Land grabs

[GHansen]

~1987, an SDA school in Lynwood, CA was sized under the doctrine of eminent domain. This was an unusual occurrence but apparently completely legal. The land where Chavez Ravine was built was seized through eminent domain in the 1950s. In some countries, government seizure of land is not that unusual. Several years ago, the wife of a pastor was killed by a demolition crew destroying a church that had been seized. She was intentionally hit with a back hoe shovel. Some churches seized were built under dodgy circumstances. The church may have been built upon land which was sold illegally. Proper permits may have not been acquired. Unlike America, "private property" doesn't really exist in some countries. If the government or local corrupt officials want land, they will figure out a way to take it. Violence is an option. An acquaintance and his neighbors built apartment buildings on their land because they believed the government was less likely to acquire land which had been developed. When I say government, it might mean corrupt local officials. The right to own property is really a luxury that most Americans take for granted. When the legal system itself is corrupt, there's really not much that can be done.