and) provide for the common defense.”

Let us celebrate this historic day. However, do not forget that our individual rights and our way of life are to be protected by our government. Enemy combatants, who have openly sworn to kill us all, do not enjoy those rights.   

Jane Bilello
Chairman
Asheville Tea Party
Asheville Tea PAC 
Hendersonville

Far-left takeover alleged
of Buncombe Democrats

The Asheville Citizen-Times recently reported that former Buncombe County legislator Bruce Goforth, a lifelong Democrat, recently changed his party registration to unaffiliated.

Mr. Goforth, who served four terms in the House, voted with the Democrats on most every issue, served as Democrat caucus whip, and arguably was the most influential house legislator from Western North Carolina in the past term of the General Assembly. The newspaper stated, “He didn’t feel like a Democrat anymore in Buncombe County, which has been taken over by the party’s progressive wing ... It’s so far left there, I don’t feel I am a Democrat there.”

On behalf of the Buncombe County Republican Party I would like to applaud and recognize Mr. Bruce Goforth on his recent decision to change his party affiliation from Democrat to Unaffiliated and also to congratulate him on his new position as special adviser  and assistant on economic development efforts to N.C. House Speaker Thom Tillis. His appointment, along with that of Buncombe County resident Charles Thomas as the N.C. House speaker’s chief of staff, will give our community a greater voice in state government.

Former Rep. Goforth has shown real political courage and has exhibited sound, reasonable judgment on realizing along with other conservative democrats that the progressive, left wing Democratic party is disconnected with and does not represent many people within its own party. Times and attitudes are changing and Goforth is aware that we must change the way we govern here in Buncombe County and across North Carolina. The former conservative Democrat is a small business owner and knows how the economic downturn has affected employers and business owners across the region and state. He believes in putting the need for jobs before playing politics.   

Mr. Goforth’s decision follows the Buncombe County Democrat Party executive committee’s vote to appoint 28-year-old Drew Reisinger as Buncombe County Register of Deeds over thirty year Register of Deeds veteran Joann Morgan. Former Register of Deeds Otto DeBruhl had endorsed Ms. Morgan for the position following his retirement after over three decades of service to this county. Mr. Reisinger, an unemployed Democrat Party campaign worker, had no experience in the Register of Deeds office. Following Mr. Reisinger’s appointment, many long time employees have announced their retirement from the office.

Instead of focusing on improving our community’s economy, schools, and opportunities for everyone, it is clear that the Buncombe County Democratic Party is pursuing such an extremist liberal agenda that even the most loyal, lifelong Democrats like Mr. Goforth & Ms. Morgan are being purged from it’s ranks. We believe that a small minority in this county pushing this leftist agenda is bringing substantial harm to Buncombe County. However, the light switch has been turned on by Mr. Goforth and will continue to grow brighter as voters realize the progressive radical left wing of the Democratic Party does not represent their real interests or true beliefs.

As Ronald Reagan said: “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party. The party left me.”

The BCGOP would like to extend a hand of cooperation to all and or any conservative Democrats or unaffiliated voters in Buncombe County who desire and seek a local party that will respect and represent their true conservative principles and core values.

Only by focusing on creating good paying private sector jobs, cutting unnecessary government spending, making government more efficient and avoiding tax increases, can people realize the American Dream not only here in Buncombe County, but across the state.

Henry D. Mitchell
Chairman,
Buncombe County Republican Party
Fairview

Visit brings out irony of blacks’ Confederate link

As my little brother and I sat pool side at the estate home of Mr. Dewey and Mrs. Sissy Barber, owners of the foremost purveyors of Southern apparel, DixieOutFitters, we could not help but to be overcome at the irony of our visit here. The Barbers had opened up on this Easter weekend their beautiful coastal home to Terry Lee and I , and the three young black boys who were accompanying us to Cross City Florida  at the invitation of the Dixie Defenders Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans,  where they would perform on African Drums a song composed by Terry Lee in honor of the SCV.

We watched as Ms. Sissy fussed over and spoiled these young boys as if they were her very own. Never mind the lecture that Dewey would give them about responsibility, as he handed them the keys to his golf cart and relented to his young grandson, Daytona, who had now joined his newfound brothers that while he had been banned from driving , today if he was careful, he, too, could take turn driving with the others.

D, as he his fondly called, would run the cart into the side of the Barber home. Hours later, I would observe the joy in all their eyes as Mr. Barber took them out to sea in his boat. I don’t know whether they had more fun on the boat or going shopping with Ms. Sissy to pick up some flowers she would later plant in her garden, or all that pizza we gladly devoured.
 Sadly for the boys, Terry Lee and I would have to make the decision that we must journey directly  to Memphis, Tenn., right after my speech  in Cross City on Tuesday afternoon to visit with Mr. Ken Thrasher (one of America’s very own heroes who lie dying in the Veterans Administration Hospital, and who was denied the right to place a small Confederate Battle Flag at his beside table in this year that the whole of America began recognizing the sesquicentennial of the War Between the States), and could not allow them to miss any more time from school. I almost literally had to fight the biggest of the three, when I told him to pack, and that we would have to take them back to Asheville.

The irony was: Here we were  with three young black boys having the time of their lives, basking in the same kind of love they had read about in the car on our journey here, of Jim Limber, the young slave, who Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his wife had taken into their home as their son; in the home of the man whose company manufactures and sells the very clothing bearing the Southern Cross that so uplifts the spirit of the Southern people, that so many young Southern babies like young Candice Hardwick of Latta are willingly to sacrifice all, including their path of so-called education for the sake of all of us who call ourselves Southern Americans, and whose ancestors like Mr. Thrasher’s made an honorable stand in Dixieland.

H.K. Edgerton
Asheville

URTV board accused of bamboozling taxpayers

Another head fake from within URTV and I find it alarming that they have funds to keep public access on the air even after they stated that they would be closed due to lack of funds.

The Rev. Jerry Young and the (URTV) Board of Directors has done this same tactic once before and appears to be again pulling the wool over the citizen’s of Buncombe County.I also think the city (of Asheville) has taken the right step in requiring a full inventory all of owned equipment at URTV, which should happen this week.

This vendor (URTV) has a track record of saying one thing & doing the other. Finding funds for a legal battle instead of “pulling there weight” which has been said by more than one City & County official.

I look forward in seeing a new vendor & replacing the current vendor URTV-WNC Media Center. If requested, I will give a sworn statement in relationship to my time on the Board of Directors at URTV.

Richard Bernier
URTV Board Member
From 2008-2009
Weaverville