Posted on 03/23/2007 8:41:29 PM PDT by lpnykahuna
New gripe against Barclays By Gersh Kuntzman The Brooklyn Paper
Barclays Bank’s partnership with Bruce Ratner is under fire again — but this time not because of the bank’s slavery- and apartheid-linked past.
The New York Libertarian Party is now calling for a nationwide boycott of the British banking behemoth on the grounds that its participation in the Atlantic Yards project is a tacit endorsement of the state’s use of eminent domain to condemn private property and turn it over to a private developer, Ratner.
“Barclays’ participation in eminent domain is an outrage as a private enterprise disrespecting property rights,” said Gary Popkin, the party’s Brooklyn–Queens chairman.
Earlier this year, Barclays agreed to pay Ratner $400 million to name the soon-to-be-built Nets arena “the Barclays Center.” The deal was immediately criticized by many black leaders, including several close to the developer, who complained that the bank profited from slavery, apartheid, the Holocaust and other ugly moments in human history.
But Popkin dismissed that controversy in one sentence.
“The actions of the bankers of centuries past do not taint the arena,” he said. “It is participation in the eminent domain scheme that taints whoever participates in it.”
The U.S. Supreme Court’s Kelo decision in 2005 allows the government to condemn privately owned land and turn it over to private developers, said the Libertarian Party Chairman Richard Cooper, but “millions of Americans were outraged by” that 5–4 High Court decision.
Cooper also decried Ratner’s arena as a public boondoggle that amounts to “corporate sports welfare.”
...
“To Libertarians, corporate sports welfare and eminent domain abuse are legalized theft, stealing from taxpayers and landowners,” Cooper said. “Barclays chose to become an accomplice of Bruce Ratner. They should both bear the outrage of indignant Americans who favor freedom and justice.”
...Ratner and Barclays declined to comment.
©2007 The Brooklyn Paper
Original Libertarian Party of NY release to be found at http://www.ny.lp.org/news/2007barclays.htm.
Bruce Ratner was the partner of the NY Times in eminent domain to build their new headquarters.
He is a self-styled "progressive" and the brother of lawyer Michael Ratner (Center for Constitutional Rights) and Ellen Ratner of Talk Radio News and Fox News.
ACORN supports the Brooklyn Nets Arena/Atlantic Yards eminent domain scheme.
For more information, check out www.nolandgrab.org
Why couldn't they have bulldozed all of those annoying hipsters from Ohio, who have RUINED Williamsburgh and Greenpoint?
OMG! Have you ever tried to debate the left-wing extremists from Ohio? The level of ignorance is practically unbelievable. They make arguments without basis, fact, or merit and then invent truths in their head to suit their beliefs.
Trustafarians are a truly worthless bunch. They remind me of the same BLAND bubble headed neohippies that were a dime a dozen when I spent two years in Seattle.
If you want on or off the list, go to the link for instructions. Otherwise, it won't be guaranteed that you will be put on or taken off (it still won't be 100% guaranteed, anyway, but will be much more highly probable).
They're down to about a nickel a dozen here in the Emerald City now, FRiend.
What's wrong with Barclay's? I don't get it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.