A Portland, Ore., girl, 11, who was trying to sell mistletoe to raise money to buy braces was told by a security guard she couldn’t legally hawk — and that she should instead beg for handouts.
Apparently, city ordinance allows for begging, Fox News reported. But it doesn’t allow for the girl, Madison Root, and her father to hawk bags of the hand-cut and wrapped seasonal item at the Skidmore Foundation location in downtown Portland, the site of a weekly market. For that, the girl needed a permit to operate a concession.
The guard said the girl could move her operation away from the crowds — or, she could beg, Fox News reported.
“I don’t want to beg. I would rather work for something than beg,” the girl said, to KATU. “It’s crazy. People can get money for pot. But I can’t get money for braces. I’m working for this. They’re just sitting down on their butts all day asking for pot.”
One spokesman for the Portland Parks Bureau said begging is protected under the First Amendment, while hawking mistletoe requires a permit. But some say children should be exempted from local permit laws.
“They should have a caveat for children trying to create options for commerce, especially this time of year,” said one vendor at the site, to KATU. “We encourage it. We want them to grow up and be entrepreneurs.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.