Goverment overreach is a scourge that all Americans – whether dwelling in the tiniest of burgs to major metropolitan areas – experience in the most ludicrous of ways. By ‘the people’ tend to pick the pockets of ‘the people’ finding innumerable ways to kill the will of being a good and a committed member of society.
Why is our government seeking to punish people who run towards danger to fill a need? Why must they douse the American entrepreneurial spirit or start a movement to destroy an American tradition almost as iconic as apple pie and baseball?
Too harsh?
I’m referring to the arrest of an animal rescuer facing down Hurricane Florence as animal owners legally abandoned their pets and left them to drown. The arrest of a first responder who would not leave the side of a victim, and rash of tickets and fines handed out to Lemonade stand operators – the under 10 crowd of criminals.
Let’s review what our soul-sucking, badge-wielding, state and local employees have wrought recently in deterring the humanitarian efforts of the Good Samaritan American.
Tammie Hedges
No Good Deed …
Hurricane Florence barreling towards the coast had animal advocates and rescuers readying for worst-case scenarios. In the rescue world, the kind-hearted have been faced with the absolute cruelest of depravity humans can exude, and coupled with the wrath of Mother Nature, animal advocates braced for impact.
Tammie Hedges, of Wayne County North Carolina, waded into raging floodwaters to rescue 27 animals - 17 cats and 10 dogs – for owners who evacuated.
Hedges owns Crazy’s Claws N Paws, a donation-based animal rescue center and was in the process of converting a warehouse into a shelter. Although not yet legally a licensed animal facility, it was a safe haven for 27 animals left at the mercy of a raging storm.
After the storm passed, Hedges got a call from Wayne County Animal Control and was told to hand over the animals – which she did voluntarily so they could be returned to their grateful owners.
And then two police cars of burly men arrested the diminutive 4’10 animal rescuer and charged her with a laundry list of horrible crimes:
“1 count of administering amoxicillin to Big Momma, 1 count of administering Tramadol to Big Momma, 3 counts of administering amoxicillin to a white Siamese cat, 3 counts of administering a topical antibiotic ointment (triple antibiotic from Dollar Tree) to a white Siamese cat, 3 counts of administering amoxicillin to a cat known as Sweet Pea, 1 count of administering amoxicillin to an unnamed black kitten, and 1 count of solicitation to commit a crime (asking for donation of Tramadol).”
A volunteer with Hedges’ group, Raina Nyliram, was quick to point out that the medications Hedges used were “over the counter” that could be found at the Dollar Tree. Nyliram further told local news hounds, “She couldn’t get the animals to the vet because the vet was closed. All the charges are bogus.”
Hedges is out on 10K unsecured bail.
When Life Hands You Lemons …
Kids from New York City to Portland, Oregon have felt the sting of disappointment having to shut down Lemonade stands due to a jealous vendor, or a bothered curmudgeon who calls in an overzealous government grunt to squash the thrill of making a dime.
A Lemonade stand – for a charitable cause, to raise money for a gift or purchase – is a traditional first job for America’s entrepreneurial children.
Yeah, not so fast kiddos. Little Julie and Johnny, the America of your parents and grandparents is about to be snuffed out right in front of you. Before you steer into the skid of self-reliance and responsibility at your advanced ages (mostly under 10), you have to purchase a Peddler’s Permit. Just like the adults – who are ratting you out to the po-lice.
When her children were fined for having a driveway Lemonade stand for charity, Jennifer Knowles was shocked, “My boys were crushed. They were devastated. And I can’t believe that happened.”
A Peddler’s Permit would have cost an application fee of $25 tacked on to $100 per day vendor fee. Knowles claims they only made $200 for their Colorado Springs based charity.
Yes, this is a growing problem.
So big that Country Time Lemonade has created a legal defense fund for these tiny criminals. And, an activist on behalf of child vendors everywhere, was created.
Meet Dave Roland, director of the litigation for Freedom Center of Missouri, who bills his non-profit a “lower-case-L libertarian” organization. And he has a map of sour bureaucrat instances where cities squashed a lemonade stand or other “kid-run concession stand.”
Roland’s map and information on each case can be found here.
Rick Rickerson
Um, Nike, Pay Attention
Finally, let me introduce to you Rick Rickerson, Pike County Georgia Fire Chief who was arrested after pulling an accident victim from her vehicle, performing CPR, and waiting for an ambulance to arrive. Local police arrested Rickerson when he refused to leave the woman’s side until she was in an ambulance heading for the hospital.
His heroic account can be viewed here.
What is wrong with our governments? Have they lost their collective minds? These are just three examples of the stupidity and downright dehumanizing tactics bureaucrats seem to relish with pride. Are they that miserable in their lives they seek a profession that encourages their petty and vindictive emotional outbursts?
Come on, America! We are better than this. Let’s be great.
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