I find absurd some of the statements Councilman Carl Mumpower has
made concerning the drug problem here in Asheville. I find hilarious
his repeated attempts at public grandstanding in some of his attempts
to usurp the magistrate powers of our law enforcement personnel who
risk their lives each and every day. And for a man of his educational
pedigree to imply grand conspiracies reeks of nothing short of
playing to a political constituency for future political objectives.

I have a much easier remedy. I and my former high school dean of boys
have, in concert with Buncombe County Schools officials, started a
program that has enlisted the aid of former drug users and people
with criminal pasts to give seminars at city and county middle
schools on the consequences of choice. A good friend of mine and I
have both participated in this program the last two years.

That's an unheralded and unpublicized effort to make a sincere and
diligent attempt to "nip the problem in the bud." I would label this
a program to correct the problem before it escalates and becomes
unmanageable, thereby costing taxpayers for efforts to penalize and
punish instead of educate.

Tony Hooker

Asheville