What was once viewed, as one of the most sacrosanct right of every American -the right to own property – seems to be under siege from the very institutions the citizens depend upon to protect those rights.
Few noticed (and it did seem so far away), when other municipalities and state governments started to use the power of “eminent domain” to seize private property. Hey, in some instances “a case might have been made” that it was a good idea to force unwilling sellers to give up their property for “the public good”!
Unbelievably, here in Orange County Florida, we are looking at our own “shot across the bow” and the private property debate is a “game afoot”. “County Leaders”, wish to coerce an unwilling owner to surrender property that was tamed, settled and farmed by their ancestors nearly 100 years ago. This property is not some “ill gotten gains” stolen from the public. Instead, it was property fairly purchase by early pioneers who had the determination and grit to survive the hardscrabble life, and lean times – pre air conditioning, pre automobiles and pre insect repellant!
Purchase and acquisition of property by willing sellers and buyers is not at issue. Instead, it is the power of government to compel an unwilling sale or worse yet; condemn and confiscate private property that should have every resident uneasy. For today it is someone else “stuff”, tomorrow it may be your house, your car or even your MP3 player that must be taken for the “greater good”. All of us should be ill at ease with the notion that “property can be taken for community reasons from unwilling sellers”. This taints the legacy that belongs to all Americans and aides and abets those that wish to “abolish all private property.”
