Edith Macefield did not back down when developers tried to buy her house, forcing them to build around it. Now, a year and a half since she passed away, Ballard’s biggest hold-out is becoming a household name in China.
Developers in China wanted to demolish a woman’s house to make room for a road, but she refused when she was offered a price below market value, reports TofuWatch.com. Her story has a tragic ending — the home was demolished and she committed suicide — sparking outrage in the country. Much of the fallout compares the tragedy with Ballard’s own Edith Macefield and this line in our 5th Amendment: “Nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.” Brad Wong of TofuWatch writes that there’s some movement toward a similar law in China.
Macefield becoming household name in China
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This woman's story is horrific. And people wonder why we call this “The greatest country on earth”? Sure, we have our misgivings, but we have incredible rights and freedoms not enjoyed anywhere else. I'm feeling so patriotic – I'm going to find a Vet and give them a hug!
Yes with each picture and story we must perpetuate the myth that she stood up to developers. Just like the day after thanksgiving is the busies shopping day of the year yeah what else, oh yea Chicago is the Windy City because of the weather ..help me out here guys we're on a roll now!
DEATH PANELS! The government has death panels!
*continues walking off into sunset*
I miss the blue car.
Yeah, really. :)
I miss Edith. Though I didn't know her personally, it was truly a statement to drive by her house and see her old blue car parked out front and her knick-knacks on the window sills while Ballard Blocks went up around her. She was an inspiration. R.I.P. Edith!
An inspiration for what?
Unfortunately what is lost by those who find her an “inspiration” is the reality of her life. Her last year was one filled with senility, unspeakable living conditions and dozens of emergency trips to the hospital because of her “right” to independence. I am all for rights of the individual, but how many people if they had seen the actual horrid conditions she was living in would have thought it acceptable? She was no inspiration. She should have sold and lived with care for the last years of her life, not covered in her own urine unable to care for herself and living in squalor. We were so focused on using her to justify our own beliefs that the reality of her life was lost. She was a scared old woman with no family and our community failed her.
You are giving a new meaning to the word “horrific” – a word which I have known for 50 years. Or did you want to say “terrific”. If not, I understand why dictionaries got to be updated every quarter of a year.