WEBVTT FILE

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There are only two ways
to do things in life -

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voluntarily, or because
you're forced to.

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Government is the only
institution in America

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that's allowed to use force,

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that has a legal right
to make you do things.

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And everything government does -

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every regulation, every tax
it imposes - is backed up by force,

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or the threat of it in
one form or another.

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Sometimes the force comes
in the form of a bulldozer.

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That's what's threatening
this neighborhood

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in New Rochelle, New York.

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It's what you might call
a mixed neighborhood.

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There are two thriving churches,
34 homes, 28 businesses

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It's very diverse. People of different
races live here in harmony.

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Residents told us they like
their neighborhood the way it is.

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-We're just like one big family there.
-So what's the problem?

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Well, the problem is that city
officials like the mayor don't like it.

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-No urban planner would ever
design a neighborhood like that

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with a house next to an industrial
site, next to a bus depot.

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That's not a neighborhood,
in my opinion.

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-The city's solution?

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Flatten the area and replace it
with an Ikea furniture store.

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-Ikea has to go away!

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-Lots of people around here
are not happy about that.

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-They want to put us out
of our homes and business

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and destroy 2 churches so they can
come in and sell furniture?

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-Well, yes.

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These people may have deeds
for their homes and businesses,

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but government can still just
kick them off their property

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by using a law called
"eminent domain"

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which means superior ownership.

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Officials can take over your
property if they decide it serves

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what they consider to be
the greater good.

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The government first
used eminent domain

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to get land for new highways,
bridges, parks.

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This woman was literally
dragged from her home

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to make room for a park in Virginia.

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-Thank you. Please be seated.

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-These days, however,

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government officials use eminent
domain for all kinds of things.

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To help private companies expand.
Not just Ikea, but K-Mart,

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Home Depot, baseball teams,
shopping malls.

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When this shopping mall
in Texas wanted to expand

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into that neighborhood, the town
just ordered everyone out

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and had the entire
neighborhood bulldozed.

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That's the plan for New Rochelle.

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-We have freedom,
but where is the freedom?

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What freedom do we have

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when we have businesses
that will just come in and say,

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'Oh, you have to move'?
There is no freedom.

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-I have to move my city forward

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and then renew areas
that have fallen into disrepair

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and into blighted conditions.

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And I think the only way
to do that in a city of this size

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is to be able to reorganize
things a little bit.

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-What about freedom?

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The people there say they don't
want to be reorganized.

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-Um, I think there's a...
there's a need to understand

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how government can
improve its community.

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-Now, I have to say,
I like Ikea stores.

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These are great things
to have around.

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But should families be forced out
to make room for them?

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-Is it right to tear people from
their homes? Is that right?

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-Dominick Gataletto's family
has lived here since he was 2.

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He remembers his mother
cooking pasta in the kitchen.

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In the same plot where his father
used to grow tomatoes,

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Dominick now grows tomatoes.

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He and his wife, Virginia,

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wanted to leave the house
to their children.

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-All the memories
that I've had all these years.

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I've been here 67 years
and you don't just wipe that away

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simply because a furniture
store wants to come in.

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This is America? I don't think so.

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-You think of government. You think
of government’s there to help you.

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-But they're not going to help you.

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-When they take your house,
that's not a help.

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-They're not just gonna take
your house, they'll pay you for it.

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-Mister you don't know
what you're talking about.

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-She has a point.

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The city has to pay only what
it says the homes are worth.

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-We're just asking them
to move to a different site.

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-You're not asking people.
You're telling them - 'Move'.

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-But we're going to try to find them

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adequate relocation headquarters.

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-I've never felt so powerless
in my whole life.

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What's wrong with my American dream?

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Why is Ikea's American dream
better than my American dream?

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-Because the politicians
need to plan for everyone.

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They've decided a furniture store
is what this town needs.

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-It's a furniture store today,
and tomorrow, what will it be?

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Will it be your home? Whose house?
Whose business will be next?

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-Politicians assume they know best.

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So they have the right
to use force to fix things.