Koppel faces off against neighbors; Nightline’ anchor at war in ferocious land dispute

Washington Post via MSNBC ^ | December 26,2002 | Matthew Mosk

[John W]

Dec. 26 — On the air, he has played the delicate role of referee to Israelis and Palestinians. In the midst of South Africa’s clash over apartheid, he brought Foreign Minister R.F. Botha and Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu into U.S. homes on the same television broadcast. But at home in Potomac, where he is building a massive riverfront estate on 16 acres of cattle pasture, Ted Koppel is at war with his neighbors.

[DWSUWF]

"...Neither of which adds any weight to your argument and wasted all of our time..."

It really, really bothers you that I want to see Koppel's villagers prevail, doesn't it?

[jim_trent]

I guess that we (you and I) also define property rights differently. Koppel paid extra money to be able to impose those restrictions on the future development of that land that he bought. There is nothing illegal about that. Those who bought from Koppel afterward can either choose to live by those rules or they can buy elsewhere. Seems pretty simple to me.

[DWSUWF]

"...In that case I must "tell" you to look up the word "legitimate" in the dictionary..."

Hmmm...

The property laws of the United States are written by the finger of God...

In stone?

I must have missed that.

Tell me then rudeboy...

Where, within the confines of our borders, may I buy a strapping young Negro buck?

I've got some pipe-trenches that need digging, and firewood that needs cutting...

And, yes, I still question the legitimacy of the restrictive covenants we've been discussing here.

[DWSUWF]

"...rusty automobiles resting on cinder blocks, and beer cans randomly thrown around the yard..."

LOL!

Don't forget melon rinds...

[syriacus]

Liberal Hypocrites

Peter Brown of the Orlando Sentinel decided to survey the zip codes of 3,400 journalists to see where they lived. Not surprisingly, he found that most cluster in upscale neighborhoods, far from inner cities. More than one-third of Washington Post reporters live in just four fancy D.C. suburbs.

Paul Sperry, Washington Bureau Chief of WorldNetDaily.com, looked up two of the biggest journalistic promoters of racial diversity, Chris Matthews and Ted Koppel. Mr. Matthews, who recently intoned that segregation still exists because the country is "run by white guys," lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland, which is five percent black.

Mr. Koppel has completed a series on Nightline called "America in Black and White." He started off by hectoring some whites who live in a mostly-white area in Philadelphia. When they said they have some blacks in the neighborhood he responded, "Six or seven out of 6,000. I mean, it's a 99-percent white neighborhood." Mr. Koppel would probably feel at home there, since his own neighborhood in Potomac, Maryland, is five percent black. (Paul Sperry, Desegregate the Media Elite, Frontpage Magazine (on-line), March 31, 2000.)

[BigBobber]

When I bought my property there was a restriction on how big the house could be, and how close homes could be to the neighbor's property line. This helps promote privacy and assures a certain amount of daylight between structures. When my neighbor or I sell our property, the new owner will have the same restriction. Why would one expect otherwise?

This is not a difficult concept. Before we signed the sales document, I read and understood what the conditions were. If you want to build a house larger than 10,000 sf, then don't buy a lot that restricts something that large.

[DWSUWF]

Yours is the most reasoned reply, so I'll parse it...

"...Koppel paid extra money to be able to impose those restrictions on the future development of that land that he bought..."

I don't dispute that he did this.

"...There is nothing illegal about that..."

Agreed. My contention is that the concept of legitimate intangibles, such as mineral or water rights, has been grossly corrupted to the point where essentially useless deeds to unusable property may be sold to the witless.

"...Those who bought from Koppel afterward can either choose to live by those rules or they can buy elsewhere..."

No.

It is a quintessentially American trait to say, "Piss on this!" and resist. Koppel can submit, or Koppel can sue to retain what others do not regard as legitimate.

Roll the dice and we'll see who prevails.

"...Seems pretty simple to me..."

From the opposite side, I see it the same way.

[1rudeboy]

While you have your dictionary out, try "sophistry." Don't bother to respond. Good day.

[TopQuark]

Given that you are defensive and rude as a result, I will limit my response to the following.

You may recognize the existence of covenants but, like many people for whom little knowledge is dangerous, appear to be unaware of the benefits. These covenants were purchased in a legal trade.

You not only failed to see that point initially but also insisted on mere repetition even after your omission was pointed out to you. You appear to be very proud of your ability to state succinctly some legalese-sounding nonsense. Any moron can do that.

