Any Star Trek Fan will recognize Spock's Parting words from The Wrath of Khan
"The needs of the many...outweigh the needs of the few".
Before we expound on any political derivation of those words, it is fitting that we acknowledge the truth of them. Men and women have willingly looked at and made that choice down throw the ages, some in obscurity and some recorded as the ultimate examples of valor and Honor.
"Go, tell the Spartans, thou that passest by,
That here, obedient to their laws, we lie."
It is not that decision, but WHO makes it that delineates the difference between Heroism and Tyranny.
When the FEW make it,for themselves, it is Heroism,of the highest order, when the MANY or those who claim to speak for the MANY make it we are crossing a Rubicon towards Tyranny.
We have seen this recently with a Supreme Court Decision Kelo vs New London.
The case was appealed from a decision in favor of the city of New London by the Supreme Court of Connecticut, which found that the use of eminent domain for economic development (the central focus of the case) did not violate the public use clauses of the state and federal constitutions. The court found that if an economic project creates new jobs, increases tax and other city revenues, and revitalizes a depressed (even if not blighted) urban area, it qualifies as a public use. The court also found that government delegation of eminent domain power to a private entity was also constitutional as long as the private entity served as the legally authorized agent of the government.
The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari to consider questions last raised in Berman v. Parker, 348 U.S. 26 (1954). Namely, does the Fifth Amendment protect landowners from the use of eminent domain for economic development, rather than, as in Berman, for the elimination of slums and blight.
In a nutshell the Supreme Court Broadened part of the
Vth Amendment
nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation
Public use became public benefit, it became legal under the revised Vth amendment to take someone's home so a private development could increase the Tax Value of the property and enhance the economics of the surrounding area.
The needs of the many...outweigh the needs of the few
At our peril, we as Nation forget the words of Samuel Adams.
In 1772, four years before the Declaration was signed, Samuel Adams wrote a short piece entitled ?Rights of the Colonists as Men?. His words included the following
Among the natural rights of the Colonists are these:
First, a right to life; Secondly, to liberty; Thirdly, to property;
together with the right to support and defend them
in the best manner they can. These are evident branches of,
rather than deductions from, the duty of self?preservation,
commonly called the first law of nature.
In case this excerpt is not sufficiently explicit concerning the origin of the rights so mentioned, further words from this same piece by Samuel Adams will make the point more clearly:
Just and true liberty, equal and impartial liberty,
in matters spiritual and temporal, is a thing that all men
are clearly entitled to by the eternal and immutable
laws of God and nature, as well as by the law of nations
and all well?grounded municipal laws
In the minds some these simple truths have been perverted. Forgotten is that neither the Constitution, nor the Federal Government GIVES the Citizen these rights, but rather the Constitution acknowledges that those Rights are the Inalienable possession of EACH of us as person.
It is the corruption of the Right of the Individual by an assumed Right of the Group, where in lies our greatest danger as a Nation and as a People.
It is the duty of all of us to take what steps are necessary to preserve these rights. One method can be information. One group endeavoring to this end is
the Internet community of
Life, Liberty, Property
Each week it sponsors a Carnival of Liberty where topics are discussed and explored.
This week is Carnival Of Liberty XXIII
I encourage all to explore this weeks offerings and return weekly and also if you desire ADD to the sum.
YOUR Liberty is in YOUR hands, participate in maintaining it.
AS for Kelo vs New London? It is a loss, due to what in my opinion was judicial activism by the Supreme Court but it is ALSO an opportunity!
It puts this question back to the States and lesser forms of government. In a manner of speaking closer to where we may contact our representatives and ensure this travesty of justice does not endure.
We must use this opportunity and then move on to other areas where we as individuals my assert our inalienable rights.
When Life hands you a Lemon?
Grab a Shaker of Salt and a Bottle of Tequila. ;-)
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Updated: Wednesday, 7 December 2005 11:08 AM CST