Kelo's Holiday Greeting To Foes: 'I Curse You All'

[Rogue 9]

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Kelo's Holiday Greeting To Foes: 'I Curse You All'
Fort Trumbull eminent domain plaintiff hopes recipients of cards will 'rot in hell'
By Steven Slosberg

New London — Fort Trumbull diehard Susette Kelo has sent out a heartfelt holiday greeting card to some 30 or so current and former members of the City Council and New London Development Corp., among others, wishing them, in essence, hell on Earth for the rest of their lives.

The text, accompanying a sparkling, snowy image of Kelo's iconic pink house in the Fort Trumbull neighborhood, reads, in its entirety:

Here is my house that you did take
From me to you, this spell I make
Your houses, your homes
Your family, your friends
May they live in misery
That never ends.
I curse you all
May you rot in hell
To each of you
I send this spell
For the rest of your lives
I wish you ill
I send this now
By the power of will

The cards — conceived and produced by Kathleen Mitchell, a friend of Kelo and city gadfly, and bearing Kelo's name — were received Tuesday by NLDC members David Goebel (the agency's former executive director), George Milne and Reid Burdick, and by Alan Mayer and his wife, Gail Schwenker-Mayer, supporters of the Fort Trumbull development project and one-time assistants to Claire Gaudiani, former president of both the NLDC and Connecticut College. State Sen. Andrea Stillman, D-Waterford, also got one.

Kelo said this week that she mailed two cards to Gaudiani.

Kelo confirmed others on her list for the Christmas curse, including Mayor Peg Curtin and Beth Sabilia, Ernie Hewitt, Ron Nossek, Jane Glover, Kevin Cavanaugh, Rob Pero, Tim West, all current or former city councilors involved with Fort Trumbull. NLDC President Michael Joplin and members John Johnson, Carl Stoner, Steve Percy, Karl Sternlof, John Brooks and Pam Akins also are to receive the cards.

Kelo said she was considering sending the cards to the five U.S. Supreme Court justices who, in 2005, sided, as a majority, with the city and NLDC against the Fort Trumbull homeowners who fought the city's right to take the properties by eminent domain.

Kelo, among six Fort Trumbull property owners who contested the city's and agency's right to seize their homes and businesses, was the lead plaintiff in the case. She ultimately accepted a settlement offer from the city totaling $442,155 for her house at 8 East St., more than $319,000 above the appraised value in 2000.

“It's amazing anyone could be so vindictive when they've made so much money,” said Schwenker-Mayer on Tuesday, after receiving her card.

Milne, a former top executive at Pfizer Inc. here, called the card “immensely childish.”

“It's sort of sad she elected to do this,” said Milne. “We were trying to do things for the city. It was nothing personal.”

Burdick said he put the card on his mantel with all his other Christmas greetings. “I think the poor woman has gone around the bend,” he said. “I haven't gotten any mail from her in years. I still feel bad for Susette. The sorry part of this is that the things she's angry about were not done to be mean-spirited toward her personally.”

To Glover, a former mayor, the card's rendering of the Kelo house was cute. But the curse didn't cut it. “Being a Christian, I don't believe in curses,” she said. “It was really childish. I didn't think Susette Kelo believed in curses and black magic. If she did, she would have tried it on the Supreme Court.”

Goebel, the former NLDC executive director, said, “Children will be children.” But Goebel was the only recipient, thus far, to suggest that the card might not be from Kelo.

“You shouldn't take the signature at the bottom as that of the one who sent it,” Goebel said. “It's not something Susette would have done, in my view. It's unfortunate children have to do this.”

He did not speculate on who else might have been behind the mailing.

Kelo said the card was her idea. “I'm very upset with what these people did to me,” said Kelo, who works for the City of New London as a nurse dealing with lead paint and lead poisoning cases.

“This all could have been solved and ended many years ago,” she said. “They didn't have to do what they did to us, and I will never forget. These people can think what they want of me. I will never, ever forget what they did.”

[Coyote]

"Golly gee whillikers, all we did was take this woman's house against her will; I can't imagine why she'd be so bitter!"

[lPeregrine]

“It's amazing anyone could be so vindictive when they've made so much money,” said Schwenker-Mayer on Tuesday, after receiving her card.

