Fight Property Rights Abuse (Eminent Domain, Blacks, and Montgomery)

Tuscaloosa News ^ | April 26, 2009 | David T. Beito

[Captain Kirk]

What is happening in the cradle of the modern civil rights movement? Jimmy McCall would like to know. 'It was more my dream house,' he laments, 'and the city tore it down ... It reminds me of how they used to mistreat black people in the Old South.' In 1955, Rosa Parks took on the whole system of Jim Crow by refusing to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery bus. Today, McCall is waging a lonely battle against the same city government for another civil right: the freedom to build a home on his own land.

Though McCall's ambitions are modest, he is exceptionally determined. For years, he has scraped together a living by salvaging rare materials from historic homes and then selling them to private builders. Sometimes months went by before he had a client. Finally, he had put aside enough to purchase two acres in Montgomery and started to build. He did the work himself using materials accumulated in his business including a supply of sturdy and extremely rare longleaf pine.

McCall only earns enough money to build in incremental stages, but eventually his dream home took shape. According to a news story by Benjamin Solomon, the structure had 'the high slanted ceilings, the exposed beams of dark, antique wood. It looks like a charming, spacious home in the making.'

But from the outset, the city showed unremitting hostility. He has almost lost count of the roadblocks it threw up including a citation for keeping the necessary building materials on his own land during the construction process.

[commish]

Also, the article does not mention that MR McCall’s dream home of “exposed beams of dark, antique wood.” was a mish mash of scraps taken from other job sites. it was mismatched and had sat as a poorly designed frame for over a year on his 2 acres that was nothing more than weeds surrounding what looked like junk piles of wood, pipe, etc (IE his “construction” materials).

Not to say that the finished product might have been gorgeous, but in the meantime for almost 2 years it looked like an abandoned lot ful of junk.

The apartment complex that the owner is whining about, is a bunch of nondescript, decrepit brick building with broken windows and collapsing roofs.

[Captain Kirk]

HMM nowhere in the article is it mentioned that the Mayor’s office and city council are dominated by Liberal Lefty Democrats elected by these same people who are whining about how the city treats them.

Really? Can you site me a source indicating that the two people profiled in the article voted for the "liberal lefty democrats?"

[Captain Kirk]

Again, what is your source for this assertion? The lefties in city hall?

[commish]

Lwt’s try this - the two people profiled live in districts that voted 96%-4% for Obama, 95% for former mayor Bobby Bright, 87% for the current mayor (In a race of 17 people), and 97% for thier city councilman.

As for the two properties, I LIVE IN MONTGOMERY, and I see both properties quite frequently.

IS THAT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU??????????????????????????????

[TankerKC]

HMM nowhere in the article is it mentioned that the Mayor’s office and city council are dominated by Liberal Lefty Democrats elected by these same people who are whining about how the city treats them.

Witness!

[denydenydeny]

Peera, who had to flee from his native East Africa after Idi Amin expelled its Asian population,

I wonder why he didn't stay and fight the injustices of Ida Amin?

Ex*pel"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Expelled, p. pr. & vb. n.. Expelling.] [L. expellere, expulsum; ex out + pellere to drive: cf.F. expeller.

1. To drive or force out from that within which anything is contained, inclosed, or situated; to eject; as to expel air from a bellows.

On 4 August 1972, Idi Amin, President of Uganda, gave Uganda's Asians (mostly Gujaratis of Indian origin) 90 days to leave the country.

[Captain Kirk]

I've seen the property too but we seem to have very different perspectives. The house was barely visible to me from the road. McCall's house was on a two acre lot with plenty of trees and vegitation and the both the house and materials were toward the rear of the property (away from the road). The house was deemed structurally sound by an independent engineer who was trusted on the judge.

On the basis, and others the judge ruled for McCall and ordered the city to compensate him for the loss of the house. Rather than doing so, however, the city is appealing. If McCall is really as you describe him, why does he keep beating the "lefty" leadership in the city in the courts? As to Peera, he is trying to renovate the property you mention. His complaint is that city won't let him and he is also beating city halls in the courts!

[Captain Kirk]

It is really quite remarkable that so many freepers are apparently taking the city of the property rights abusers in city hall.

[TankerKC]

I took no side. I would just note that people get the government that they deserve.

[Captain Kirk]

Again, where is your information that McCall or Peera (1) voted in the last election or (2) voted for Obama. Let me ask a further question: why don’t you take any side when in comes to property rights abuse?

[commish]

Don’t get me wrong, I fully support both McCall and Peera, it is thier property and they should be allowed to continue.

I just know my personal thought on Peera’s property was “What a dump” and MCCall’s was “good god are they ever going to do anything with that eyesore”.

THe comment about the districts was just that, about the districts, as you pointed out we have no idea how McCall and Peera voted, but the fact is the district at a whole chose the bed they are being forced to lay in.

Anyway, I apologize for being a little rude and reactive (I reread my posts and feel that way), and just want you to know that I do support thier right to thier property.