Ultimate bully: Eminent domain

If you've visited any of our public schools lately, you've likely noticed a very active campaign against "bullying." But have you ever stopped to think about the biggest bully of all - our government(s)? And one of the most heinous expressions of this offensive and morally corrupt behavior lies in the law of Eminent Domain, i.e., the right of "our" government to expropriate "our" property for public use, thereby punishing the very people it is supposed to protect. And, yes, my family is one of the latest victims.

I am referring to the new Greensferry overpass, now under construction, in Post Falls and the absolute disruption it is causing within my family. You see, it is my 93-year-old mother and my 75-year-old sister (her primary caregiver) who are being forced out of their residence at the behest of the city of Post Falls and the Urban Development Agency, all for the "convenience of the public." (It'll save a few southside Walmart shoppers about five minutes travel time).

The Cd'A Press recently ran a human-interest story on my mother's plight; and I want to thank them for bringing this to the public's attention. As I read the story and have now taken some quiet moments to reflect on the essence of this travesty of social justice, I feel compelled to give a public voice to my dementia-incapacitated mother and any others who might be or who have been affected by this brutal and insensitive law, the consequence of which will become a lasting part of our community legacy.

When our lawmakers write laws, it seems that they are completely insensitive to the "moral right" of their proceedings. Do they not know that this "forced" violation of our rights helps to define "The National Purpose," and how we as a society express our own moral values? In this case, the city has the opportunity and the power to enhance our public image and do the right thing. Right now, our city just looks like the biggest bully on the block; and come hell-or-high-water, it is going to jam this thing down our throats - no matter the impact on its citizens, and especially on my mother - and that makes it very personal to me and my siblings.

The mayor of Post Falls should stand up and take responsibility to exercise his duty to protect the city's most vulnerable citizens.

Mr. Mayor, I implore you to delay this project and help me and my family make sure that this long-standing resident of Post Falls be able to live out the rest of her life in relative peace in her "own" home, on her "own" property.

Sir, this project has been delayed many times over the last several years; and now, all of a sudden, it's urgent; "balls-to-the-wall, boys;" "full-steam-ahead." Why the urgency? In "we must do this now" situations like this (and not unlike the process of passing ObamaCare), I am always reminded of what John Paul Jones once said: "In matters of principle, be deaf to expediency." And I do not, for the life of me, see how another delay, until mother rests comfortably in heaven, could not possibly be worth the benefits to our moral tapestry and to the city's image they would derive from it.

And to the good citizens of Post Falls, I would ask, "Do we really want this type of abusive treatment of citizens to be a part of our city legacy?"

Charles Richards, is a very concerned son, father and grandfather.