A school security officer at a health care town hall forum in Reston, Va., didn't like the image of Barack Obama on a protester's sign. So he ordered that the sign be put down, under threat of arrest.
Arrest? For what? For having a caricature of the president?
"This used to be America!" the protester said.
"It ain't no more, OK?" the officer said.
The officer, as wrong as he seems, may be right.
It may not be America anymore.
Consider: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper reported this week that Atlanta mayoral candidate Lisa Borders said "she'll use eminent domain powers to take land from owners who poorly maintain their property."
"We need to take it from them," she said.
Even in a city with blighted areas, that's a little frightening.
It's a sentiment that, sadly enough, is rife today in America -- that the government should up and take your property if it decides it doesn't like what you're doing with it.
Or if the government can make money off it: In the infamous Kelo case of 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court outrageously ruled that a local government could take someone's home forcibly if it found a developer that could make money off the land. (Georgia's legislature has since outlawed the practice.)
Today, Susette Kelo's New London, Conn., home is gone -- replaced by an empty lot and empty promises of grand developments and tax revenues.
But even if the development had occurred, officials would have stepped over Americans' rights to private property to get there.
We're the first to see the need to clean up blighted areas. Augusta's city government, for instance, is far too sanguine about the city's blight and lack of code enforcement. But fines and liens and code enforcement actions are the way to go, not government confiscation of property from private owners.
Yes, it takes longer to work through such processes. But no one ever said a democracy or republic was easy or efficient. Just the best and most just.
This is why Sir Winston Churchill said, "It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government, except all the others that have been tried."
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The abuse of imminent domain is rampant in almost every community in the nation. Augusta is no different. Usually, when Augusta takes private property, it's for a government project like the river development or the neighborhood upgrades of Twiggs or MLK. Still, the city WILL take your property
The little sign story at the beginning to take the usual shot at Obama although he had nothing to do with a security person who is tired of these idiots disrespecting the commander in chief. The artiche is about property rights but the ACES couldn't resist.
Blah, Blah, Blah, about how Americans are losing America. It's true, but its actually only the non-minority Americans. The nation was created on some shaky distortions which could easily be questioned in a court of law, so the natural law of progression dictates that the original and native inhabitants would eventually regain their destiny. Confused? Well, just keep watching...
concernednative on Sun Oct 25, 2009 6:25 AM Look at the "salary czar". If a company signs on with the government and the government wishes to structure salary and benefits that is one thing. Obumbler and many democrates ( see yesterdays column by Robinson) want to resructure wall street and corperate America's salary and benefit structure for executives. Where in the constitution does the government get that power over private interprise? A multi billion dollar company makes 6-8% profit and many deem that two much. Where does it say you can't make what ever profit you want and be taxed accordingly? These same people than think it is OK to sit in congress and create wealth and benefits for themselves that a corperation executive could only dream of. Obumbler can take his wife on a $250,000 date night with no cost to him. Pelosi can order a jet to fly her none stop across country with no cost to her. Pelosi orders government aircraft on a whim no at cost to her. These folks vote themselves pay raises while Social Security recipiants get nothing..... These "servants of the people" get upset and hurl insults when questioned.
In 1992 the congress passed a law to limit executive compenstion. great article in the Wall Street Journal about how well that has worked..another government intervention on the way to you in the form of health care! "Washington's Plans May Result in Even Higher Executive Pay In 1992, Congress intervened in corporate compensation and messed things up. Now it's the White House's turn."
Sarbanes-oxley was to end corporate greed and corruption. What happened?
Yes,this is still America but,it is rapidly becoming the UN-UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.At one time,the government existed for the common good of the people.Now,the common people exist for the good of the government.
so justus, you beleive all control should be returned to the Cherokee, Arapahoe, Tuscarora, Sioux, etc??? And you will return to the days of loin cloths and spears. Have I got that right?
whats the difference between taking it all at once or taxing you out of it? why should i "rent" my property from da gubment? my taxes went up 3 fold since 2000 and i am now being charged 30% more than what my house is valued at in da gubments own computer system. i am not allowed to appeal because they did not change the value. why should i have to pay for AFTER school programs? baby sitting?
Obama or no administration should have any say in compensation of companies that don't receive govt funds. However, the govt has to come up with a solution for "to big too fail". Because if a company can do too much damage to the citizentry if it fails then the govt will bail them out and the bailout probably wouldn't have been needed with proper bonus/salary structure. So I don't pretend to have the answer to that. Far as those pie in the sky costs of Obama going out I don't believe them. All people and vehicles involved in Obama going anyway are a fixed cost. They don't hire secret service for every trip or buy vehicles everytime he goes out. Those are already paid for the only variable is fuel. Now if you want secret service detail and his fleet decreased complain about that. But the other stuff is nonsense.
I love this!!!!! PLease take a look at this: http://blogcritics.org/politics/article/free-speech-or-fascism-is-that/
these folks were arrested for showing up! Everyone is freaking out about people showing up at Townhalls and Obama speeches. Bush and Co. just arrested you if they didnt like the shirt you were wearing. Or when I tried to see Bush speak on the 2004 campaign trail I was told that I had to sign a pledge to vote for him before I went in. I told them I didn't want to sign it so they wouldn't let me in. It was billed as "open to the public"...