And this shows just why they should rot in hell. It's all about the money to these people, who cares about peoples' feelings and rights, mere citizens are just another number for the accountants to deal with. It's kind of scary that they (and the government that sided with them) can be so out of touch with reality to think that all you have to do is throw enough money at someone and suddenly any injustice is justified.

[Molyneux]

Damnit, Coyote, you ninja'd my post.

Are those slugs REALLY as dumb as the article makes them sound, or is this some kind of bizarre parody?

[SecondToDie]

To Glover, a former mayor, the card's rendering of the Kelo house was cute. But the curse didn't cut it. “Being a Christian, I don't believe in curses,” she said.

Being a Christian, don't you also believe in the Ten Commandments? I think one of them says something about not coveting your neighbor's house.

[Covenant]

To Glover, a former mayor, the card's rendering of the Kelo house was cute. But the curse didn't cut it. “Being a Christian, I don't believe in curses,” she said.

Being a Christian, don't you also believe in the Ten Commandments? I think one of them says something about not coveting your neighbor's house.

Wife. Your neighbor's wife. And being a Christian, she doesn't believe in curses? Avast! She must never have had kids, or God's curse that women feel pain in childbirth as punishment for their original sin would probably have been a stern reminder of The Great Bearded One's capability for Dwarfish grudge-keeping.

I kid, I really do. But it's so funny to mess them with their own bullshit.

[salm]

Why exactly did they cease the houses? What is the Fort Trumbull development project?

[lPeregrine]

Why exactly did they cease the houses? What is the Fort Trumbull development project?

Short form: private development, no public use at all. Two private citizens wanted the property, one had wealth and connections, one just had ownership. The developers got the city to take the property under eminent domain laws.

Not surprisingly, the case went to court. The town claimed it was justified because the new development would pay more in tax money, so there was a public benefit. The supreme court sided with the town, and 95% of the country was outraged. Sadly the remaining 5% were the developers and big business owners with the money to buy politicians, and nothing has been done about it.

[Xisiqomelir]

Wow, I hope that curse comes true.

[mr friendly guy]

The sorry part of this is that the things she's angry about were not done to be mean-spirited toward her personally.”

And that makes it all better now, doesn't it.
Oh wait, it doesn't.

[Andrew J.]

Why exactly did they cease the houses? What is the Fort Trumbull development project?

Short form: private development, no public use at all. Two private citizens wanted the property, one had wealth and connections, one just had ownership. The developers got the city to take the property under eminent domain laws.

Not surprisingly, the case went to court. The town claimed it was justified because the new development would pay more in tax money, so there was a public benefit. The supreme court sided with the town, and 95% of the country was outraged. Sadly the remaining 5% were the developers and big business owners with the money to buy politicians, and nothing has been done about it.

Nothing? We have had a bunch of state legislatures explicitly banning the use of eminent domain for this sort of thing.

[KrauserKrauser]

Not to mention the Liberty Hotel.

I so hope that goes through. Poetic justice at its finest.

[lPeregrine]

Why exactly did they cease the houses? What is the Fort Trumbull development project?

Short form: private development, no public use at all. Two private citizens wanted the property, one had wealth and connections, one just had ownership. The developers got the city to take the property under eminent domain laws.

Not surprisingly, the case went to court. The town claimed it was justified because the new development would pay more in tax money, so there was a public benefit. The supreme court sided with the town, and 95% of the country was outraged. Sadly the remaining 5% were the developers and big business owners with the money to buy politicians, and nothing has been done about it.

Nothing? We have had a bunch of state legislatures explicitly banning the use of eminent domain for this sort of thing.

Well, nothing on the federal level at least. You'd think congress would get the idea when they see 95% of people disagreeing with the ruling so strongly. But nope, walmart is more persuasive I guess. Sure, some states might protect your rights, but there's still a lot of places where you're just screwed by the case.

[Darth Wong]

On the one hand, I don't see the city's justification for what they did. On the other hand, to be honest, if someone had given me more than three times market value in return for taking my house, I don't know how angry I'd really be. I've moved plenty of times in my life; doing it once more for 3.5 times fucking market value would be pretty sweet if you ask me.

Seriously, this is a question for all you homeowners out there: if the government told you that they were taking your land but they would give you 3.5 times market value for it, just how angry would you be? Be honest.

[Elheru Aran]

Seriously, this is a question for all you homeowners out there: if the government told you that they were taking your land but they would give you 3.5 times market value for it, just how angry would you be? Be honest.

