| Poletown |
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In 1981 the neighbourhood was cleared to make way for the construction of the - Oldsmobile - Cadillac ) and became known as the "Poletown Plant". The displaced residents sued the city but the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that economic development was a legitimate use of eminent domain. Public resistance especially from one Catholic parish led to national news attention and the involvement of Ralph Nader and the Gray Panthers . A 29-day Sit-in at the Immaculate Conception Church came to an end on July 14 , 1981 when police forcibly evicted 20 people from the church. The decision of the court became a Landmark Case for "public use" eminent domain matters. The decision was overruled by the court in the 2004 decision ''County of Wayne v. Hathcock''. (Although the 2005 United States Supreme Court decision in the case of '' Kelo V. City Of New London '' states that the use of eminent domain to promote economic development is constitutional on a federal level, the opinion in ''Kelo'' cites the ''Hathcock'' decision as an example of how states may choose to impose their own restrictions on the taking of property.) Poletown is also used as slang for Hamtramck, Michigan . Although Hamtramck has become highly diverse, there is still a small Polish-speaking minority. Polish bakeries and restaurants there are particularly popular around Fat Tuesday . Many people around the city celebrate Fat Tuesday by eating Pączki even if they are not Polish. |
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