Eminent domain is one of several methods the government has used to achieve tyrannical ends. Originally intended to make way for infrastructure projects and others that are ostensibly “for the public good,” it has been expanded over the years to allow the state to steal property and land from American citizens.

This is what the state of Texas, in conjunction with the city of San Antonio, is doing to Vince Cantu, owner of Moses Rose’s bar and grill, which is located next to the Alamo. The city has initiated eminent domain proceedings against him to take his property so that they can do some renovations to the Alamo and build a museum and gift shop on the land where his property lies. Check out my article and conversation with Cantu here.

I had the pleasure of speaking at a protest on March 11 at Travis Park, San Antonio, only blocks away from Cantu’s bar. Alongside other speakers, I spoke out against the unfair treatment being given by the city and state government simply because they do not want to pay Cantu a fair price for the bar he spent over a decade building. Here is my speech along with some others:

Eminent domain, like civil asset forfeiture, is one of the most egregious forms of tyranny in America that nobody seems to know about. When the state can summarily steal your home, land, and property without having to give you fair compensation, it is difficult to argue that we live in a free society.

This practice is one of the most pernicious threats to liberty that we see today. But unfortunately, there isn’t much of a backlash to it because most people do not know how often, or how unfairly, it is being used. Indeed, unless you or a loved one has been on the wrong end of eminent domain, you might not know how underhanded the process is. But if more people are made aware, perhaps we can bring about the reform, or abolition of, eminent domain. Simply put, the government should not have carte blanche to seize people’s property.