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Really Just Another Land Grab
A letter to the Hinton, WV News from Fred V. Grau, Jr of State College, PA. Although Mr. Grau lives outside WV, this letter gives a good example of why this is an issue all Americans should be concerned about and demonstrates the national attention this and other land grabs are stirring in our Country today.
December 1, 2000
Fred Long, Editor
The Hinton News
210 2nd Avenue
Hinton WV 25951
Dear Mr. Long:
It has come to my attention that there is a campaign underway to gather local support for the New River Parkway and the unnecessary taking of private property in the process. This disturbs me greatly even though I am from Pennsylvania. You see, it doesn’t matter one whit where one is from, how much power or money they have, or how many people agree with him. When Americans can lose their homes and property just because someone doesn’t want to look at them (the “view shed” concept), we ALL lose.
Up here in my neck of the woods there is a rural junkyard (I like the term recycling center) that the tut-tut folks in State College would like to eliminate if only they legally could. To them, this “eyesore” is a blotch on the “view shed” of future travelers on I-99. However, I see a family that owns property, pays taxes, provides a service to those who cannot afford new auto parts, and who asks for nothing from their neighbors or government. It’s quite similar to the New River Parkway situation.
The U.S. and Pennsylvania Constitutions were written to, among other things, protect private property and prevent mob rule. I assume the West Virginia Constitution has similar provisions. You see, in a true democracy without the protections of life, liberty and property, 51% of the people could vote to put yellow Stars of David on the chests of a minority. They could vote again to confiscate all the gold belonging to these people. Later, they could vote to put them into ghettos because they didn’t want to look at them. Hopefully, my point has been made without going farther.
I would hope that the good citizens of Hinton and the surrounding area would reflect on the true consequences to their neighbors, the Constitution, and their own conscience before supporting yet another Federal land grab.
Sincerely,
Fred V. Grau, Jr.
