June 27, 300 people showed up at an Asheville rally to support government healthcare. Speakers included Asheville’s Mayor Terry Bellamy and Buncombe County Commission Chair David Gantt. They claimed detractors needed education. They spoke as if there were two options: letting big business run the healthcare system or letting government run it. They did not address the option of discontinuing government favors for big businesses controlling healthcare costs. Participants touted a “philosophy” that abdicating responsibility to nebulous government would obviously make things better.
To support the cause, Gantt said all world religions believe in helping each other. The statement implies people need to blindly trust that government will do for people better than they can do for themselves, and that it is better for the soul to be subject to the whims of those in power than to function in liberty. (Wasn’t one of Jesus’ missions to liberate the captive?)
By way of contrast, June 23, an Asheville protest against WLOS-TV airing unopposed political commentary by President Barack Obama on the subject of healthcare was attended by twelve with little groundswell.
