Some people have said to me, "Mr. Wilson, the block on which Samurai Sam's [and other businesses] sits is so unattractive. Wouldn't a hotel be a better use of that land? It would certainly be a more attractive land use." Perhaps. But it isn't my place to say what constitutes a "better" use of land when that land is not mine. Nor is it your place.
My reasons for getting fired up about the Samurai Sam's situation go far beyond that specific case. Eminent domain abuse is going on all over the country. And it is all but certain that Lincoln will have to rely on eminent domain to acquire some, most, or even all of the land needed to complete critical portions of the Antelope Valley Project. That's not to say that Lincoln [i]will[/i] abuse eminent domain in the future. But it is a distinct possibility. The Samurai Sam's case will say a lot about how Lincoln intends to treat property owners over the next several years, especially since Samurai Sam's land is not "critical" to the completion of the Antelope Valley Project.
Just because Samurai Sam's doesn't make a great poster child for eminent domain abuse doesn't mean that other Lincolnites won't face the fear of eminent domain in the future. Nationwide, governments
abuse blight designations all of the time, blatantly violating the property rights of
average Joes like you and me. Only protesting rights abuses in a fit of
NIMBYism is better than no activism at all, but it's still cowardly.