The official blog of the Libertarian Party
January 30, 2006
Baptist Church Could Be Seized For Private Development
The Centennial Baptist Church in Sand Springs, Oklahoma is in danger of being seized by the local government to pave the way for commercial development. The town government is looking to take the Centennial Baptist, along with two other churches, several businesses, over a dozen of private homes and a school for a large redevelopment project called the "Vision 2025" project, according to the National Review.
The town of Sand Springs formulated the Vision 2025 project in 2003, which calls for incentives for capital improvements, incentives for American Airlines and Boeing to locate in the area and revitalize the town's blighted residential and industrial areas.
Sand Spring officials have downplayed the project's potential use of eminent domain. The Vision 2025 project's website states in a recent press release that reports in the national media of using eminent domain to acquire private property for redevelopment were "inaccurate and premature." The City Manager Loy Calhoun stated, "It is the goal of the City Council and the Sand Springs Development Authority to complete the acquisition process voluntarily."
Sand Spring officials stated they are willing to negotiate an acceptable purchase price with sellers, but have admitted they will use eminent domain as a last resort if negotiations fail.
The Centennial Baptist Church does not want to move for various reasons. The pastor of the church, Reverend Roosevelt Gildon, looked into relocating and doesn't think they can afford it. Even if the church was able to relocate, Reverend Gildon wondered, "Who is going to minister to the black community in Sand Springs?"
Heather Wilhelm from the National Review criticizes the Sand Springs redevelopment project, saying although it is designed to redevelop blighted industrial and residential areas, she points out that the church is in "pristine condition." Wilhelm says the real reason for the town to pressure the church to relocate is "churches don't generate any tax revenue for the government to spend." She wrote in her article that churches "often, much to their peril, occupy prime, envied real estate." Many local governments would rather have a tax revenue-generating Bed Bath and Beyond to "stimulate the economy" than a church.
Reverend Gildon in partnership with Americans for Limited Government are fighting back. This past December they began to gather signatures for the "Protect Our Homes" ballot initiative to stop eminent domain abuse.
Angry Libertarian Alliance, Christian Viewpoint, the Catholic Knight and the Arkansans for Property Rights also comment on the story.
Posted by at January 30, 2006 04:35 PM
Reader Comments:
It's amazing how government officials think that the public will believe that they can enter in negotiations in good faith with eminent domain as a backup plan.
Not only is this a violation of the First Amendment, it's racism too since this church caters mostly to the black community. Totaly outrageous and out-of-line for any level of government to do.
rac·ism Audio pronunciation of "racism" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (rszm) n.
1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.
How do you figure this to be racism? Immoral, unconstitutional and reprehensible yes, but not racist!
It is immoral, antireligious, unconstitutional, and racist. The antireligious part and racist part is because a city that claims to be religious sacrifices a church in the name of "development". Racist because one group was targeted. The response is to band together and imitate the Liberty Hotel. Let us take away the houses of the Politicians [everyone of them] using the same Eminent Domain Laws.
Thank you, Supreme Court, for ruling in favor of shit like this in Kelo v. New London. If I *ever* run into one of the justices who ruled in favor, I will give that SOB a piece of my mind.
I followed your link to the "Angry Libertarian Alliance." First, I think the name "Angry Libertarian Alliance" gives people the wrong idea of what kind of people we are. The official party web site should not be publicizing that sort of thing. Second, the first sentence I read when I arrived at that site contained a gratuitous profanity.
We need to do better.
eminent domain was city county state aquiring property for easements, schools, etc. not for major Huliburton type corps. to take over poor and underdeveloped nieghborhoods to push people out into the street.Maybe you live in a neighborhood where your home is only valued at city appraised value. Thats there offer.This might be a third generation home or a first time home buyer raising a new family of Americans. The Bush administration and cronies need to get the hell out of Dodge and democrats need to get thier head out of thier ass and either put someone up there to run for office that has a true , bring the troops home, not scared of the Cheney,Bush B.S., stand up to them and get thier ass out of office.I have always been an independent voter, but this time I am going to vote straight Liberation or Democrat or Independent to get the country back on course. I wish we could get more Liberations on ballot.I have signed up for for one LLS course on Fundraising. sincerely F.Lee Tennison Vietvet Patriot
I used to be an urban planner and I have worked on urban renewal projects as well as redevelopment districts. I find myself in the awkward position of defending the redevelopment plan.
Some have called upon the specter of the New London miscarriage to denounce this project. But this plan is totally unlike the New London. They are proposing to conduct their redevelopment in a blighted area. Blighted has a specific legal definition. The most widely used definition of blighted is an area where the residential or business structures are in such a state of disrepair as to prove a danger to public heath.
I have never been to Sand Springs, but based upon my past experience, if one was to tour the project area, one would find the a large portion of the residential structures were vacant, there would be a large number of vacant lot, there would be a number of houses in disrepair, and there would be several homes in excellent repair. If you went to the county tax office and looked at who owned the properties in question you would find that it was mostly owned by a few absentee land-owners and the state/federal government.
Some have called the project racist because the project area contains a church. My response is ? So what? Most residential areas have churches. I sure there is more than one Baptist Church in Tulsa metropolitan area. Should all business and industry grind to a halt in reverent respect to one religious sect place of worship?
"It is immoral, antireligious, unconstitutional, and racist"
It is immoral to bring jobs and development to a slum - that what a blighted area is you know a slum.
