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Article posted Aug 11 2012, 6:21 AM

Category: Economy

Source: Mackinac Center

Boy Whose Hot Dog Cart Was Shut Down by the City of Holland Now Homeless

Mayor says city took action after restaurants asked for "protection" from 13-year-old entrepreneur with disabled parents.
by Anne Schieber

HOLLAND, Mich. — Several weeks after a city zoning officer shut down his hot dog business, 13-year-old Nathan Duszynski and his parents are homeless.

The family was hoping Nathan’s hot dog cart could help them through a difficult time. Nathan’s mother, Lynette Johnson, suffers from epilepsy and his stepfather, Doug Johnson, has multiple sclerosis. Their illnesses have restricted them from finding permanent, full-time work.

The family receives about $1,300 a month in disability payments, Medicaid and food assistance. The three are having a hard time staying together. MLive confirms what the Mackinac Center learned Thursday — Nathan and his mother are staying at the Holland Rescue Mission.

"Nate and I are now in a shelter," Lynette Johnson said. "Doug can't stay with us because he takes prescription narcotics to deal with his pain and the shelter does not allow him with those kinds of drugs."

She said the situation has been stressful on the family. Lynette is afraid to be away from her husband in case she has a seizure.

Nathan wanted to help out his family by selling hot dogs from a cart he bought with money he saved. He worked out an arrangement with the owner of a local sporting goods store to sell hot dogs in the parking lot. The owner of the store thought it would be a great way to attract customers and even offered Nathan a sales commission if he got people to rent his motorized bicycles.

The city of Holland, however, shut down the business 10 minutes after it opened, informing Nathan it was in the city’s commercial district where food carts not connected to downtown brick-and-motor restaurants are prohibited. The Mackinac Center’s coverage of the issue has drawn national attention.

Last week, Nathan and his family made an appeal to the Holland City Council. Mayor Kurt Dykstra defended the city’s ordinance, saying it was to protect downtown restaurant owners, who asked that the "success of the downtown district not be infringed upon by those who don't share in the costs of maintaining the attractiveness of that space."

A video of the mayor’s comments and the latest on the family's plight will be posted soon.

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Anonymous

Posted: Aug 11 2012, 10:19 AM

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121217

Again chris your ideolgical impulse to blame Govt for everything, fails to comprehend that Govt typically acts at the beheist of business - Mayor Kurt Dykstra defended the city’s ordinance, saying it was to protect downtown restaurant owners, who asked that the "success of the downtown district not be infringed upon by those who don't share in the costs of maintaining the attractiveness of that space." pretty much says it all.

Chris

Posted: Aug 11 2012, 5:55 PM

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It's because government "typically acts at the behest of business" that you should be against giving the government the "power" to "regulate" businesses. Your impulse to exculpate government for everything fails to comprehend that when the government uses force to shut down favored business' competition, the thugs with the guns who forced the competing businesses to shut down are the ones to blame, not the businesses who merely "wished" their competition would be shut down.

Nickel's2bits

Posted: Aug 12 2012, 1:00 AM

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97104

If it hadn't been for "government interference", the downtown businesses would have simply sent a team of thugs to smash his stand and break his bones. That was the usual solution to unwanted competition, until "government" said it wasn't permitted anymore (all those stupid rules about vandalism and battery).

Chris

Posted: Aug 12 2012, 1:44 AM

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The difference is said thugs would not be in state issued costumes as they are now. Also they'd be recognized as the criminals they are, and people would have a right to resist. Now said thugs are viewed as "protectors" by the brainwashed subservient public and resistance is terrorism.

Anonymous

Posted: Aug 12 2012, 2:51 AM

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121217

Because Gov't typically acts at the behest and sometimes/often beHEIST of business, I want a Gov't's that are transparent and accountable. Certainly don't wish to exculpate Gov't from responsibility, in fact the opposite is true for me. That goes for the uniformed police when they act like thugs too.

We can get there if people are made aware it possible, have the will for it and don't get too distracted by ideological fantasies like business without Gov't will be transparent and accountable or that Gov't without vigilant scrutiny will be free from manipulations of powerful/money people.

Anonymous

Posted: Aug 12 2012, 3:01 AM

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121217

Grammar corrections above
"I want Gov'ts that are transparent and accountable"
"We can get there if people are made aware it's possible"

I also believe its possible and desirable to make businesses (not just Govt's) much more transparent and accountable too. Again its just up to the peoples awareness and will.

Chris

Posted: Aug 12 2012, 8:01 AM

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Well, I'd like a "transparent and accountable" government as well, but that's wishing for something which has never existed and never will exist.

Governments as institutions are defined as "territorial monopolists of ultimate decision making," governments have the ultimate say in all disputes, including those involving themselves. You cannot grant a select group of people total power and then demand they be "accountable" and "transparent," it just doesn't work that way.

Rather than give one gang total power, wouldn't it be preferable not to give one gang total power and instead have people decide how to live their own lives and decide for themselves what types of protection they actually want and are willing to pay for? Why must a monopolist be given total power to decide everything, can you really not think of any other way society could be organized?

"But we have to have a monopolist to prevent monopolies!"

Sure, that makes a lot of sense.

Please research "The Market For Liberty" by the Tannehills, also search youtube for "Hans Hermann Hoppe" and read about his "private law society." There are much smarter ways to organize society rather than savage barbarism.

Anonymous

Posted: Aug 13 2012, 11:07 AM

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121217

Chris, I know you have a fondness for technology so I encourage you to be less pessimistic and more imaginative about the possibilities of acquiring transparent and accountable Government's(and big business's).

And when Govt's are so, then they can finally function on behalf of the people as they are meant too and not at the beheist of big business and powerful elite. Its a very real possibility for the future, in fact i see it as pretty much inevitable.

And when people do realize this power to DEMAND accountable and transparent Gov't and Business, then I have no fear of monopolizing Gangs on either side.

Anonymous

Posted: Aug 26 2012, 9:01 AM

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10817

All,

Let's not forget that people require set limits. History has proven that without limits, societies turn despot. Governments are necessary to focus those limits. Our very nature is to push beyond the limit and when we go too far we don't know how to pull back or even regulate ourselves.

When we set up a government such as the one in the US intentions were, for the most part, pure, but as time progressed, huge money, and global interests became involved, the US government evolved into the corrupt institution it is today. The solution is to shut it down and start over. Once again let's remember history: all nations great even as great as this one have collapsed. This one is overdue.

Chris, I understand your idealism, but people can never agree as history has pointed out. This nation is a nation of disagreement. It will be it's undoing.

Chris

Posted: Aug 26 2012, 3:09 PM

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To Anon above, please see "Ten Reasons Not to Abolish Slavery":
http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=34587

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