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April 29, 2008
Government Confiscates Child over Lemonade Mix-up
One of the most frightening powers of the Nanny State is its ability to confiscate children on a whim.
Christopher Ratte doesn't watch much TV. When he ordered lemonade for his 7-year-old son Leo at a Detroit Tigers game, he didn't realize the Mike's Hard Lemonade he received was 5% alcohol. No problem: according to a blood test, Leo didn't drink any anyway.
But why was there a blood test? Because the authorities kidnapped Leo over the incident, rushing him to the hospital in an ambulance. After two days they gave him back to his mother — on the condition that Ratte move out of the house. It was a week before Ratte was allowed back in his own home.
Don Duquette, a U-M law professor who directs the university's Child Advocacy Law Clinic, represented Ratte and his wife. He notes sardonically that the most remarkable thing about the couple's case may be the relative speed with which they were reunited with Leo.
Meanwhile the media screams that we need more government, and presidential candidates ominously promise to deliver it.
On a tip from Lyle.
Posted by Van Helsing at April 29, 2008 4:06 PM
Comments
But this will make us all feel a little better. Al Sharpton's Jaguar gets towed.
Posted by: V the K at April 29, 2008 5:22 PM
OT
S&P has downgraded the NY Times to BBB-, putting it one tiny notch away from "Junk" status!!! Yea!!! (Which proves the S&P lags common sense by one notch).
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080429/new_york_times_ratings.html?.v=1
The New York Times: All the left-wing garbage that's fit to print, until our presses and ink get sold off in the bankrupcy agreement of 2012 !
Posted by: mega at April 29, 2008 5:31 PM
That's a fine bunch of 1D10Ts right there, I tell ya.
Posted by: Steve at April 29, 2008 6:50 PM
Enough lame stories about lemonade.
Put one up about Obama finally throwing Rev. Wright under the bus!!!! I couldnt stop laughing this afternoon. Funny shit.
http://triangle.johnlocke.org/blog/?p=2010
Great comments here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2008745/posts
Posted by: General Jack D. Ripper at April 29, 2008 6:52 PM
Good thing lemonade boy wasn't home schooled - his parents would never have seen him again.
Detroit. Hmmm. Lots of hyphenated-Americans there. Both working at the park and as CPS bureaucrats.
If this had happened to a hyphenated-American's family in a predominately unhyphenated-American city - Je$$e Jackson would be there marching quicker than you could ask "How much should I write this check for?"
Posted by: Jimbo at April 29, 2008 8:00 PM
