Drug syringe and cooked heroin
Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot editor
September 23, 2018
An opioid drug crisis, a decaying city infrastructure, fomenting liberal policies, a withering level of pride for the city of Huntington, and a “less than prominent” presence on the national stage for its inadequacies – Welcome to Huntington, WV.
Is this a city in which a family would want to raise their children? If not, what are we doing to correct it?
I’ve lived in, or around Huntington, WV. for nearly 60 years. I remember when Huntington was a city admired and envied by others desiring to achieve the wholesome radiance and charming gravitas we once possessed.
Of course, we’ve always had our problems. Every city has them, the larger, the more of them.
But in the past, we’ve always found a way to overcome them. We’ve always risen to the occasion and come together as a community for the common good of our people.
In November, 1970, Huntington showed the world we could rise from the ashes in solidarity. I remember, just like it was yesterday. Every school, every business, every single person was united as we grieved over the loss of 75 innocent lives. I remember gathering in the gymnasium of Davis Creek Elementary, holding hands and honoring players, coaches, boosters and members of the press lost on the hillside of Tri-State Airport, as Southern Airways Flight 932 made its final approach.
The field of tears are forever etched into my memory, but, also, the resilience of the citizens of Huntington and their determination to not fade quietly into the night. This resolve laid a foundation on which our grand city would flourish over the next 40 years.
Yes, some “ups” and “downs”, but always forward. But now, Huntington, WV. is in a crisis. For many who have spent their lives living in this city by the great Ohio River, it feels like Huntington, WV. is dying a slow, painful, agonizing death.
We’ve conceived a generation, void of hope, and dying of drug overdoses. And how do we address it? We provide them needles. And as larger, progressive cities, such as San Francisco, contemplate “safe injection sites” for intravenous drug users, per The San Francisco Chronicle, one must wonder how far behind Huntington city leaders are in proposing similar “enablement” facilities in our area.
We even have a news media, both print and television, that appear to be adopting leftist’s policies and filtering information to our citizens, in other words, “fake news” or news designed to disingenuously influence people.
Who are they trying to protect?
A July 2018 story by Monique Laborde, of WV Public Broadcasting, entitled, “Huntington Mayor Champions LGBT Inclusion”, describes our city’s mayor, Stephen Williams’ endeavors to improve conditions in Huntington for the LGBT community. This year, Huntington recognized the month of LGBT awareness by hosting its second annual Pride Picnic.
Of course, the event was family-friendly, per the report, while kids played in a sprinkler nearby.
How sweet. Our city could sure use some new folks.
Per the most recent information from Data USA, Huntington, WV. has a population of around 48, 735 people with a median age of 34.6 and a median household income of $29, 834. Between 2015 and 2016, the population of Huntington declined nearly half a percent, while the median household income declined .13%.
I’m confident, given the apparent, continued decline, these numbers have gotten worse.
But as people continue to vacate our city for greener, safer pastures, what sort of people are we attracting? Entrepreneurs? Business? Purpose-driven individuals seeking an environment fertile for growth?
Not a chance. Huntington is being avoided like the plague by anyone hopeful for the future!
Consider the foundation on which we are building our city’s future? Our city leadership appear determined to follow the same progressive path that’s brought ruin to larger, more successful cities. These are the exact same liberal, socialist policies embraced by Barack Hussein Obama, which sent our nation on a downhill spiral unparalleled in my lifetime.
Oh, and the exact same liberal policies that helped elect Donald J. Trump, much to the chagrin of liberals like we have at Huntington’s helm.
Just who are these people? Of course, we see the elected officials, those running point for the elite, but who makes up the deep state in Huntington? Who are these progressive “puppeteers” who never seem to make print or video, but are in the shadows, weaving their webs of deceit and tilting our city to the far left?
In this humble columnist’s opinion, our city’s priorities are completely upside down, as are most progressive policies. Our city leaders have no sustainable vision for the advancement of our community or the protection of our people.
Their intent? Just follow the money.
At the current rate of decline, what will the condition of our city be in 5 years, 10 years? It’s not a welcome proposition.
It’s time for the citizens of Huntington to take back their city. It’s time to elect leaders with the ability to attract business and make our city safe for its occupants. It’s time to hire city leaders who have a vision and the aptitude to get us back on the right track, before it’s too late!
It’s time to make Huntington great again!
Free State Patriot 
Yes Huntington is on life support,only thing that’s keeping the lights is Marshall and the two hospitals! The cox and special metals are to of the very few blue collar jobs in Huntington.The drug and prostitution problem has caused a lot of business to close in the west end of town. I believe if we leagalize prostitution in all 55 counties that would elimate the foot traffic, also give us another source of tax money. We need to clean our town up block by block,then invite some corporate people in and sell our city as a good place to start or over business in here.
LikeLike
It would certainly appear to me that if we give out free needles and have “safe injection sites” would that not attract more drug users to our area?? And of course if you have more drug users, you will need more drugs for them. And of course you would need more drug dealers to sell them the drugs. And on and on it goes and worse and worse it gets. And of course this all leads to more and more social problems that will come along with this such as an increase in the homeless population, the hungry, the indigent, crime, etc. Quite a liberal snowball we going here!
LikeLike
I just found this article wow I thought I was the only one thinking this way I belong to the West End watch neighborhood watch every time I post something on there about no police presence I am shot down I don’t know how a mare could sleep at night knowing what he’s doing he’s in charge of this city hell he got a $10,000 raise for what there is no police presence it’s terrible and The Herald Dispatch I happened to read the editorial page totally biased nothing positive for City or for our president or country everything negative everything liberal it’s no wonder our cities in the shape it’s in I wish there was something I could do to make a difference
LikeLike
I appreciate your involvement! Just keep sharing your belief system and don’t hesitate to speak out when it makes sense. And pray. It will take more than a man to fix our city. It will take God. Blessings !
LikeLike