Wednesday, February 17, 2010

The Pipeman Cometh


An ancient Greek philosopher came to this conclusion one day, "Justice is simply the advantage of the stronger." Then someone else later said that rules are fair and just to the absolute ruler even if those rules make no sense to the average citizen because they're there to protect the greater good . Of course, this premise was dogged and ridiculed much later by some French guy who said that rules come to be by the consensus of the people for the common good of the people. But my idea of justice comes from an old Chinese Proverb, and only has merit if you're a romantic sap like I am...Justice lies naturally in people's hearts.

In my heart I know that what is happening to Steve Doeung and the residents of Carter Ave is wrong. That although eminent domain is the law of the land, that it somehow is only just in the eyes of that mighty ruler, Chesapeake. How silly you may think I am for feeling this way, an utter hopeless romantic and doer of good, but...ponder for a moment. If Steve loses we all lose, because what will keep any self serving entity from taking what belongs to you in the name of the economy or cheap energy?


Is Steve and others like him just mere roadblocks, people of no consequence to be treated inhumanely? Are we expendable? Do our lives and wants and needs not matter? Are we of no value?



In just a few weeks, Steve will meet Chesapeake once again in court. He will be all alone facing the Giants of Industry with their team of expert lawyers. How is it that an American Citizen has no rights or the ability to have an appointed attorney to defend him in a court of law? I speak from emotion, but Steve regals from wisdom:

"The allegedly foreign terrorist accused of trying to blow up a transcontinental jet full of American citizens around Christmas was immediately appointed one of the best legal counsels (per national media) to lead in the defense of his rights, but this simple tax-paying American citizen (by choice, no less) who bleeds--and is always ready and willing to bleed--red, white, and blue cannot get legal help to simply protect his most fundamental rights as a law-abiding citizen."

I'm calling on Senator Davis and Representative Burnam to make a change. We the people DEMAND reform and will accept no less.

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