<< Back 9/4/02 Outsiders have the same rights By Bruce Steinbicker A green Rambler station wagon rolled into Murphy on Sept. 6, 1964, bearing my wife, 20-month-old son and me. I’m not sure we knew it at the time, but these natives of Kentucky, Puerto Rico, and Pennsylvania, respectively, had come home to Western North Carolina to stay. After four years in Murphy and 18 years in Waynesville, my wife and I came to Asheville to stay in 1986. My son grew up in Haywood County and graduated from Western Carolina University and the University of North Carolina law school. His two children were born in Sylva. I got my bachelor’s degree from Western at the ripe old age of 37 and passed the CPA exam at 52. The past 38 years have been good for us. The road has been mostly smooth with just a few bumps along the way. I have done a lot of research on the Blue Ridge Parkway and bluegrass music and believe I qualify as a historian on both. I have taught over 30 Elderhostels and several community college classes on these subjects. I believe I have done a good job of promoting this region and its people with these classes on two of the most positive parts of the area’s culture. I am troubled by those who believe the First Amendment does not apply to those who are not natives of the area. There are frequent letters to the editor in the regional daily paper in which non-natives are blamed for all of the region’s ills and told if they don’t like the way things are here they should go back where they came from. It takes a good amount of sheer arrogance to presume that one has the right to decide who should live here based on their personal opinions. I am a taxpayer, law-abiding citizen and voter. Most of my purchases are made at local businesses. I feel I am generous in my gifts to local organizations I support. I am just as entitled to my opinion as the guy whose family goes back several generations in Western North Carolina. I choose to live here. There are reasons I came and I stayed. I decided I wanted to be a part of this region and I wanted to do my part to make it a good place to live. That doesn’t mean I like everything about being here, but the good far outweighs the bad. I will never accept the very conservative values of many of the region’s citizens, but I respect their right to their opinions and ask that they extend the same respect to me. The locals may disagree all they want with my views, but the place of my birth should never be an issue. I have had a few co-workers tell me if I don’t like the way things are, I should go back to Pennsylvania. I had to inform them that I am a taxpayer, citizen and voter with every right that they have. If I am critical of something in Western North Carolina, it is because this is my home and I want it to be the best place in the whole world to live. I especially want it to be the best place in the whole world for two Jackson County natives — my granddaughter and grandson. (Bruce Steinbicker is a retired CPA who spent his career in state government. He lives in Asheville.)