It antireligious to knock down a church? I thought Christian believed that god is present whenever two or more gather in his name?
It unconstitutional? It is constitutional see Berman v. Parker.
Its racists? The redevelopment plan isn't restricted to black neighborhoods. Or is it racists because it involves a black church?
As I said before, the only party that is strongly for defending private property rights is none other than the Libertarian Party. Forget the Democrats and Republicans. Forget the moderates, liberals and some conservatives. Libertarians should be in the forefront of this issue. Libertarians should be writing letters to the editors of many newspapers, calling talk radio shows to express their views, writing letters to television shows, writing on many blogs, organizing protests and meetings and meeting with the victims of this abominable ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Activism is needed and needed vigorously.
'They're boarding up the synagogues...
Uzis on the streetcorner!
You can't take a photograph
of Uzis on the streetcorner.
THe deejay resigned today,
They wouldn't let him have his say.
Surface scratched where the needle played...
Uzis on the streetcorner...
Where do we go from here?'
(Marillion, 'White Russian')
Governments generally are racist. How else do you explain the Jim Crow laws, making it a crime for people of different colors or what have you to marry among other things?
Governments aren't racist - people are.
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Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ,Who gave His life for us at the cross that we who believe in Him might have eternal life.
I am the pastor of nterior covering ministry inc. Am married with children.I’m age 56 and my wife 44. My occupation is farming.Ten years after giving my life to Jesus Christ I had a divine call from God to the ministry here in my village.Initially l resisted but when God started moving and dealing in our heart,l obeyed and went into this ministry..
Our church is located in a rural village community of about 8,000 inhabitants which is a typical traditional community.In recent years the village has been greatly stroked by enthnic clashes which has resulted in many death and made many children homesless and orphans.Our church is presently the only one which have moved in here despites many oppositions and treat to our lives .Many new convert have now joined us,as it has really been difficult for us since many wanted to stop the gospel of Jesus Christ from coming in.But they failed. The Bible says in Isaiah 59:19, "When the enemy shall come in like a flood,the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him." And I John 4:4 says, "Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." When we recognize the reality of God’s word in these chapters the devil is no match for us.
Today the Lord is with us,as many keep joining our Church.We have also added a small orphanage where we care for ophans.our goals is to bring them up for their service to the Lord. "But ye,beloved,building up yourselves in the love of God,looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Jude 20:21. The people here are unskilled laborers.!engages in manual farming! fishing.
We are writing to request for your assistance for materials.Presently, we are greatly in help of 200 Bibles .Our members cannot afford to buy Bibles and many have not open it since their birth.we need history of the bible books These materials will be helpful for our study and research.My wife is presently in need of a Giant Print Bible because of her reading difficulties of small letters.
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Pastor Rev David Smith
this is Rev David Smith personal e-mail address rev_d_s@yahoo.com
Facts and Figures about our country
Official Name Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
Capital City Sao Tome
Languages Portuguese (official)
Official Currency Dobra
Religions Catholic, Protestant, others
Population 165,000
Land Area 960 sq km (371 sq miles)
Lee,
don't forget that a lot of the Democratic politicians won't help us either. They talk about getting us out of the war, but would they? Besides, most would have problems on other issues such as economic freedom.
http://maps.castlecoalition.org/
Here is a map for emient domain abuse and the BBT who will not lend money to domain abusers.
To bad we cannot get business to be allies with the Libertarian party and for businesses to work less with Government.
If the government comes for my property for some little project of its, I will defend it, at any cost, by any and all means deemed necessary and appropriate to keep it secure, and I would encourage anyone else in a similar position to do the same.
And that’s all I am going to say about that.
Additionally, another way to shut down Eminent Domain Abuse is to cut off funding for same. We can all do this by pressuring credit unions to add amendments to their bylaws that prohibit the Credit Union from lending to ED abusers and passing resolutions denouncing lending to ED abusers.
This is something that everyone can work on, there are alot of credit unions and it is relatively easy to show up at the annual meeting and get something like this done. Plus, as resolutions are passed, it keeps the thing in the media (and in the CU newsletters which are mailed to all members) and maybe gets the LP a mention there as well.
The rampage of Eminent Domain laws in recent days is completely repugnant. Eminent Domain is used for public works projects that help everybody, such as roads and bridges. Now it is used anytime a city wants to do anything to line its own pocketbook. Perhaps these city governments should try to be creative in finding ways of doing things rather than immediately crying "eminent domain" and using it to deprive citizens of their private property.
Okay, this whole debate is ridiculous. How many people on this forum are actually from the city of Sand Springs? I am a resident and taxpayer of this community. I am sure most of you are not. The area being revitalized is currrently hurting the home values throughout the entire city including my own. I have driven down most of the streets of the area in question and I can tell you that the homes are not much to look at. No individual keeps these houses maintained or operational. This church is in good shape, however, people its surroundings are not. In Sand Springs if you and your family want to go to a nice restraunt you must drive to Tulsa. Myself, I want to keep my money in my city so do us all a favor and do your homework before speaking. This is why I do not vote for the libertarian party. Also just so you know there are other churches in Sand Springs but no thriving business.
Brian J
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It's amazing how government officials think that the public will believe that they can enter in negotiations in good faith with eminent domain as a backup plan.
Posted by: Dave B at January 30, 2006 05:33 PM