Also I let out a bleak chuckle at the South getting stereotyped yet again. Y'all, I have terrible news about law enforcement in the northeast, midwest and west coast, including every major city. Surveilling the populace and crushing resistance is a nationwide, bipartisan gentry obsession.

For those who went "what do you expect in NC/The South?" to our coverage of Asheville city hall teaming up with the feds on surveillance, even plenty of local govs here are scaling back surveillance in the face of public outrage. Asheville going the opposite direction was...a choice #avlgov #avlnews

hmm.

You: Please act normal, you need these people to like you People: Hello, David, nice to meet you Me: often dismissed as dirty and superstitious, medieval peasants had deep networks of aid and resistance, combined with a keen awareness of the weaknesses of their oppressors. I've written in-depth...

There's a reason the book that coined the very term transmisogyny was titled "Whipping Girl." The rush to blame transfems for literally everything is a major part of how bigotry against us works.

For those who went "what do you expect in NC/The South?" to our coverage of Asheville city hall teaming up with the feds on surveillance, even plenty of local govs here are scaling back surveillance in the face of public outrage. Asheville going the opposite direction was...a choice #avlgov #avlnews

Well, that took less than 24 hours, lads. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

Wow, New York Times, how did that ever happen

A friend just sent me this perfect piece by Karel Čapek, trans. Dora Round, ‘From the Point of View of a Cat’.

I do still need a good deal more hypnosis in my life.

More from our live coverage last night. City hall was packed. Most council members, especially the mayor, Bo Hess and Maggie Ullman, repeatedly treated locals with contempt. David's covered city council for over 20 years and says she's rarely seen locals this angry and mobilized #avlgov #avlnews

Last night Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer cut off public comment, after many locals had waited six hours, to push through a fed-backed surveillance expansion that will open the door to ICE and other agencies. Only one council member, Kim Roney, voted against. Locals are enraged. #avlgov #avlnews

Members of our collective, and more than 20 others who turned out against surveillance, weren't allowed to speak at tonight's city council meeting. Here are the unheard remarks one of us had prepared.

The public outrage tonight was something to watch. Keep that burning like a lantern through the night. We're going to need it in the years to come. #avlgov

Thanks, Matilda. Patrick Conant, Sunshine Labs: City council dissolved civilian police oversight a year ago. The public can't even see the 7.5 year contract you'll be agreeing to. Vote no at least until we can actually see what you're agreeing to. #avlgov

Next commenter: this surveillance will have a negative impact on the "image of Asheville." Claims that will hurt tourism and public speech. Other cities are banning these systems. "It's obvious that this type of surveillance isn't welcome in Asheville." #avlgov

Nina Tovish rejecting the proposal. This administration "doesn't care in the slightest about legal process and legality." #avlgov

Ullman doesn't want locals to even snap during comments that they support. Manheimer backs the suggestion, again looking to shut down public comment she doesn't like. #avlgov

Anne Craig: "I feel like this is a setup." Cites the public getting sent home last time this came up. Now they have to wait until after 10:30 to comment in rejection of the proposal "Then you give the public a token amount of time," citing Manheimer's limiting of public comment to 2 minutes #avlgov

Clare Hanrahan also urges rejection of this proposal. "There are very real security concerns." Surveillance "monitors all of our public movements." "Criminals at the helm" endanger dissent in these times using this technology. #avlgov

Next commenter is also against this surveillance package. "ICE will use this to harass us and our neighbors." "I am upset that there is no contract at this moment." Urges #avlgov to summarily reject this without it.

Commenter discusses ICE's capabilities to bypass #avlgov's supposed protections. Next speaker is Dennis Campbell. Says that his presentation is going to sound "pretty naive." He's in support of the proposed surveillance blitz.

Commenter is a cyber security expert. Speaking of Axon: "We don't get to control the data. They do." Talks about parts of contracts that #avlgov should pay attention to. "We don't get to renegotiate. If we want to keep FUSUS," city hall will have to follow their rules.

Next commenter will have ten minutes. "We the public have yet to see Axon's contract with the city of Asheville." #avlgov Commenter notes Axon's broad control over its contracts. "Axon's technology appendix," they say, collects broad sets of data on local residents.

Commenter points out the way that Axon sells its products to #avlgov, scamming local residents. "Axon raises its prices every year," adding that Axon is very friendly with ICE.

Someone ironically singing out, "I would do anything for Trump" to #avlgov would be correct in this chamber. Councilmember Bo Hess motions to approve. Someone very quietly seconds. Turner asks the audience if they are flatly against surveillance. First commenter says they they are.

