Dear Editor,
”
Each individual of the society has a right to be protected by it
in the enjoyment of his life, liberty, and property, according to
standing laws.
Dear Editor,
“Each individual of the society has a right to be protected by it in the enjoyment of his life, liberty, and property, according to standing laws. He is obliged, consequently, to contribute his share to the expense of this protection; and to give his personal service, or an equivalent, when necessary. But no part of the property of any individual can, with justice, be taken from him, or applied to public uses, without his own consent, or that of the representative body of the people. In fine, the people of this commonwealth are not controllable by any other laws than those to which their constitutional representative body have given their consent.”
~ John Adams, Thoughts on Government, 1776
“The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence. If ‘Thou shalt not covet’ and ‘Thou shalt not steal’ were not commandments of Heaven, they must be made inviolable precepts in every society before it can be civilized or made free.”
~ John Adams, A Defense of the American
Constitutions, 1787
If you could just imagine the above quotations are what our founders had in mind when they considered the uses of eminent domain. Arts and Culture was, I doubt, even considered in the realm of possibilities. But in this age of bad is good and good is bad, I only wish our founders had considered how corrupt men could truly become.
Where is the outrage for what is happening in this country with liberty and property. The tyranny of government has now touched Gilroy in a very personal way as the legacy-building city council and city manager have now decided that somehow, an art and culture center has become so important as to force individuals to give up their property for some whim of a small but connected segment of the community. Not only is the cultural center not a necessity, it is an expensive waste of taxpayer money and resources, but I am used to government wasting my tax dollars on overpriced government facilities and feel-good programs. What I am not used to is government using my money to bastardize the Constitution and Bill of Rights and steal private property for any reason other than as a last resort for a justifiable purpose as intended by the founders.
If the owners of these properties wanted to leave them unoccupied or even dusty lots, that is their damn business. I don’t care if you are a Democrat, Republican or independent councilmember, not only will you not have my and many others support for the upcoming election, if you voted for eminent domain, it is my hope that we can immediately start planning for your recall. Shame on you for what you have done to these owners. No matter how disagreeable they may be, you have crossed a line that government should never cross. An arts and cultural may be a nice luxury, but at the price of our very liberty? I think not!
Today it is the folk’s downtown, tomorrow it could be you. Please join me in sending a strong message to the City Council and City Manager Jay Baksa to stop the eminent domain proceedings or face a possible recall.
Mark Zappa, Gilroy