I don't have a home of my own, but I can definitely see sentimental attachment being a big factor in wanting to stay where you are. I wouldn't be very pleased at getting turfed out of the house where I grew up at, where my family's lived for the past few decades, just for a new subdivision. One's attachment to their home can be a lot more than simply having a place to live...

[Edi]

On the one hand, I don't see the city's justification for what they did. On the other hand, to be honest, if someone had given me more than three times market value in return for taking my house, I don't know how angry I'd really be. I've moved plenty of times in my life; doing it once more for 3.5 times fucking market value would be pretty sweet if you ask me.

Seriously, this is a question for all you homeowners out there: if the government told you that they were taking your land but they would give you 3.5 times market value for it, just how angry would you be? Be honest.

I wouldn't like to move from where I live now, but for that kind of money I couldn't say I'd be disappointed. I'd probably be able to move just a few blocks away anyhow.

Edi

[Darth Wong]

Seriously, this is a question for all you homeowners out there: if the government told you that they were taking your land but they would give you 3.5 times market value for it, just how angry would you be? Be honest.

I don't have a home of my own, but I can definitely see sentimental attachment being a big factor in wanting to stay where you are. I wouldn't be very pleased at getting turfed out of the house where I grew up at, where my family's lived for the past few decades, just for a new subdivision. One's attachment to their home can be a lot more than simply having a place to live...

How long have you had a job? People who say that money isn't that big a deal tend not to have spent much time earning it. Either that or they're doing so well that they can afford to think of it as a luxury, whereas it is a necessity of life for many people.

[Mr. Coffee]

Seriously, this is a question for all you homeowners out there: if the government told you that they were taking your land but they would give you 3.5 times market value for it, just how angry would you be? Be honest.

I'd be laughing my ass off all the way to the bank, actually. Don't get me wrong, I really like my home and the property it's on. But 3.5 times what just the acrage of my propety would buy me a really nice home in an upscale neighborhood. It'd also get me the hell away from the rednecks down the street.

[Elheru Aran]

Seriously, this is a question for all you homeowners out there: if the government told you that they were taking your land but they would give you 3.5 times market value for it, just how angry would you be? Be honest.

I'd be laughing my ass off all the way to the bank, actually. Don't get me wrong, I really like my home and the property it's on. But 3.5 times what just the acrage of my propety would buy me a really nice home in an upscale neighborhood. It'd also get me the hell away from the rednecks down the street.

There is that, yeah. I would myself have totally no problem with moving if it meant I got a nice load of money too. I was just pointing out earlier that for some people there may be a significant sentimental attachment to their homes, so it's not so easy for them to just move...

[CaptainChewbacca]

As a general rule of thumb for witchcraft; If it rhymes in English, it probably isn't a magic spell.

[Velthuijsen]

Seriously, this is a question for all you homeowners out there: if the government told you that they were taking your land but they would give you 3.5 times market value for it, just how angry would you be? Be honest.

I'd take the money, pay of the mortgage , find something comparable to the original house in value buy it out right and invest the remainder for retirement purposes.

[General Brock]

On the one hand, I don't see the city's justification for what they did. On the other hand, to be honest, if someone had given me more than three times market value in return for taking my house, I don't know how angry I'd really be. I've moved plenty of times in my life; doing it once more for 3.5 times fucking market value would be pretty sweet if you ask me.

Seriously, this is a question for all you homeowners out there: if the government told you that they were taking your land but they would give you 3.5 times market value for it, just how angry would you be? Be honest.

Not really a homeowner... but not really that upset at all. Its not like moving wouldn't have to happen for other reasons.

Of course, it would depend on the view and what's under the land, and my history with the place, market volatility, and the favourability of the base assessment.

[wolveraptor]

I think people are siding with this woman more because they are outraged by the principle of the thing. Big corporations shouldn't be able to take your goddamn house. However, if the compensation is always this huge, I can't say I'd be unhappy. That's 400 thousand fucking dollars, man.

[Dalton]

Seriously, this is a question for all you homeowners out there: if the government told you that they were taking your land but they would give you 3.5 times market value for it, just how angry would you be? Be honest.

HAHAHAHA

I live on Long Island. If I had a house here and was offered 3.5x market value for it, I'd move to Nevada and build a fucking mansion.

[Alyeska]

A home can be extremely sentimental. I would pay large sums of money to buy back my childhood home if I had the chance. Far more then its worth.