Support the Asheville Community Resource
Center
Open letter to Asheville Mayor
Editors, Asheville Global Report,
Mayor Worley,
By now, I am sure you have received many letters in support of the
Asheville Community Resource Center. I just want to add my voice to
the choir. I hope some way can be found to allow them to remain in
their current space.
I only discovered the ACRC recently, when I volunteered to do some
editing for the Asheville Global Report newspaper. Though I will admit
the facility was disconcerting at first, I soon realized that it was
humming with a vitality and creativity like nowhere else in Asheville.
While there, I took the time to wander around and get a sense of the
place. I briefly visited each room, and spoke with some of the people
who happened to be there at the time.
As a bicyclist, I was especially impressed by the Recyclery. Here
is a place that, in exchange for some labor on your part, can set
you up with a functional bicycle at little or no cost. Or they can
assist you in repairing your own bicycle. For those who can’t
afford a car to drive to work, that could mean the difference between
employment and homelessness. In general, the Recyclery does good work
by facilitating and encouraging the use of bicycles as a viable alternative
to fossil fuel power. Yes, the ACRC is a bit disorganized and chaotic.
But its denizens are certainly not drug dealers or criminals. They
are decent, law-abiding citizens who just happen to be disenfranchised
by “the system.” The many and various organizations hosted
by the ACRC all serve vital and unique functions in the Asheville
community. Without them, their clients would have no other alternative.
I was greatly saddened to hear that the ACRC might have to close its
doors. To be honest, I didn’t know how strongly I felt about
the issue until I wrote this letter. I originally intended to write
one line, and ended up with five paragraphs. Save the ACRC!
Gregory C. Wilcox
Candler, NC
Thank You AGR
Hello at AGR,
Thank you, thank you for your excellent coverage of world news. My
major source; since I do not have a computer or TV.
I’m a 59 year old NC native and began my social activist career
in the civil rights movement in the South during the late 60’s.
It is shocking and depressing for me to have witnessed the deterioration
of democracy, human decency and integrity in the last 2 years.
Only one suggestion -– Please have a special story each week
in the success of human rights, grassroots democracy , earth justice
-– even small victories. Hope is a precious commodity. Congratulations
on your Utne recognition for outstanding reporting.
Judy Conrad
Burnsville, NC
Justice for Eddie Hatcher
Dear Editors,
Currently Native American Political Prisoner Eddie Hatcher is being
housed at Eastern Correctional Institution located in Maury, NC. Since
the NC Court of Appeals refused last year to even acknowledge nine
of the eleven issues raised in his appeal he has had little time to
prepare the Petition For Writ of Certiorari for the NC Supreme Court
due to constant battles with the NC prison system. Most challenging
of those battles is his attempt to obtain adequate medical care. Two
months ago Eddie had dropped to an alarming 139 pounds but presently
is holding at 167, still, very small for him and his frame.
Some of you may remember the constant attempts of Eddie to expose
the Sheriff of Robeson County in NC, Glenn Maynor, for taking large
sums of money in traffic stops, taking drug money from drug dealers,
trafficking in drugs, conspiring to manufacture evidence against Eddie
and countless other illegal activities.
In fact, there are several articles on Eddie’s website www.eddiehatcher.org
which he wrote about Sheriff Maynor and his illegal activities. For
years, Eddie continued to write letters, articles, and talked to reporters
asking that they investigate leads that Eddie provided.
Every reporter refused to listen to Eddie and many people actually
turned against Eddie because of his accusations against Sheriff Maynor.
This past week, federal agents arrested Sheriff Glenn Maynor, for
all of the charges Eddie had levied against him as far back as 1998.
When Maynor’s house was searched federal agents discovered more
than $1 million concealed throughout the house. Maynor was charged
with everything except of course of manufacturing evidence against
Eddie.
Since Eddie’s conviction he has written countless people asking
if they could please provide a logical explanation as to how, if Eddie
committed the drive-by shooting he was charged with, did the jury
find him guilty of murder in the death of the man, but found Eddie
not guilty in the shooting of the girl. If Eddie committed this act
alone as authorities have said from the beginning, it is not possible
that he shot one but not the other.
This is just one of the many discrepancies of the case.
Since Eddie’s conviction he has had to fight his case from the
appeal on as well as the NC DOC practically alone. He has had no legal
assistance whatsoever. The loss of his Mama is still heavy on him
and he’s been pretty much by himself since that time. He has
no one now to provide any funds to him for the things he needs and
he would be unable to receive money anyway as the DOC has him billed
for $300 for legal claims he has filed.
Eddie has a new defense office, Justice for Eddie Hatcher Campaign,
P.O. Box 381627, Cambridge, MA 02238, which is operated completely
by volunteers. The campaign is in desperate need of funds to publish
a new updated brochure, to pay a webmaster, to purchase supplies,
postage and to send some money to Eddie via another inmate. If there
is any way you can help Eddie please contact him directly at Eddie
Hatcher, #0173499, P.O. Box 215, Maury, NC 28554, at the campaign’s
address, or via email eddie_hatcher@hotmail.com
Justice for Eddie Hatcher Campaign
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