When Biden Says "Billions to Ukraine for Munitions," the Fayettenam Wheels Start Turning

Midterm elections in North Carolina are in May.  They have been delayed numerous times because of gerrymandered voting districts drawn by the Republican majority in the State House.  Democrats sued for these incursions, and the maps have been both overturned and resurrected.   It depends on who you get in court.  Is it a Trump-appointed judge?  "Let them stand giving a notable advantage to Republicans!"  The Supreme Court of the United States ultimately denied the Republican appeal, agreed with the Democrats, and decreed voting maps in North Carolina will be drawn by outside experts.  (It is possible the new maps will only apply for this particular election, so stay tuned)  Issues or the policies determining the quality of life of district constituents seem to be secondary.  In North Carolina it seems to be a popularity contest.  Who has enough money to join the country club?  Who won't rat on his friends?  Who will siphon the most money to the City Council?  Who will give his buddies the best municipal contracts?  I am thankful for a handful of things in Fayetteville which have come to fruition under Mayor Mitch Colvin.  They built a long-awaited skateboard park at the location I suggested.  (The land was owned by the city, so it meant more money for the park itself.)  The Rowan Street or Grove Street bridge was replaced as were the bridges over the Cape Fear River and Cross Creek.  (This was a major accomplishment)  Splash pads were built all around the city.  The Woodpecker's baseball stadium was completed.  The Prince Charles Hotel was renovated.  Finally Hay Street was smoothed and paved.  Aside from the Market House being inaccessible and barricaded by fencing, the visual aesthetic of Fayetteville has improved.  Under this facade of progress real issues fester.  Issues seem to be secondary in North Carolina elections, because they are difficult.  Especially they are difficult in Cumberland Country.  Four hundred million dollars extra won't solve these issues.  What is the best example of a deep-seated, difficult, seemingly-eternal problem in a country?  Chemours.  Chemours is a Chinese-owned spin off company of DuPont, who famously has been disrespecting Americans since the 1960's.  It is a sordid past.  DuPont's solution was to change the name of their toxic chemical and rebrand the subsidiary Chemours.  The questions is:  "How and why is it possible a notable manufacturing company believes they are not responsible for disposing of their own toxic waste?"  Make Teflon, but in the process of manufacturing this ground-breaking product toxic by products must be disposed of properly.  "Clean it up!"  Duke Energy feels the same way, and they think it is not their responsibility to dispose burned coal ash.  Although their spill into the Dan River wreaked havoc on the environment, they were sued and found liable, and Pat McCrory drastically reduced their financial penalty, still they charged consumers for the clean up.  Shitting on Americans is commonplace in United States corporate history.  Kinlaw Farms championed treating their fields with hog urine and feces to the surprise of those living nearby.  It takes lawsuits to grow them an environmental conscience, but the isolation of a penthouse suite, five star amenities, and a lack of God keeps CEO's and boards of directors in the dark.  The quintessential function of living and working in a country, the ideas of community responsibility and fellowship, and vocational mentorship are absent from the minds of these lofty  companies.   It is like there are no dues to be paid to exploit America.  It's free range capitalism.  When regulations are inhibiting profits deregulate.  This is what happens.  Chemours now purports to want to be our friends.  They have proposed a six story tall one mile long retaining wall to separate their plant from the Cape Fear river.  You're a day late and a dollar short.  Let's take into account how much disease they have caused with the releasing of PFAS into the air, nearby ground water, and the source of drinking water for the city of Wilmington.  This has been happening for decades, and now they want to be our friends.  They are not.  I complain about commercial and military aircraft flying above our neighborhood, and the military community thinks I am a malcontent.  Fully I understand deployment, maneuvers, and training.  Fully I don't understand Piedmont, Endeaver Air, PSA, and Mesa flying their outgoing direct-to-Charlotte flights directly over our house.  Somewhere in time some corporate entity thought it was okay to save fuel.  The airlines were in a pinch during the Covid lockdown, but this has been happening for a long time.  How and why could and would anyone say blowing carbon monoxide and black soot onto neighborhood homes and foliage was a good idea.  Ask our oak trees?  The lids of our garbage cans are covered in black mold like the marble dome of the Jefferson Memorial.  It is going to cost five million to clean up their mess, but I the consumer must do it myself.  Black soot and carbon monoxide from the sky.  "Oh joy!"  That is a wonderful thing to wake up to everyday at six a.m., the roar of a commercial jet flying flying over the top of our house.  Who makes these decisions, and who could be so callous and irresponsible?  They are not our friends.  The Aberdeen and Rockfish, while a profitable short line railroad, also is not our friend.  Do they think twice that their noise, heat, vibration, and electricity could be disturbing those living in Fayetteville?  If I were running for office in Cumberland Country, and I wanted to pinpoint issues that affect the quality of life of residents, what would I say?  First we must restore the police force.  Gina Dawkins has not been an effective Chief of Police.  Why?  If you fear for your life when you drive to the store, then there is an issue.  Three men were murdered in cold blood at the former Holiday Inn on Owen Drive this past weekend.  Violent crime is off the cuff.  Traffic laws are not enforced, people speed, and driving is like a NASCAR race.  We need police.  If Fayetteville is having trouble keeping sworn officers, then something should be done.  Raise their salaries, offer them benefits, and provide community support.  We are passed the lynchings of 2000, and order must be restored.  A community cannot survive without the police.  Homelessness is endemic.  There are few mental health facilities, shelters, or kitchens.  Vagrants are camping out in tents under the MLK.  Guess we are no different than San Francisco or LA.  The vestiges of puritan fire-and brimstone are so antiquated, we have no idea how to host healthy living.  Fayetteville was more well adjusted when Hay Street was a smut farm.  At least someone recognized the needs of the people.