I do not know whether you are involved in the legal profession: you are particularly enchanted with "agreements," betraying once again your ignorance and inability to conceptualize. Even in the legal profession, there is also the notion of what is true, a positive analysis of a legal situation. It is pursued by legal scholars rather than stupid morons whose ability to commit legal code and cases to memory allows them to pass the bar.

Never mind the agreements: I cannot enter into one with you because you appear to be unable to offer me anything worth consideration.

Never mind agreements thus. Your reply is neither solicited nor expected and will be ignored with a yawn.

[TopQuark]

Ted bought 16 acres of prime real estate just outside DC for about $169,000 per acre. That's about what subdivision land is going for per 1/4 acre in some parts of suburban Chicago...

And how is that relevant to the issue at hand? Except for envy, of course.

[RightWhale]

somewhere in Alaska, there's a 16 acre piece Ted could call home...

Everybody has plans for Alaska. But nobody is doing anything except for a few and the few are screwing up everything for generations to come. Send Koppel to Alaska, but forget the 16 acres -- 16 acres is just the turnaround in the driveway. Make it 160 acres and you're starting to make some sense.

[DWSUWF]

You're still missing my point.

I'm not arguing legalities.

I'm disputing the legitimacy of those legal fictions which allow for the corruption of real estate deeds well beyond what those who bequeathed us our legal heritage ever envisioned.

And it apparently is driving some of my fellow posters absolutely crazy that I dare to do so!

[Gary Boldwater]

Next time you fly in a plane, thank the Lord that some engineer was obsessed with details. It's this type of thinking that creates wealth and makes life better.

[TopQuark]

I have to ask Ted how the excess of 10,000 sq.ft. for two people is any more defensible than 14,000 square feet?

How is this relevant? When you buy a suit or a dress for $100, say, how is that "defensible?" Why should it be defended?

Instead of a suit or a dress, Koppel bought a right. He paid for it because he preferred to do so. His neighbors received the money (in the form of a reductio in price of the house).

If you do not have to defend your preferences and your purchases, why should he?

[DWSUWF]

"...Don't bother to respond. Good day..."

You prefer to have the last word...

I understand...

G'day to you too...

And the Missus as well...

[aristeides]

In Village of Euclid, Ohio, v. Ambler Realty, the Supreme Court upheld zoning by only a 5-4 vote in the 1920's. In fact, there's reason to believe there was a 5-4 majority to rule against zoning until one of the justices switched. I wonder if these covenants would be enforceable if the Supreme Court had ruled against zoning.

[DWSUWF]

"...Your reply is neither solicited nor expected and will be ignored with a yawn..."

What would you say if I told you that you'd just convinced me, but that this peckish rebuff had the effect of putting me off?

[TopQuark]

Deport Koppel, and turn that land back into a pasture. Cows would make better neighbors and their manure never gets as ripe as what Koppel emits or as deep either.

Very nice. You just don't care if your hatred goes too far, even if you suggest something totally unAmerican: as long as this is directed as someone you dislike, all is well.

You also have a grievance with Koppel being an immigrant. To which Idian tribe do you belong?

[Pagey]

"We’re talking about a strata that is so different from the vast majority of the population"

Hey Ted, "You are not what you own".One of my leftist acquaintances said that to me once when I was younger.What the loser didn't know was that I still had both my parents, was disciplined as a child ( which has made all the difference in my life) and resented him implying that I was 'stuck-up' and 'full of myself'.So we fought,I won, and that friendship was over.I stood over him,telling him to stop being " a 'perpetual student' and go get a %$#@ing job,your own car,your own Apt.etc and His Socialist Mother (what a reaction by her when she came outside,I didn't know how loud I was speaking) didn't appreciate that at all.Still LOL! Ted, you're just like the rest of us,wake up each day,visit the bathroom, put on your shoes and go to work. Just because you're "building a massive riverfront estate on 16 acres of cattle pasture"( and seriously, good for you!) doesn't make you better than the rest of America.Too bad your boss ( and publicly no less ) almost cancelled your program a few months ago. I now know what's really wrong with you.You're just bitter because you'll never be as great or as big as the property you purchased! LOL!

[DWSUWF]

".... I wonder if these covenants would be enforceable if the Supreme Court had ruled against zoning..."

Well, I think we've got some folks, right here on this thread, who would argue that a world without strict zoning, and all the legal baggage it brings, would be a world where cats would lay down with dogs, where day would be turned to night, where the fabric of time and space itself would unravel...

But I think that we'd simply have a world where it was a bit harder for people to mind any business save their own.

That's a very good, and sadly unanswerable, question.