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Title: “I’ve Done A Bad Thing” 5-year-old Girl Bursts into Tears As Cops Fine Her for Lemonade Stand
Source:
Free Thought Project
URL Source: http://thefreethoughtproject.com/5yo-cops-fine-lemonade-stand/
Published: Jul 21, 2017
Author: Matt Agorist
Post Date: 2017-07-21 20:23:20 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 1574
Comments: 14
Common sense, among those who work inside the state, is a rare commodity. Agents of the state, like those who work in law enforcement, often become so blinded to reality by ‘just doing my job’ they throw logic and reason to the wayside, choosing authority and force instead. Nothing highlights this blind order following quite like police tormenting a five-year-old girl and issuing her a citation for the crime of selling lemonade without a permit. “She just wanted to put a smile on people’s faces. She was really proud of herself,” Andre Spicer, the father of the five-year-old girl who all of the sudden found herself on the receiving end of the police state over the weekend. Spicer told the BBC that his daughter set up a table and was selling lemonade in Mile End, east London, while thousands of music fans were on their way to the Lovebox Festival over the weekend. She was in a prime spot and was making money, that is, until the coppers showed up. Exactly how many police officers did it take to shut down a five-year-old’s lemonade stand? Four. As Spicer explains, “but after a small time trading, four enforcement officers walked over from the other side of the road. “I was quite shocked. I thought that they would just tell us to pack up and go home.” Instead of telling the five-year-old that she should not be selling lemonade without a permit — which would have been atrocious enough — these hero cops protected society by issuing her a fine for £150 (nearly $200 USD). “But they turned on their mobile camera and began reading from a big script explaining that she did not have a trading license,” Spicer explained. At this point, the girl became horrified at the four large officers standing over her, telling her she’d broken the law. “My daughter clung to me screaming ‘Daddy, Daddy, I’ve done a bad thing.’ She’s five,” Spicer said. “We were then issued a fine of £150. We packed up and walked home.” The sheer lack of humanity a person has to have to issue a $200 ticket to a five-year-old girl for selling squeezed lemons mixed with water to willing patrons is disturbing, to say the least. All hope in humanity is not lost, however. Once Spicer spoke out about the ridiculous fine his daughter received, the city council eventually heard about it. As BBC reported, a council spokesman said, “We are very sorry that this has happened. We expect our enforcement officers to show common sense and to use their powers sensibly. This clearly did not happen.” Luckily, for the Spicer family, positive publicity is more valuable than the $200 fine to the city, so they chose to take the high road. “The fine will be canceled immediately and we have contacted Mr. Spicer and his daughter to apologize,” the council spokesman said. However, you can rest assured that if Spicer had not spoken out about this fine and, instead, simply chose not to pay it, a warrant would’ve been issued and force would’ve been escalated – for lemonade. As NBC reports, in his column for The Telegraph, Spicer, a professor at the Cass School of Business at London’s City University, lamented all the rules, regulations and monitoring of children that goes on now — often stifling creativity, entrepreneurial spirit and the confidence gained by giving children a little independence. “I think the wider issue here is a question about encouraging children to have a go at things, whether it’s starting a small business or putting on a play or whatever they want to do,” Spicer told ITV. “Children are under a lot of pressure these days and are often not encouraged to take risks.” It’s turning out to be a hard and fast lesson in how government requirements on business – many of which play no role in protecting people or the environment – put a heavy, unnecessary burden on aspiring entrepreneurs like Spicer’s little girl’s lemonade stand. Revenue collection is often the only driver of government permits and licenses and this collection is enforced with police force. Bearing down on the age-old tradition of youngsters setting up lemonade stands demonstrates how obsessed the State has become in “regulating” small business. It appears that Spicer’s daughter made it through the gauntlet, with the help of publicity and social media. Others are not so fortunate, though. In Portland, Ore. an 11-year-old girl wanted to sell mistletoe from their farm at a holiday market to help her dad pay for her braces, which cost $5,000. But the Parks Bureau refused to let her set up without a permit, lease or concession agreement. She was told she could beg instead. In 2015, comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s son, Julian, and two friends set up a lemonade stand to raise money for a charity. However, thanks to a see something say something neighbor, police were notified of the illegal lemonade venture. Hero officers then swooped in to shut down the stand, citing local village law violations. After being shut down, Jerry and family posed for an epic pic, trolling both the police and the neighbor who would call the cops to shut down a charitable lemonade stand. Poster Comment: As BBC reported, a council spokesman said, “We are very sorry that this has happened. We expect our enforcement officers to show common sense and to use their powers sensibly...” Too bad gooberment bureaucrats here don't have that same mindset. Four cops to harass a 5 year old girl? Yeah - that seems reasonable If it had happened here, they would have sent a SWAT team.
