Gracie,

People - INNOCENT people - have been KILLED in New York and Boston during illegal entries into homes. In Boston, it was getting the address of a drug dealer wrong.

The Indiana Supreme Court says that there is a process to fix things 'after the fact'? That's atrocious. Let me tell you about another government, right here in the United States that thought fixing things 'after the fact' was ok.

Set the Way-Back Machine to the 1950s, Boston Massachusetts. Plans are drawn up for a glorious Skyway through Boston that will eventually be known as the Central Artery, then later as I-93.

Lots of homes and businesses were to be taken for the new right-of-way. Of course, the Constitution says that owners would be fairly compensated, yes? Here's what the government did if you owned a building 'in the way'.

- They condemned your property.

- They paid you $1. Yes, that's right - $1.

- They forced you out of your property - physically.

- They told you to sue in court for the 'fair value' of your property.

The owners still had mortgages on the properties. In fact, the banks called the mortgages in when the state took over. So the owner ends up having to pay for moving expenses, a new place to live AND the balance of his old mortgage on a place the state has already bulldozed. Now, to sue, he has to hire a lawyer - yet ANOTHER expense. The state then give the owner a lowball offer and has him sign a release that allowed the state to get the property for a fraction of it's value.

Does this sound familiar?

But that's what happened. You can't imagine something like that happening in this country - but it does.