The Tribune-Democrat
May 08, 2009 08:36 am
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Just when it appeared that controversy was no longer dogging the Flight 93 Memorial project, we learned that the federal government plans to take land from private property owners who have not yet signed sales agreements.
Seven property owners with a combined 500 acres are targeted by the U.S. Park Service, which is attempting to complete acquisitions for a total of 2,200 acres for a permanent crash memorial.
We oppose any action by the government other than negotiating fair prices with these property owners.
And we would urge all the landowners to fight the planned takeovers vigorously in any available legal channel – up to and including the U.S. Supreme Court.
The park service plans to condemn land parcels and secure rights to them through eminent domain, rather than continue with negotiations.
Property owner Tim Lambert told The Associated Press that he was “shocked” and “disappointed” to learn that big brother was coming after the 164 acres his grandfather purchased some 80 years ago.
Lambert said owners of these smaller parcels were never told there was a firm deadline for negotiations.
Randall Musser, another property owner, said landowners were promised seven years ago that eminent domain would not be employed by the government. Musser has 62 acres that the park service is after.
“(The park service) apologized about the way it’s come together,” Musser told the AP, “but what’s sad is they had all these years to put this together and they haven’t.”
Such threat of action is indicative of a power-hungry government agency run amok.
The park service’s willingness to use such means is appalling.
United Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville on Sept. 11, 2001 – shortly after terrorists had flown planes into the World Trade Center towers in New York and the Pentagon in Arlington, Va.
The tragic events of that day claimed the lives of 40 passengers and crew aboard Flight 93 – and thousands more innocent lives elsewhere – and turned a vacant Somerset County strip mine site into the resting place of heroes.
Since then, the park service and other groups have been developing plans for a $58 million permanent memorial to the crash victims. And one hurdle – perceived Muslim imagery in the original memorial design – was finally cleared when the park service unveiled a new look on May 2.
However, while we agree that the country should develop a permanent tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of the innocent victims who gave their lives on 9/11, we’d rather see no permanent memorial built than have the government use such devious means to move the project forward.
“Basically, at this point, we have not been able to acquire all the land we need,” park service spokesman Phil Sheridan said.
That’s a shame! So you just bully the property owners to get what you want? That’s the intent of the park service, apparently.
“We always prefer to get that land from a willing seller,” Sheridan said. “And sometimes you can just not come to an agreement on certain things.”
What rubbish!
A judge with a conscience and backbone should intervene in this matter and tell the park service to back off.
This is a clear case of government trampling on the rights of citizens to get what it wants.
We can’t allow that to happen – even for a project as worthwhile as the Flight 93 Memorial.
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