. . . the demand for locally produced foods has not been diminished by a weak
economy . . .
That controversial statement appears in the “Resolution on Food” that Asheville City Council is expected to pass Tuesday.(1, 2) It is not controversial because “workforce” people only visit the natural foods stores these days to see what is on the freebie trays. The problem is, Bush destroyed the economy, and it has been booming for the last four years. The author misconjugated “diminished.”
Moving on, as Asheville develops its food policy, one item plugged is pledging, as advocated by the Ag Extension. Pledge options include purchasing 10% of groceries from local sources, purchasing 10% of a particular grocery from a local source, or using a caterer who “designates” that they do business with providers of local food.
Those who wish us to make this pledge are the same who pledge allegiance to the republic for widget stands every week, and then proceed to destroy the Constitution in the name of democracy. What is to prevent the dear reader from concluding this pledge, too, will be made to impress a deluded public, with every intention of ignoring it?
I read a little from a book this weekend about one of my heroes, who shall remain anonymous lest I offend anybody’s right to religious persecution. In just a few pages, I stumbled upon three items that really impressed me about his character. One was that he refused to sign a pledge, even though it was for a good cause, because he wanted the liberty to make the right choice for the right reason, and not because he let a silly pledge be a harsh taskmaster.
