Is The Guy Who Bulldozed His Home A Folk Hero?

Terry Hoskins, the guy in Ohio who bulldozed his home earlier this month to prevent it from being taken back and auctioned off by his bank, is now the subject of a song. Someone else made t-shirts and caps–they feature a bright yellow bulldozer and the words, “Take ‘Er Down”–that are being sold to raise money for him. WLWT says Hoskins didn’t break any laws by dozing the home, but as he puts it, “I still have a mortgage of ($160,000). I still (have) to pay that.”

WLWT says he’s got a new lawyer and is now trying to negotiate with the IRS and his bank to prevent his business property from being auctioned.

One man–who I think is in Pennsylvania, but then why is there a Canadian flag behind him?–felt inspired enough to write a ballad about Hoskins. It’s no United Breaks Guitars, but in the singer/songwriter Ronnie Ray Jenkins’ own words, “I wrote this song in ten minutes, played it and threw it up. It’s not done in a studio where we could perform magic.” Here are some of the lyrics:

He offered to pay off the balance
On all of the money that he owed,
But all of the bankers with shaking heads
Said no Terry, no no no.
 
They said they would do a foreclosure
And auction off his house and his yard.
In fact the bank should have taken
The keys to his yellow bulldozer.


“Fundraising Shirts, Hats Send Ominous Warning” [WLWT.com]
“Man Who Bulldozed Home Could Lose Business Too” [WLWT.com]
“Ballad of Terry Hoskins” [WLWT.com]

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“Man Bulldozes Home After Foreclosure”

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