From Greenville Dragnet, a website that covers crime in Greenville, S.C.
The site covered an altercation that went down in the parking lot of a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Hendersonville between a 54-year-old Asheville man and a 73-year-old South Carolina woman. The woman says the man cut her off to get a parking space, then blocked her when she tried to enter the restaurant. She apparently slapped him, and he slapped her back.
From that starting point, here’s where Greenville Dragnet goes:
Me and the Mrs. went to Asheville a few weeks ago, because we never had been there. For northerners who haven’t been there don’t bother – it’s kind of a cross between Hartford, CT, Newark NJ and the parts of Greenwich Village where you buy drugs. What struck me the most about it though was the people. No matter the age they were all the same carbon copy of what people think is a hip, intelligent “liberal” American. They all had the same clothing, the same tattoos and many were having the same conversations over and over again. It’s a town full of angry, arrogant posers pretending to live in a city. They look down on the rest of the Carolinas and it shows. Fairbanks (the Asheville man involved in the incident) was demonstrating the culture of Asheville, displaying the disdain the people of Asheville feel for the rest of North and South Carolina. His disdain was so great, so all consuming, that he literally thought he could savage an old lady and then sit down for a meal as the people around him cowed.
20 Comments
I don't know how one can get so upset at a whole city because of one rude older man, who was most likely having a bad day. Asheville is by far one of the friendliest, happiest, accepting places I have ever been to. Anyone that has ever visited here would see that. Everyone has a bad day every once and a while and no city is absolutely perfect. We all have our issues. One can't judge EVERYONE in a city based on ONE altercation in a parking lot of a Cracker Barrel. So quick to judge and so quick to spread the hate when they aren't even willing to let a second experience change their outlook. I feel sorry for this person, that they are so miserable.
No Joke Hether, people get caught up in all the hype of Asheville.
The HUGE difference between Asheville and Greenville (and Upstate SC) is that there are far more job and career opportunities in SC as opposed to Asheville and WNC. The economy down there is just a lot better and more opportunities exist for work. Asheville offers nothing but low paying service jobs. Yes, I prefer the mountains, but you simply cannot discount the huge advantage Greenville and the Upstate have over NC, especially WNC and Asheville.
I have been in a 2 day argument with the author of that site (stupidly, because what's the point?) about making reductive remarks about an entire population because of a horrible but isolated incident. He accused me of being a "fellow hipster dirtbag from Asheville" because I haven't attacked Mr. Fairbanks enough, which must mean I in some way condone his behavior. I absolutely do not and I think he needs to be fired and charged with assault but this man just went off on me. When I mentioned that I was neither a hipster nor a dirtbag but a rather conventional looking librarian, he replied:
"And my wife went to Library school – I have it on good authority that many Librarians are hipsters and dirtbags. Especially ones who don’t care that a significant portion of comments on the Internet from her compatriots support a maniac that your city employs."
Yeah, that sounds just like most librarians. Ugh. At least we won't have to worry about him visiting Asheville anymore. Hooray!
@Sean:
Who said anything about Greensboro? I would disagree with the comment, whether it be Greensboro or Greenville.
Based on 2006 statistics, Greenville, SC murder and assault rates per 100,000 people is MORE THAN TWICE that of Asheville. Greenville, SC is ABOVE the national average in both categories, Asheville is below in both categories.
Northerer who moved to Asheville a year and a half ago here. I'm guessing Newark and Hartford are the only places north of the Mason-Dixon that this guy has ever been. Try Ithaca for a northern Asheville.
Yes, we do have plenty of hipsters who have the same tattoos and piercings and hold the same conversations over and over again, but unless Cracker Barrel has opened up some organic vegan options, I don't think you'll find them there.
@pbnj:
I've got news for you; Asheville has just as many assaults and shootings as Greensboro.
I've lived in Asheville for almost 5 years. It is a wonderful place to raise a family. Because of one isolated incident which could easily have happened anywhere in America, this person from elsewhere feels it appropriate to make sweeping assumptions and judge all people in Asheville? PUH-LEAZE!!! I really pity this fool for feeling like that and actually believing that we are all "a town full of angry, arrogant posers." Simply not true. Open the eyes and you will see, open your heart and you will know the truth.
After watching the 15 minutes of Greenville murders on their local news each day, I think we can feel a little more smug.
Sad thing is that is true, this town has so much smug and fake angst is not funny. Everyone is so unique they all look alike and think alike.
Project much? I read the entire 'Dragnet' blog post & it is irrational and offensive, which makes me think the blogger may have some serious emotional issues. I could recommend a good analyst or two. In Asheville. Maybe not.
Seriously, Asheville is like Hartford? Im from Connecticut, and this person has no idea what they are talking about. Hartford dies after business hours. Bigger than Asheville and a fracton of the life.
For shits and giggles I enjoy flipping over to channel 4 to watch the Greenville news because it makes me realize how thankful I am to not be living in that crime-ridden city. It seems like someone is shot or assaulted there every day.
The point is, nobody who LIVES in Hendersonville ever goes there.
The rest of the article isn't much better, and this individual bills himself as an alternative news source because the local ones aren't good enough. I sincerely hope no one is taking him seriously as a credible news source, especially since he's clipping his news from the local sources.
I will play devil's advocate here. I believe that this man should be charged for knocking an older woman to the ground, and he obviously has some anger management issues. But she did strike him first. And the news report did state that BOTH were being charged.
And don't get me started on judging a city by a single person living in it.
Someone pissed in your cheerios and soured your opinion about Asheville. We get you don't like us, sir. But to subject your point of views into your "news articles" is not only unprofessional, but you discredit yourself.
I must admit to being a tad offended by his statements.
I'm not sure how they do it down in Greenville SC, but everybody in Asheville knows that hipsters LOVE Cracker Barrel – especially on Saturday – That's Chicken-N-Rice day! She's lucky she didn't leave there with a lip-ring and an ironic tattoo!
Uh Oh – I just read on her blog that she's willing to give Asheville another chance and next week she plans to take her family for a bike ride on Tunnel Road!
Much anger in this post.
I don't in any way condone what that idiot did to the lady, but I will admit that some Ashevillians get WAY too defensive when their coolness is questioned.
I thought you hipsters were into peace and love? What gives?
-=WL=-
So you come to Asheville for 5 min. and you got us all figured out. You're like my sister who comes here and trys to tell me that no one in Asheville can drive. I got news for you …. people drive horrible everywhere! Don't blame the town for your one horrible experience…sounds to me like you shoulda nipped this situation in the bud when you had the chance. That's like me saying all people from SC are cowards for letting a 54 year old man slap their wife around.
and according to the ac-t, this man was a city employee. nice way to represent your town! anyone who would knock a 72 yr old woman to the ground should be ashamed of themselves.
Haha anyone who actually believes this after visiting Asheville should probably just never travel anywhere.