More on the New London Supreme Court decision...

I know I don't usually write about social issues and my opinions about them here, but I am so outraged by this event, in which "The Supreme Court ruled that local governments may seize people's homes and businesses -- even against their will -- for private economic development."

All I can really express on this subject right now is anger and absolute disgust.

I am learning about this too late, after the fact. I wish I had known this was happening before this horrible act occurred. I would have tried to add my support in some meager way to help these people.

I don't feel like I am going over board when I say that this is truly scary folks. YOU could be next, or me, or anybody that has property. After all, what do I do with my house? All I do is live here and cut the lawn and grow kids and flowers. What if some fast food chain decides that my front lawn happens to be the prime location for their expansion into my neck of the woods. Who's going to provide a better tax benefit to the town, me or some corporation?

Think I'm going overboard? Think that it could not happen you or me? WRONG. It just happened to some people in New London.

And look whos next... this is from the Washington Post.

"District leaders said a Supreme Court ruling yesterday that gives municipalities broad powers to seize private property will provide the city leverage in its goal to acquire land for two controversial projects, including a new baseball stadium."

"Any property may now be taken for the benefit of another private party, but the fallout from this decision will not be random," O'Connor wrote. "The beneficiaries are likely to be those citizens with disproportionate influence and power in the political process, including large corporations and development firms."
~ U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

From The Day, New London's local paper...

"The decision concludes an exhausting legal battle that began in December 2000, when the Fort Trumbull residents filed suit to prevent the city from seizing their property to make way for offices, upscale housing and a hotel that would support the nearby Pfizer headquarters and help to reverse decades of economic decline."

I will be looking for ways to stand up to this and do something, starting with a boycott of all Phizer products, (not that I am a Viagra user). I also plan to write to Mark Martin, who happens to be my favorite NASCAR driver, and who's sponsor also happens to be Phizer, and ask him if he feels that his conscience can allow him to represent a company that supports the removal of people from their homes for the purposes of replacing them with 'upscale housing and a hotel'. I'll be writing to Jack Roush, Mark Martin's car owner, as well.

It may not be much, after all, I'm only one person, but it's something dammit.

Don't tread on me mutherfucker