PHOENIX, AZ – It wasn’t long after we arrived in Las Vegas that we noticed all the people on the streets selling water. I’ve been to Las Vegas several times and always noticed people selling water but this time there were more. After talking with the water vendors we learned about the constant harassment they face from police for merely engaging in voluntary interactions.
Should people who are attempting to make their own way be chased down and locked into a cage? Would you prefer them to be on welfare? How about homeless and/or starving? The only problem here is that government claims to provide public sidewalks for all to use. Yet the police (government agents) tell water vendors they can’t sell water, while allowing others to pass out porn cards provided they have paid the government for that privilege; ie permits.
What do you think? Should water vendors be allowed to sell water on the public sidewalks? Should the vendors get permits?
Video isn’t working
Free people should be free to sell water to other people voluntarily. The same goes for all products and services (aka “goods”). Thank you guys. I learned something today.
Allowed to sell water? Wait, shouldn’t the question be why would someone be allowed to stop them?
Water is a necessity of life. How can they stop them if we have the right to life, liberty and the persuit of happiness?
“The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws.” ~ Cornelius Tacitus
This “free market system” so many people are disillusioned into believing the USA operates under, costs plenty of money. So much so, that it’s often prohibitive for great ingenuity to even get started.
Any business that sells something should have proper licensing and permits for their area. If they are there legitimately no one will stop them. If the water guy is allowed to sell without a permit then the t-shirt guy should be allowed to sell without a permit. He is not there giving the water away to thirsty pedestrians, he is there for one reason, he is there to make a profit.
Any business that sells something should have proper licensing and permits for their area.
Because…?
“he is there for one reason, he is there to make a profit.”
So?
Freedom is good, but it should go both ways.
Those people, of course, should be free to accost and harass. But all the other people should have the freedom to beat them up in response.
This may be your best video yet. You guys are heroes for bringing these brave men to our attention.
Thanks George we really appreciate it.
Adam
I live in Las Vegas and they allege that these vendors reuse the water bottles!!! (I also lived in Mexico and this happened to me once), yesterday there was a fight over territory and one stabbed another. The cops do harass people a lot, my 11 yr. old daughter plays the violin on the 1st Friday and one of the art galleries called the cops and they came and kicked us out of the… street, in a very nasty “I am going to bash your brain in” kind of way.
I live in Las Vegas and have friends that work for the police department and hotel security. What this video fails to show is the the people who sell polluted water. They take used water bottles and refill them with tap water and super glue the caps back on. It’s this very type of thing that laws were created for to protect the public. It is illegal to sell “ANYTHING” on the Las Vegas strip without a permit.
I live in Las Vegas. Native. I tried once to bring organization to a group of street performers in downtown Las Vegas. Was hired to do so, but never allowed to implement my plan. I believe that all of the hullabaloo is a matter of nobody believing in the art of industrial sized Feng Shui. There is also an interesting notion that I came up with concerning volunteerism as well. Licenses can contain the stipulation that you “volunteer” now and then to pick up the cards that the vendor’s actions produce. If you “volunteer” then you may ask for “donations” as a vendor or performer. No one’s sold a thing. Solutions solutions solutions. Perhaps the “porn slappers” could be herded a bit more accomodatingly, if that’s a word. (it should be). Don’t worry, the sky’s not falling, but common sense is needed and hopefully will ultimately prevail.