I watched the video of the first example and, to me, the security guard just seemed frustrated by the end. He did say it wasn't America anymore, but only after being repeatedly berated by the sign holder. He said the sign holder could have words, but pictures were not authorized so the sign must come down. All the sign holder had to do was cover or remove the picture to carry his sign. Also,I do not like imminent domain, but there has to be a balance between the rights of the community and the rights of the individual. Government is of the people in America. If everybody hates something, do they really have to stand there and endure it? What if it brings their property values down? Doesn't it infringe on others' rights in some fashion, then? Balance is what it is all about, and we should elect our officials with that in mind. There is no right or wrong to many decisions government officials have to make: there is simply a balance of interests. Bad stuff happens because of this, but so does good stuff. If you take reality from a single point of view as this author does, you miss all the other points of view; that is something a government does not have the luxury of doing
gunnerhall, LOL
Steve -- How is that possibly constitutional?
Well, Chronicle, the event happened on August 28th, so why is it news now? Something is fishy here. I did see the video and would disagree with the officer (some say a rent-a-cop) even though, as The Chronicle fails to mention, it was held on school grounds. However, The Chronicle also fails to mention the bad behavior of those against the speakers, including Randall Terry. So aside from one misinformed or ignorant cop, no one tried to curtail free speech. I don't think even the sign-carrier was arrested....here's the report http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/25/AR200908...
LOL....Wouldn't you just love to see justus sitting in front of his tin shack in his villege trying to keep his neighbors from whacking off his head with a mechete?.... go back to the motherland justus they need you there!!( Bet the ABM would'nt even report it !!!)
The school had been rented for the town hall meeting and as such, the the rule the officer was trying to enforce did not apply according to school officials. The officer was in the wrong.
I'm trying to remember: Did The Chronicle editorial staff support Martha Burke in her right to protest in front of the Augusta National? Since I'm not going to pay to search their archives, I can only guess they didn't.
Freedom of Speech does not necessarily mean freedom from stupidity, as we have seen in the vast majority of signage at these protest meetings.
Actually, as one who has rented school auditoriums, school rules are still in force. I was wrong, though, the Chronicle did say school officer.
Both the License & Inspection Department and the Historic Preservation Committee have the authority to compel landowners to maintain their properties. License & Inspection uses that power ineffectively (just ask Betty Beard), and the Historic Preservation Committee uses it not at all. However, if a homeowner makes improvements to his property in one of Augusta's blighted historic districts, the HPC will prosecute him. To improve our historic slums, I say police the streets, enforce the ordinary zoning codes, and give homeowners their property rights back by abolishing the "historic guidelines", which serve only to discourage investment.
thought --- through ----- though . Tough words to spell.
I wonder, when the city was musseling and threatening the owners of the property that would eventually be used for Golf Gardens, did the Chronicle raise its voice? Oh heck, I forgot, at that time it would have been a financial windfall project for the AC. Well the project was a total failure, the property sits idle and the AC still isn't demanding the return of the property to the owners.
I have to agree with Niko again. Freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom FROM .....anything, including stupidity. Of course, signing up for the government form of slavery DOES mean freedom from responsibility. Following without question just isn't smart.
Grouse, you need to read this article. Note what the school official says about the rental of the school. http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=108800
Whipper, the last government in this country that condoned Slavery was the CSA, in 1861-1865. Thankfully, that one did not last. And who follows without question today? It seems to me that it is the audience of Faux Noise, just as much as you and other perceive it to be the followers of President Obama. I believe the average citizen does not need the help of the government, and therefore only needs to obey the laws of the land. My other personal advice, stay away from lawyers and doctors unless you really need them for something.
Whipping Post: I seem to make more typos when typing on the Blackberry...getting old and the eyesight ain't what it used to be! KSL, that may be, but again, there are rules that can't be broken when on school property - not saying this is the case here, but I do have experience with this.
I believe, like many others, the United States as we knew it died on November 8th. Or maybe it's in Intensive Care? The fact is that we are now seeing Marxist radicals being appointed to made-up government jobs disguised as czars. We see corrupt organizations like ACORN endorsed by the President elected by the Kool Aid drinkers who believe this liar. We see people appointed by Obama belittling the people who challenge his decisions and programs and we see a line drawn in the sand by the same guy who was going to unite the Country. The line declares us against him and his followers and has an enemy list, like Nixon did. We all know what happened to tricky Dick. It appears that he is unmoved and becomes more belligerent as the months pass. So I wonder what the people on the other side of the line are going to do. If History has taught us anything about the USA this dictator might want to rethink his strategy or do what he promised. Only time will tell.
First, there is no question that local governments are abusing eminent domain. This has nothing to do with Obama and, in fact, the practice is widespread among local governments run by Democrats and Republicans alike. Second, note that, contrary to the nonsense on Fox News, Obama has appointed many conservatives to high office: the Secretary of Defense, the director of the NIH, and so forth. His goal has been to have a team that covers every political view from the left to the right.
Rhetor - What difference does it make who obama appoints where if he listens to none of the people he has appointed? In fact, I am not sure who is running the country. He spends too much time appearing on talk shows and going on dates (at taxpayer expense) to be doing much work. So, who is running the country? His czars?