The Gateway Pundit reported on the arrest of an Arizona grandmother, Norma Thornton, 78, in 2022 for feeding homeless people in public, violating Arizona law.
The grandmother said that she was so shocked about being arrested that she thought it was a joke.
“Still, I thought it was a kind of joke, someone playing a prank– until I was put in the back of the police car,” Thornton told Fox 5 Vegas. “I have always believed that when you have plenty, you should share.”
The Institute for Justice (IJ) filed a federal lawsuit against Bullhead City in October 2022 on Norma’s behalf.
Slam-dunk, right? Apparently not:
IJ now reports that a new ruling from a U.S. district court has concluded that the law in Bullhead City, Arizona, making it a crime to share food in public parks for “charitable purposes” is constitutional.
[…]
The district court ruled that “the right to serve one’s community, while important, is not a fundamental right.”Bullhead City’s law was passed in 2021 and requires a permit for the sharing of prepared food in public parks as part of a “non-social gathering” motivated by “charitable purposes.” This is not really a “permit” requirement, however, but a ban: Obtaining a permit is expensive and, even with a permit, the city allows people to share food only once per month. Meanwhile, because the law applies only to sharing food for a “charitable purpose,” Norma is allowed to throw a pizza party in Community Park for 50 of her friends without limitation. But once she offers food for charity, she runs afoul of the ordinance. Each violation of the law is punishable with a fine of up to $1,431, 120 days in jail and 24 months of probation.
The American Royal’s World Series of Barbecue is a longstanding tradition for community members of Kansas City, Missouri. Since 1899, the event has attracted the most talented barbecue chefs from all corners of the state, who gather annually to show off their skills. With so many BBQ experts in one place, there tends to be a fair amount of leftover food once the festivities come to a close.
Hating to waste such a vast amount of quality barbecue, some of the event’s BBQ gurus got together and founded the charitable group, Kookers Kare. Partnering with the Harvesters Community Food Network, Kookers Kare has made a tradition of donating the leftover food to local homeless shelters at the end of each annual event.
This year, the two groups collected over 3,000 pounds of meat and 1,200 pounds of sides, all bound for a local nonprofit organization called Hope City, where it was to be served to over 3,000 homeless citizens in need.
However, the Kansas City Health Department put the kibosh on Kookers Kare’s attempts to feed the homeless before anyone was even able to enjoy the food.
Claiming they had no fore knowledge of this charitable tradition, the health department forbid the food from being served to the needy. Suspiciously, the inspectors just happened to be doing a random inspection of Hope City the day the BBQ arrived.
“All of that food was uninspected, so that makes it from an unapproved source, it cannot be served to the public,” Kansas City Health Department Operations Manager Joe Williamson said in response to the department’s decision to stop the food from being consumed.
The health department did not stop at simply forbidding the food from being served, they demanded that it be destroyed immediately. Those who had worked diligently to collect the food were forced to douse over 3,000 pounds of award-winning barbecue food with bleach, in order to ensure its destruction and appease the local health department. Meanwhile, 3,000 homeless individuals went without a meal that day.
Charity has become the monopoly of The State. Think about what that implies, Gentle Reader. Governments do nothing well. Feed the hungry and the homeless? What do you suppose will come of that? But far better that than to let those hungry and homeless feast on unapproved food! Even if it was good enough to compete for a world championship, eh? Besides, what if the givers are conservatives? The State can’t let them be blessed and thanked for their generosity. It would send the wrong message! Trust The State! The State loves you!
Governments must go. All of them, with extreme prejudice.
3 comments
Having been a teacher for many years, I can speak from experience with government approved food.
It generally sucks!
Often over- or under-cooked, bland, and with all nutrition leached away by the deficiencies of food prep. Kids generally take the standard meal, fill up on potatoes, noodles or rice, leave the veggies (which are almost always limp and mushy), and toss the rest. Most Children of Color leave the milk on the table for those who can tolerate lactose – most Black kids and those from Mideastern countries cannot. There is no lactose-free version, even in majority Black schools.
They generally fill up on junk food.
I did occasionally eat the school food, but mostly packed my lunch. Not only was it better, but also cheaper – teachers don’t qualify for subsidized food. Only in one school – Wade Hampton High School, in Hampton, SC, was there an option once a week. The Culinary program would plate and serve meals on CHINA, with REAL silverware. Quite a treat, as was the careful attention to food prep, eye-pleasing service, and incredible taste. It MADE my week each time I indulged. Their graduates of the program were well prepared for good-paying jobs.
The machinations of the death cults are unlimited as long a “good” men comply.
The donors tell the officious:
Can we get volunteers to organize practices of such resistance? The Left has similarly organized for decades under far less threat, and to gain power, not for survival itself.
@Pascal:
And where are police / officials of character who say SIR, I WILL NOT OBEY THAT ORDER!?
I’ve been to church functions – usually as a part of food festivals. Clean, well-done, etc.