What "history" do we need to preserve? The founders were clear in the Declaration of Independence that they believed a government's primary, if not only, role was to protect an individual's divinely granted rights, including his rights to the fruits of his labor, and to his property.

This principle endured and was codified in the Bill of Rights, in the 5th Amendment, which prohibits the taking of private property for public use, without just compensation. In the name of "historical preservation," have we forgotten this founding principle? Isn't preserving an individual's right to their property more important than preserving a "fairly good example" of a certain style of architecture?

Mark Nelson

Davenport