From the book, "Good-bye, America?" ---
"As you may be aware, the signers of our Declaration
of Independence were businessmen and property owners. They put a great deal at risk. They had a lot to lose.
However, they clearly felt that their liberty and their right to their own property was a goal that made it well worth the
risk.
"It was a grand and shining idea that was
to be constantly under attack, from the 'robber barons' of yesteryears to the modern city planners of today. It didn't
matter to the greedy ones that this was a fundamental right of great value.
"As Walter Lippmann put it, 'The only dependable
foundation of personal liberty is the personal economic security of private property.'
"Do you remember, way back in the 60s, when
a courageous ex-Marine barricaded himself in his little home in the Los Angeles area to try and keep the 'authorities' from
taking it away from him? Our dear government authorities used their powers of eminent domain to seize his home and demolish
it, to make way for a private motion picture museum that was never built. How nice.
"He just never could get it through his head
that the fighting he had done, at the risk of his life (as a Marine), to protect our liberties, our personal security, and
our property, really had little meaning anymore. He couldn't understand how his property was only his until someone
with the right government support was able to force the sale of that which was coveted by others.
"It could have been almost anyone's home,
if it was inconveniently in the way of somebody's grand plans, realized or not. And although there was a lot of sentiment
in favor of the beleaguered ex-Marine, not much more was done than to show a little moral support. I mean, after all,
we certainly can't REALLY get involved, now can we? After all, it wasn't YOUR home that was being seized. That's
right. Not this time.
"You tell me what you would call it, when
a person's home can be condemned and taken from him (or her) and sold to other private interests for the profit of those other
private interests? And I'm not talking about slums. We've left that fiction behind us a long time ago.
"Under the Urban Renewal program, Redevelopment
Agencies (or similar entities) are established by eager officials, usually in concert with avaricious businessmen and associated
opportunistic developers. These agencies then use the power of eminent domain to force the sale of private property
for public use.
"Now, of course, 'public use' is being conveniently
redefined to mean the taking and holding of private property by such an agency for the purpose of transferring said ownership
to other private interests that adhere to the overall concept for that area that they now have in mind."
And that's the way it's been going.
One of the most important freedoms that so many here in America have fought and died for, has been stolen, right out from
under our noses. As was noted in the book, "You only own your property just so long as someone who knows how to go about
getting it doesn't want your property." And, as you know, that has meant that everything from shopping centers to ball
parks have risen on the ruins of the homes and businesses of others who worked so very hard in what they thought was truly
a free country. It is a very shameful thing that has been allowed to happen.
So, what can we do about it? Get organized
and get the word out about what has been happening. Become a determined patriot. Don't let this writer and only
a handful of others be the only ones who care enough to get involved.
Develop at least a small group of dedicated
folks. Put together some good information about this problem for distribution. (As an example, what you are reading
here can be highlighted, pasted in your word processer and printed out or saved to your hard drive for easy referencing
and other uses.) Open a meaningful dialogue with your local newspapers and radio talk shows in your area. Get
public meetings going. Hand out fliers.
This is the sort of thing you can do on this
issue and on any number of the other issues noted here in this web site. You can do it. You really can.
