GREEDY GOVERNMENTS ABUSING COURTS FOR GAIN

Kelo Ruling, Boulder City Seizure Latest Examples

To the editor:

Following the U.S. Supreme Court decision of June 23 in Kelo v. New
London, which allowed local governments to seize property from one
private owner "with just compensation" and transfer it to another
private entity, I was both shocked and amazed that the United States
has reached a point where this would be defended by the highest
judiciary in the nation.

This broad interpretation of the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution,
which states the government may not seize privately owned land other
than for necessary public use, is just another example of the
government's disregard for the public's best interest.

The greed of government officials overrides any other factor when it
comes to ruling this nation, and that brings me to your Sept. 15
edition. The article "Pot may cost homeowner" is about an attempt by
Boulder City officials to seize the property of a woman convicted of
misdemeanor marijuana possession. It is another example of greed
motivating officials to abuse the legal system for gain.

Whether that gain is personal, political or administrative is
irrelevant. Boulder City Attorney Dave Olsen says seizing the property
of Cynthia Warren would send a clear message to drug dealers. I
believe that is the responsibility of the criminal court. Mr. Olsen
says the decision has nothing to do with the criminal case, yet he
claims the result will discourage other criminals from breaking the
law. In essence, he's saying the courts and the laws are incapable of
this and he is the only one who can save his community from the evil
that is marijuana.

Privately, he's eyeing the $300,000 in equity this citizen has
available from the sale of her house and he's seeing dollar signs for
his city and political gain for himself. All of this from the same man
convicted of drunken driving.

I'm sure when he was caught breaking the law, he was more than happy
to accept the court's ruling on his punishment. I imagine if somebody
were to attempt to seize his motorcycle for its role in his illegal
activity, he would have a different opinion about this entire issue.

Now is the time to ask the really tough question. Does this sound like
the America the Founding Fathers envisioned when they rebelled against
British rule and undertook the daunting task of starting a country
from scratch? Is this the America millions of men and women have died
for, and still are dying for, in the name of protecting the freedoms
our country holds so dear? Is this the country that is supposed to be
setting the example of democracy for the rest of the world? And if it
isn't, is it time we got out of our complacent mind-set and started
doing some of the hard work needed to make this country all things
mentioned above and more?

Or are we just going to sit by and watch our freedoms erode a little
more every year until our choices will be as limited as the ones the
Founding Fathers faced in the late 1700s? Their choice was be
controlled or fight.

Let's take action now, while we still have an option other than armed
revolution.

Or are you just content being controlled and having your houses taken
from you?

Alan G. Lance Jr.

Las Vegas