There once was a mountain town called “Cool Green Asheville.”

 Girded in conservative, Christian, responsible, and what we once called “normal” values, Asheville thrived as a safe haven for families and individuals seeking to build their chunk of the American Dream.

We are no longer that place.

Thanks to transplants bringing the misguided values of the places they ran from; elitist public policy decisions; cowardice by city leaders smart enough to know better; crony capitalism; indifference to our community’s traditional heritage and moral foundation; and the regression of our broader national culture, we’re a bit of a mess.

Add the costs and echoing impacts of Helene, and we’re a big mess.

Witness a few examples:

 • Governance — Around the turn of the century, we actually had a conservative majority on our city’s council. That’s when the left started getting organized around the political concept of diversity. They got it, and immediately discovered power and liberal conformity were more fun. Today’s council is a 7-0 mixture of dominantly female voices whose only attachment to diversity is which brand of socialism they embrace. Proverbs 21:2 – “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.”

• Revolving door crime  — I lovingly call our courthouse our community’s portal to hell. That doesn’t mean everyone there’s a bad guy – most aren’t. What is does mean is that the built-in inefficiencies, bias, and inconsistencies represent a judiciary characterized by unpredictability and mood swing justice. By the way, could they have made that portal any less handicap accessible? Proverbs 19:19 “A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment; for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.”

• Public housing — Warehousing people in sanctuaries for generational government dependency, crime, and drug distribution where the general public fears to tread is an egregious act. Asheville’s been doing it for decades and painting a happy face on the pretense. Proverbs 20:4 – “The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore, shall he beg in the harvest and have nothing.”

• The Biltmore Estate — Have you per chance noticed that they are able to serve liquor by the drink and yet avoid being a part of the city? Do you know anyone else who gets this opportunity? It’s called crony capitalism and it was supported by Democrat and Republican elected officials alike. Remember that next time you pay your extravagant city property taxes — and they don’t. Proverbs 20:17 – “Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.”

• Racism by Constitutionally sworn elected officials — From a personal view, one of Asheville’s greatest irrationalities is our city/county government’s propensity for racism. Appointing people to boards, promised reparations, and scholarships with color as a filter is the very definition of racism. Note the irony that the people yelling “racism” are usually the real racists. Proverbs 25:14 – “Whosoever boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.”

• Drugville — Our fair city – like most liberally run municipalities – is a sanctuary city for drug abuse. The variety of drug users who teach our children, run our government, man our courthouse, stumble around our streets, and live via trust-funds is astounding. The fact that so many here can’t get by without getting high tells you a lot about our corrupted culture.” Proverbs 21:17 – “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.”

• Harrah’s Cherokee Center — It used to be called the “Asheville Civic Center.” Now it’s named after a gambling establishment housed on a reservation that provides special privilege for a group of people based on their color. Aren’t those activities called vice and racism? Adding to this irony is the fact that an already horrifically indebted city government is about to once again go down a $100 million-plus rabbit hole for a new performing arts center. 

• Our interstate mess — Asheville has been debating a much-needed interstate upgrade for over thirty years. Each time DOT brings a proposal, the usual group of experts and antagonists shows up to poo-poo the proposal – and then the DOT goes away. They keep coming back, and Asheville’s “we must have design perfection, a destination bridge, and sexy bike paths” swoops in to slam the brakes. If we’re lucky, we’ll have a ribbon-cutting at the next millennial. Proverbs 26:5 – “Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.”

• The Vance Monument — Tearing it down was an exercise in toxic vanity. Much was lost, nothing but a temporary illusion of justice was gained. Proverbs 22:28 – “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.” 

• Parking meter folly — Fulfilling our city’s relentless dedication to imagery over substance, witness all the new, attractive, and exotic parking meters. The fact the digital face is too dark to read is a secondary concern. Proverbs 15:6 – “In the house of the righteous is much treasure; but in the revenue of the wicked is trouble.”