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A plea to new property owner: Put compassion above = profit

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

BY HEIDI KRAEPEL-GRIFFITH

The following letter is in response to the April 15 Ann Arbor News = article=20 about Peter Beal, titled "Furniture maker losing fight for land.'' = Copies of=20 this letter are posted at many local businesses in hope of obtaining as = many=20 signatures as possible. Everyone is invited to show their support for = Ann Arbor=20 resident Peter Beal by signing a copy of the letter at one of the = following Ann=20 Arbor locations: Arbor Farms Market, 2103 W. Stadium Blvd.; Downtown = Home and=20 Garden, 210 S. Ashley St.; The Earle Downtown, 121 W. Washington St.; = Fingerle=20 Lumber Co., 617 S. Fifth Ave.; Stadium Hardware, 2177 W. Stadium Blvd.; = Shaman=20 Drum Bookshop, 311-315 S. State St. In Chelsea, copies of the letter are = available at Pierce's Pastries Plus, 103 W. Middle St., and at Zou = Zou's, 101 N.=20 Main St.

To Mr. Gale of REO America Inc., Altamonte Springs, Fla. and the = person(s) in=20 charge of Destiny 98:

The following citizens of the state of Michigan ask you to reconsider = your=20 present course of action regarding the property at 1960 S. Maple in Ann = Arbor,=20 Mich.

Doug Gale claims his procedure in this matter can do "a lot of good = things=20 for communities'' as when he, for example, "take(s) old, dilapidated=20 properties'' and "renovate(s) them.'' We find it important for you to = consider=20 that many people here in Michigan cherish the character and historical = interest=20 to be found in old structures, no matter how dilapidated a person like = yourself=20 may regard it. Furthermore, we see that little good comes from forcing a = man=20 from his home, a place in which he has invested his heart and soul. The=20 devastation of this man's life is not the "means'' by which we wish to = achieve=20 (supposedly) the "end,'' as in "good things for communities.''

It is nice of you to show an interest in doing good for communities, = and we=20 are asking you to achieve this without the acquisition of 1960 S. Maple. = We are=20 well aware that logically and legally you may have every right to = proceed.=20 However, we are interested more in basic human compassion. We request = your=20 compassion as a fellow human being who may have, at some point, put = heart and=20 soul into something.

Almost 30 years of heart, sweat, toil, love and effort have been = poured into=20 that residence. You are not only devastating one man, but an entire = community of=20 people who know and care about Mr. Beal. And broader than our community = is the=20 principle at work in the world here. Please show us that corporations do = not=20 always pursue capital gain at the expense of average hard-working = individuals.=20 Please show us that some individual within your company can empathize = with Peter=20 Beal, an individual who will lose all he has so that someone can make a = bit of=20 extra money. Please think of the home where your children began their = life;=20 please think about the place where you most love to spend your time; = please=20 think of something you created, loved and were proud of; please think of = something you worked on every day for half of your life. And please = think of the=20 mercy you would hope for if someone wanted it, not due to their own = need, but=20 for profit. Please let Peter Beal keep his home.

Please reconsider your present course of action in the acquisition of = 1960 S.=20 Maple in Ann Arbor, Mich.

P.S. If monetary compensation proves to be a requirement for you, = please give=20 our community the opportunity to consider all of our fundraising options = before=20 your decision in the matter is finalized.

About the writer: Heidi Kraepel-Griffith is a Chelsea resident. To = contribute=20 essays to Other Voices, contact Mary Morgan, opinion editor, at = 734-994-6605 or=20 mmorgan@annarbornews.com.

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