This is in reference to “Should Asheville Eat the Rich?” [Letters, Sept. 19].
In a word, yes, Asheville should eat the rich—or at least the rich who refer to themselves as “affluent” and think they are doing Asheville a favor by being [in town].
I grew up poor and worked hard and could now probably be referred to as affluent. But if someone called me affluent, that would be an insult to me, and I would be ashamed of myself if I referred to myself that way.
I don’t hate rich people, but I am rubbed the wrong way when Milly Lark refers to them as “affluent,” as if that makes them (and perhaps herself?) better persons. It comes across as if she thinks the affluent are better than others just because of how much money they have (and how thin they are), and that is disrespectful of the majority of others in Asheville.
The affluent of Asheville need to understand that they became affluent on the backs of others. My advice to the affluent invading Asheville: Respect people as human beings or you will continue to be disrespected as much as you disrespect those that aren’t as affluent as you are.
— K. Price
Rome, Ga.
