It is time for the seventh ever RMN Flaming Idiot Award. This is an award given to those individuals who have distinguished themselves with behavior that demonstrates an IQ with a decimal point in the front. The type of individual who might have a family tree that doesn’t fork and has only one set of DNA. As we all know these people are everywhere and especially in positions of power.
RMN Flaming Idiot Award VII is bestowed upon U.S. Capitol Police Sergeant Kimberly Schneider and all members of that organization involved with the arrest of people selling lemonade on August 20, 2011 on U.S. Capitol grounds and the jurist who required them to be tested for drugs after their arrest.
According to FBI crime statistics criminal activity is down in our country. Does this mean that such police officers now have time to concentrate on more serious crimes such as lemonade stands? (Should Sergeant Kimberly Schneider or any member of the U.S. Capitol police be reading this the following is referred to as sarcasm.) It’s comforting to know when any of us visit our nation’s capitol we will be safe from the scourge of lemonade stands that could just occur at any time and provide us with a cheap cold refreshment. I’m certain none of us realize the extreme danger these police officers encounter when shutting down a lemonade stand. The nation can now rest in peace knowing law enforcement is on the scene to protect us form such danger.
Of course should I hear the explanation of what happened from U.S. Capitol Police Sergeant Kimberly Schneider in person, I would have to wear sunglasses least I be blinded by her brilliance. She said they were arrested for failure to obey a police officer, unlawful conduct and vending without a permit. Huh? If arresting taxpaying citizens for having a lemonade stand isn’t unlawful conduct it should be deemed as such.
Who knew selling lemonade on a national lawn, paid for by taxpayers, is on the same criminal level as someone who is a thief, assaults or vandalizes another person?
“What were you arrested for?”
“I beat a person took his wallet and stole his car. How about you?”
“I had lemonade stand.”
“You bastard; I hope you get the death sentence.”
The selling of lemonade on the U.S. Capitol lawn was a protest in reaction to the number of lemonade stands that are shut down by police all over the country. August 20 has now been designated as National Lemonade Freedom Day. What’s going on? Kids have been selling lemonade at lemonade stands for decades and now it’s an issue? Do police these days have such little real police work to do they feel it’s necessary to shut down kids' lemonade stands? I’m sure if they look real hard in their neighborhoods they’d probably find some real criminals to arrest. A little effort would go a long way.
What’s real upsetting here is the message it sends to children. Do we now say to our children “I know you’d like to earn a little money for yourself but if we have a lemonade stand some insane public officials will shut it down? If we refuse to obey the stupid politician they’ll have police could come and arrest you and put you in jail with real criminals.”
I would have to say this is not a good way to inspire the next generation to pursue entrepreneurship. It might also give them a rather distorted view of lemonade.
Meg McLain, Will Duffield and Katherine Dill were the ones arrested by the U.S. Capitol Police for selling lemonade. The three were dubbed “Lemonistas.” They pleaded not guilty on Oct. 4 to “sale of goods on U.S. Capitol grounds, ” a crime that could’ve had them in prison 180 days. They also faced an additional 180 after being held in contempt of court for refusing to submit to a urine test for drugs. Huh? I thought the arrest was for selling lemonade not illegal drugs. Is lemonade an illegal drug? The court demanded the three submit to weekly drug testing and a substance abuse class. FOR SELLING LEMONADE? Huh?
I think it’s the jurist involved with this decision I would want tested for the usage of illegal drugs.
The story does have a happy ending. A judge dropped all the charges against Meg McLain, Will Duffield and Katherine Dill. I can only imagine what the court system would look like with a jury trial for selling lemonade.
“Do you deny selling lemonade?”
“No.”
“Are you saying you’re guilty of selling lemonade?”
“Is there a law against it?”
“Um, ah, well, uh, let me get back to you on that.”
It looks bad enough these people were arrested in the first place. I do believe there is a better use of resources than to arrest lemonade selling taxpaying citizens.
It’s a shame something like this has to happen. Freedom isn’t free and sometimes you have to take a stand to let those in power know when they’re out of line. I don’t know what the real lesson is here. All I know for sure is come August 20 I hope to be operating a lemonade stand as I hope everyone does. I can only hope that between now and then law enforcement officers around the country are forced to attend Lemonade Stand Sensitivity Training. If not I can only imagine the lawsuits that may follow.
No comments:
Post a Comment