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Letter to Editor Ashland Daily Independent 09-21-2010

Undertaker

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2009
Messages
146
Location
The Wood, Kentucky, USA
I don't quite know what to make of this. Can't find anything regarding the City Commissioners decision to eliminate the NFA bulliten on the Central Park signage. So I don't know where this lady got her info. I guess I'll have to take a drive downtown to check out the 'Park Rules' signs.

Churches allowed to dictate policies

I commend William Secrest on his Sept. 12 letter regarding alcohol sales at concerts. It was a reminder of why Ashland Inc. left the city. Business people from all over the world would not come to Ashland because of the lack of accommodations. No major hotel or restaurant would build in Ashland because of its dry status.

Ashland Inc., which did much for the city, the schools and our economy, pushed for a wet vote but were defeated. At the time, Ashland was a thriving city with a population of approximately 35,000 to 40,000 people. After the departure of Ashland Inc., we continually lost population and are now under 22,000 with no prospects of attracting businesses to the area.

Mr. Secrest was correct when he stated that Ashland will not attract major concerts without the sale of alcohol. Religious leaders feared alcohol sales would increase crime but I haven't heard anything from the churches about possible increases in crime now that you can carry a gun into the park. I find it ironic that I can’t buy a beer at a blues festival but I can take a pistol into Central Park.

If the current administration is going to let churches dictate policy that keeps Ashland in the dark ages, then it's time to vote in progressives who want to see our city flourish. Hopefully, all the candidates for city commissioner will have open forums to allow citizeåns to question their plans to pull Ashland into the 21st century.

Neva McGuire, Ashland
 

neuroblades

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2009
Messages
1,240
Location
, Kentucky, USA
Great! We have a nosy busybody who is upset because she can't get her booze in public! I think someone somewhere needs to education Ms. McGuire to the fact that the Right to bear arms is a Constitutional Right, while drinking alcohol is NOT! There's no comparsion between the two issues, not even remotely!
 

langzaiguy

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
916
Location
Central KY
While drinking alcohol is not Constitutionally protected, it is my business and no one else's. If I want to buy a beer and someone wants to sell me one, what business is it of the state's? Don't I have an inherent right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness if I am not infringing on anyone else's rights? Luckily my county is "damp" and not dry. It's still silly why it isn't a wet county yet.

The firearm comment did come off as ignorant and negative though it's not blatantly so.
 

mels95yj

New member
Joined
May 29, 2009
Messages
5
Location
, ,
As of a week or two ago, the sign had not been changed. The rule is still at #2. Just an FYI.
 

Undertaker

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2009
Messages
146
Location
The Wood, Kentucky, USA
My response to Mrs. McGuires LTE

Neuroblades is right on to this one. I have submitted my own response to the Editor at the Daily Independent. Here's a copy:

In regards to Mrs. McGuire's letter, make no mistake, the right to bear arms is a Constitutional Right. The right to drink alcohol on public property is not protected by the Constitution. I will add this bit of an opinion. If and when a gambling riverboat is ever docked at the Ashland Riverfront Park, which is owned and regulated by the City of Ashland and it's board of commissioners, ask yourselves what the patrons will be drinking on the boat while it is moored to your public park. I assure you it will not be river water.
 

langzaiguy

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
916
Location
Central KY
I don't think anyone here is advocating drinking on public property. Secondly, if a gambling boat ever comes about, I doubt it will be a government owned one.

While gun ownership certainly is constitutionally protected, let's not forget our other liberties.
 

Undertaker

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2009
Messages
146
Location
The Wood, Kentucky, USA
Langziaguy, you're correct but it's just the situation that here in Ashland, 25 years ago, the city permitted a 'mall' to be built 5 blocks from downtown and then they couldn't understand why the downtown business disappeared. Ashland Oil Inc. spent millions of dollars in Ashland to make this town attractive to investors and others but no alcohol sales were permitted so it was impossible for them to wine and dine potential clients. After AOI packed up and left, the city then said, let's let certain precincts sell alcohol so this won't happen again. Now were faced with a brand new river park that's not open to the public 'yet' and has replaced our wonderful boat ramp with one that cannot be used (so says the city) due to poor engineering. I had a commissioner personally tell me that the river park was specifically designed to host a gambling boat. It had to be built that way in order to get the grant money for it. Therefore, the comissioners don't want B.B. King to perform at the park and permit the sale of BEER to the patrons because they (city commissioners) don't want alcohol served on public property. These same commissioners will demand you to believe that Ashland is the most progressive town on the river. And lastly, Kings Daughters Medical Center recieved a multi million dollar grant to become a no smoking campus and was awarded additional monies if their city went along as no smoking indoors. So guess what our commissioners voted for. My only fact is, regardless of who owns the boat, alcohol will be served on it, and the city can claim it's not letting anyone drink on public property.
I'm not trying to prove a point but rather just inform. Any way you wash it, I don't think this town is as progressive as it thinks it is.
 

langzaiguy

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
916
Location
Central KY
Holy cow--sounds like you really know what's going on! Thanks for the details--it was both fascinating and discouraging. I do hope you get a better round of commissioners this November!
 
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