August 20: Lemonade Freedom Day
The trend of local governments shutting down children’s summertime lemonade stands is one that’s worth resisting. And resisting it is easy — here are the details.
Recently, we have seen many news reports of lemonade stands being shut down by police and other government workers. When kids sell things, such as lemonade, they are learning some very important lessons. They are learning about money and about being an entrepreneur. They are also learning how to be a productive member of society. They are learning about responsibility. They are participating in free and voluntary trade with willing participants. Selling lemonade is not a crime.
On August 20, 2011, we are suggesting that everyone who has children, who believe in this message, go outside and set up lemonade stands all across the country. Even if you don’t have children, go out and buy some lemonade from a local child’s lemonade stand.
We need to stand up for our kids. We need to send a message to the world. Selling lemonade is not a crime!
In the world we’re hurtling toward, the little girl in this Verizon ad would end up jacked up by the local SWAT team rather than running a successful lemonade conglomerate.
And check this out. Other than the national debt and all those scary charts depicting our lack of an economy, it’s the most annoying thing you’ll see today. It’s a map of where governments have gone thug and shut down kids’ lemonade stands. I’m ashamed to note that one is even in Texas (though it’s in a Democrat-controlled area).
When police go out on coordinated lemonade stand raids, as they did on August 1 in Coralville, IA, we have a serious problem of government being out of control. It’s time to fight back, with a cool cup of lemonade.
(h/t Mark Steyn)
Just heard the great Mark Steyn on this very subject (see link below). The battle for determining our future and changing government begins here, at kids’ lemonade stands. Better to stand up to these petty statist bureaucrats here than to have them stand you up later… in front of a wall.
http://www.mrctv.org/videos/ezra-levant-interviews-mark-steyn-his-new-book
His comments about lemonade stand police and the banning of Dire Straits’ “Money For Nothing” and Carl Douglass’ “Kung Fu Fighting” come towards the end. Last 10 minutes or so. Still, a great interview in toto.
I hope everyone participates in Lemonade Freedom Day! Please note that the Freedom Center of Missouri (which created the map linked to in this post) has also launched a first-of-its-kind lawsuit to establish that people have a constitutional right to have a harmless kid-run concession stand on their own property. We are not charging our clients anything for the representation and the city has lined up four high-priced attorneys to defend its right to shut down kids’ lemonade stands. If anyone would like to help, please consider donating to our organization so we can effectively fight City Hall!
Please post this as an EVENT on Facebook! I’d do it, but I don’t have your permission (hint)
They can have
my lemons when they
pry them from my cold,
cold fingers.