Occupy Asheville dominated public comment at Asheville City Council’s public hearing tonight. They were peaceful. They wanted dialogue. The mayor tried to get one speaker to narrow down what that meant, but he was more into words than reality. Mostly, they needed a place to occupy.
The city’s ordinances ban the public from parks at night. The protesters wanted Roger McGuire Green, part of the huge Pack Square Park that is still in debt after numerous contributions from various parties. Councilwoman Esther Manheimer was concerned that people have already rented the park and gotten permits. One event this weekend has thousands of people coming from all over, and thousands of dollars have already been spent. People were cooking food. She suggested the protesters be allowed to camp in the parking lot of the public service building.
As the crowd heckled, she stated, “Beggars can’t be choosers.”
“We’re not beggars!” they shot back. They just wanted some land. Already businesses have provided toilets and food and clothing and socks. Those items, of course, come from those evil people working their lives away for The Man. A few of the protesters asked council to cooperate while they remained peaceful. There was a time when something less than half as threatening constituted a threat against the mayor’s life.