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#1. To: Deckard (#0)
Too bad gooberment bureaucrats here don't have that same mindset. Four cops to harass a 5 year old girl? Yeah - that seems reasonable " Common sense from the bureaucrats ? No way. If this is all they have to do, then they have at least 4 too many cops. Waste of taxpayer funds. Fire them, no salary, no bennies, no retirement. Save taxpayer money !! Si vis pacem, para bellum Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God. Never Pick A Fight With An Old Man He Will Just Shoot You He Can't Afford To Get Hurt I am concerned for the security of our great nation; not so much because of any threat from without, but because of the insidious forces working from within." -- General Douglas MacArthur
Y'all do realize this is England?
Of course. They are still stupid ! You do understand that ? Si vis pacem, para bellum Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God. Never Pick A Fight With An Old Man He Will Just Shoot You He Can't Afford To Get Hurt I am concerned for the security of our great nation; not so much because of any threat from without, but because of the insidious forces working from within." -- General Douglas MacArthur
Of course. They are still stupid ! You do understand that ? Yeah - that kind of tyranny doesn't occur in a "free" country like the USA. Ah. So she was competing against the vendors at the Festival who HAD purchased a vendor's license. And, unlike the licensed vendors, she was free to set up in a "prime spot" along the road and was making "lots of money". Now if she should be allowed, then certainly 10, or 20 or 50 others should also be allowed. Screw those vendors who are trying to support a family and are abiding by the law.
Deckard will go anywhere to find an anti-government story.
Yes they all should be allowed. Fifty or one hundred or one thousand. Or ten thousand.
The latest poor-waif-selling-lemonade-assaulted-by-jackbooted-goons story. I'm surprised we've seen so few this year since it seems that Fox News has stopped featuring one of these every month or so. People complain about the poor waifs but no one ever talks about the times that serious food poisoning has occurred from these lemonade stands. Lack of washing facilities, refrigeration, etc. I recall a norovirus outbreak from one a few years back from a stand operated by cheerleaders; it made a bunch of people very sick. But these lemonade-mafia stories never mention those incidents, do they?
You say that just like it's a bad thing. Government should always be the servant of the people,not their master. In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
People should only by food products from licensed restaurants! TC, I am sorry that I got you confused with usconservative. He can think.
I read your comments and I thought you were talking about chipolet.
No, the wee lemonade pimps are nowhere near as dangerous as Chipotle. LOL
Regulation and inspection of restaurants is a vital protection of public health. What's next, you're going to start bitching about those darned sewage treatment plants? Sounds like you're still just a dirty freeper. Why troll here at LF if that's the case?
I would much rather read a regular column / review than depend on some bribable cousin-in-law of a bureaucrat. Look up the history of Underwriters Laboratories for how a free market product safety inspection service works. You eat / drink at sewage plants? That might explain a few things. Alas, it's true. I didn't pass FR's pro-government inspection. I am the UL of forums.
" a council spokesman said, “We are very sorry that this has happened. We expect our enforcement officers to show common sense and to use their powers sensibly...”
#2. To: Deckard, Stoner (#1)
#3. To: Justified (#2)
" Y'all do realize this is England? "
#4. To: Stoner, Justified (#3)
" Y'all do realize this is England? "
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Those who most loudly denounce Fake News are typically those most aggressively disseminating it.
#5. To: Deckard (#0)
Spicer told the BBC that his daughter set up a table and was selling lemonade in Mile End, east London, while thousands of music fans were on their way to the Lovebox Festival over the weekend.
#6. To: Justified (#2)
Y'all do realize this is England?
#7. To: misterwhite (#5)
#8. To: Deckard (#0)
#9. To: misterwhite, Justified, Deckard, All, *Politics and Politicians* (#6)
Deckard will go anywhere to find an anti-government story.
#10. To: Tooconservative (#8)
I recall a norovirus outbreak from one a few years back from a stand operated by cheerleaders; it made a bunch of people very sick.
#11. To: Tooconservative (#8)
#12. To: A K A Stone (#11)
I read your comments and I thought you were talking about chipolet.
#13. To: Anthem (#10)
People should only by food products from licensed restaurants!
TC, I am sorry that I got you confused with usconservative. He can think.
#14. To: Tooconservative (#13)
Regulation and inspection of restaurants is a vital protection of public
health jobs. What's next, you're going to start bitching about those darned sewage treatment plants?
Sounds like you're still just a dirty freeper.
Why troll here at LF if that's the case?
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