| What if your town was taken by Eminent Domain to provide a reservior for one of the larger cities in your state? Think of what it would mean to you, your family, friends, and neighbors. Think about the elderly who have lived in your town all their lives. Think about the buildings that would be torn down, and the familiar places that would cease to exist. Do you think everyone in your town would be against such a move or might some people feel the way Celie's mother felt - that it was a good chance to make a new beginning? Debate these questions in class, then divide your class into four groups. Let one group represent the city dwellers who need water and are in favor of taking your town. Let the second group represent city dwellers who need water but are in favor of exploring other ways of getting it. Let the third group represent local townspeople who are against the Eminent Domain proposal. Let the fourth group represent local townspeople who are in favor. Prepare your arguments and set up a mock hearing, inviting another class or some other outside group to sit in judgement and decide the fate of your town. Afterwards, discuss how it felt to know that this decision lay in someone else's hands. Discuss whether or not Eminent Domain is good thing. When should it be used? When should it not? How can people be sure that it is not abused? |