City attorney Brad Branham also assuring that proposed use of fascist federal dollars will be narrow. Manheimer continues to ask questions of the attorney as the meeting drags on past 10:30 pm. We're still not to public comment. #Avlgov loves that fascist boot.

Jeff Jackson is a Democrat, but totally fine with using funds from the Trump administration, secured by a far-right politician now under investigation for sexual misconduct, to expand surveillance in cities across NC. The Democrats, y'all. #avlgov

Thanks @davidforbes.bsky.social . We're still enduring police chief Jackie Stepp as she just finished reading an entire letter via a republican US attorney. She continues her broken windows policing rant, likely hoping that the people in the audience ready to contradict her will just go home #avlgov

Nearly five hours into the Asheville city council meeting, they're finally getting to the vote on fed funding for expanded police surveillance Interim chief Jackie Stepp claims the police can't possibly do anything unless they spy on the public in real time 24/7. The public's chuckling. #avlgov

Thanks, Matilda. Asheville city council's padding discussion of this relatively uncontroversial shift in housing relief fund criteria in hopes many locals angry about the surveillance expansion next on agenda will go home... #avlgov

Roney asks about project near Swannanoa River Rd being potentially near harm's way. Commonwealth Development Corporation rep comes up to explain decision around location. Assures that no development would happen within the flood plain & native plants would go into that area #avlgov

Some very modest deep affordability guidelines have been added to the funding parameters. Five percent of units must be made available to those making 20 percent of area median income #avlgov Great, and there are 2nd, 3rd, and 4th homes around the area that lay vacant for most of the year.

Onto use of disaster recovery funds. Proposal to give funds to Mountain Housing, Commonwealth Development Corporation, and Laurel Street. #avlgov

Heaven forefend.

It's rare for Asheville city council to outright reject a development like this, let alone unanimously. Shiloh mobilized extensively, most of council's up for re-election and well, anger and pressure, work. #avlgov

Turner says 'no' vote is because she "feels hyper protective of Shiloh," and "not for traffic." Also doesn't want developer to "feel run off." #avlgov

Public comment concludes. Councilmember Smith motions to deny the project. Councilmember Sage Turner seconds. Mayor Esther Manheimer excuses project moving so quickly because of affordable housing funding deadlines. But also notes that planning & zoning failing to approve is alarming #avlgov

Thanks @davidforbes.bsky.social . We've witnessed a broad attack on this development from Shiloh neighborhood residents as well as people in other parts of town. Neighbors don't want it, & people all over the city recognize that this is a terrible gentrifying project that is badly designed #avlgov

Thanks, Matilda. Smith, who used to live in Shiloh, talks about how community's wishes were ignored. Meetings were not well noticed and developer reps were "patronizing." Neighborhood wanted a park or similar community space there. Shiloh "cannot wear that burden" of solving housing crisis. #avlgov

Developer focuses on building housing near healthcare facilities. Interesting that they claim to be so in support of healthcare workers when many could still not afford to live there and the project is only guaranteed affordable to those who can for 20 years #avlgov

Notably, Mosley and Roney both pointed out that staff reps were portraying the development as having "general agreement" when planning and zoning refused to endorse it in a split 3-3 vote. #avlgov

Staff going over project's alignments/ disalignments with Shiloh community plan. Mosley asking #avlgov manager if anti-displacement strategy has been created yet by staff. Manager DK Wesley says that it has not.

Worth noting that — unlike the genuinely affordable downtown housing complex city council signed off on last meeting — the rental rates on the Shiloh development meet city hall's definition of "affordable" but are way out of reach for many locals. Especially service industry workers #avlgov

Other public comment addressed lack of safety for pedestrians on Caribou Rd. Yeah, in more working class and predominantly Black neighborhoods, many lack access to a vehicle and need to walk to main roads - in this case, Hendersonville Rd. #avlgov

Again, 80 percent of local area median income is not affordable to vast swaths of Asheville. Especially in communities such as Shiloh that are under constant threat of gentrification. #Avlgov planning to make this reality even worse with its plan to jack up property taxes by 15% in the coming months

Onto only somewhat affordable housing development on Caribou Rd in the predominantly Black Shiloh community. Has met rightful resistance from Shiloh community residents #avlgov

Budget public hearing to occur in two weeks on May 26. Budget adoption date is June 9. #avlgov Onto general obligation bonds.

Thanks @davidforbes.bsky.social . Council going over potential changes to state law which would freeze property evaluations where they're at as well as potential caps on property tax increases. #avlgov

"Progressive" Asheville, y'all. #avlgov #avlnews