Eminent Domain is defined as “the power of government to acquire private property necessary for a public use following due process of law and payment of just compensation. Proceedings to take property under eminent domain are referred to as ‘condemnation’ proceedings. The property that governments may condemn includes fee title as well as lesser interests in real property, such as easements, and also “non-physical” interests, such as air rights. (Source: https://mrsc.org/explore-topics/legal/planning/eminent-domainLinks to an external site.) Who decides what is “necessary for a public use”? Watch these videos that describe ways in which communities of color have been sacrificed “for the common good.” Highway Development: Driving While BlackLinks to an external site. How Dodger Stadium Came to BeLinks to an external site. Read this article about a more inclusive view of decisions about infrastructure: How the Interstate Highway System Connected–and in Some Cases Segregated– AmericaLinks to an external site. There is so much emphasis on “DEI” (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) these days that some people are getting tired of it. Ok, ok, we get the point! However, as the materials I have asked you to view and read show, these words have real meaning and real impact on people’s lives, often people who are not equipped with the means to resist decisions that do not take them into account. For discussion: First, I’d like to see what you think about the videos and the article: What were your thoughts and reactions? Second, what do you take away from this material? How might it inform your participation in the life of your community? What questions might it prompt you to ask about decisions made by governments or other public agencies?
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