Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Ashvegas City Councilman Carl Mumpower on Tuesday night took his crusade against what he calls Asheville’s open air drug markets to his fellow council members Tuesday night. In a point-by-point presenation, Mumpower said he found “open air tailgate markets for hard drugs.” And he said that he didn’t see an urgency, or true concern or effort, on the part of local police to combat thie problem.
Police Chief Bill Hogan, who countered with his own Power Point presentation, showed all the hard work that police do. And he offered up a proposal modeled after what High Point is doing to combat drugs in their town.
So Bryan “Freebie” Freeborn and Holly Jones and Brownie Newman and Jan Davis and Robin Cape and Mayor Terry Bellamy all poured their hearts out about how awful drugs are and how an intractable, societal issue it is and how Abe Lincoln was really great (don’t ask us how this applied, ask Carl and Holly, who went each other in their usual cat-fight manner.)
But we learned more from listening to the folks who came up to speak to council. We learned from Chad Nesbitt that all the black prostitutes hang on South French Broad and the white Johns visit them, while all the white prostitutes hang down on Ashland Avenue and all the black Johns visit them. (Seriously, that’s what he said.)
We also learned that Chad thinks we should put police, armed with weapons and cameras, at the entrance to every public housing complex and dare people to come in and sell or buy drugs.
We learned from the president of the Deaverview residents’ council that crackheads get arrested and, hours later, are back on the street dealing.
And we learned from Sistah Selena Sullivan that she really is running for City Council this year, because she stood up and gave a speech about how people in public housing are prisoners in their own homes.
We also learned from Asheville Housing Authority officials that the federal government is cutting their funding, so they won’t be able to do as much as they use to in terms of public safety and maintenance.
Nobody came up with a solution to the drug problem in society, but it was quite an enlightening discussion.
Well, Sistah Selina needs to comment. I am amazed at the few haters regarding the approach that Councilman Mumpower is taking in the community. I would like to see how many have experienced living in public housing or in a "target zone"….Extra, extra, I was a leader before running for council last year, and I am a leader in this fight not because I am running for council this year. I am running for council because of lack of leadership. One must be able to motivate one to act in a positive way, to stand up for what is right and get involved in the progress of their community. A leader presents a plan and gives th strategy of how to execute. A leader understands that pats on the back are not given until the condition of the people as a whole are improved and is evident. A true leader is not one who only "speaks" well, they act well…
I am glad Mumpower is on about this. This is the fastest and best way for him to be shown up as the complete idiot he is.
Go for it Carl! Keep up the good work.
Seriously, this guy should not be allowed out on his own.
What, no one from Shiloh spoke up about the crack house on Caribou or the one on London road?
you know what happens when idiots like mumpower go out on their own high-profile crusades and put pressure on law enforcement to concentrate on public housing? the drug dealers start renting pnavs. remind me to tell you about what happened at our next door neighbor’s house over the weekend next time i see you.
the system is broken, and mumpower’s not helping.