So a few years ago the city of Detroit went nutz tearing out all of the abandoned, uninhabitable buildings. This left a ton of empty lots.

People in the neighborhoods (mostly black) started putting gardens in these lots. Then people started giving away/selling the fruits of their labors to other people on the street. Neighborhood gardens sprang up everywhere. Suddenly, for the first time in decades, poor, city folk had access to fresh fruits and veggies at nearly no cost. Even the local gangs were supporting and protecting the gardens. Everybody was happy.

Except the Democratic government.

First they said that everybody had to stop farming because it was a health hazard. They said that the lots may have lead and asbestos from the old buildings.

The people had a fit so the government sent in people to test the soil. They found out that it was fine.

But these lots technically belonged to the government. So they started charging each person a $100 annual fee to farm the government-owned lots. Some of the poorest farmers (especially the elderly living on Social Security) couldn't afford the fee and had to drop out. With the fees came regulations and inspections. People who had a mistrust of their government dropped out. People with lower IQs and mental disabilities struggled to even understand what was expected of them, so they dropped out.

Then they decided that people couldn't just sell on the street corner or give away the surplus food. They needed to sell it in a controlled manner.

So they put millions of tax payer dollars into building the largest farmers' market in the United States and charged the poor, urban farmers a stall fee to sell their goods there.

Rich people in the surrounding area wanted to virtue signal their support their poor neighbors AND indulge in their leftist 'buy local' ideology so they come to the farmers' market in droves. Local chefs buy their merchandise there and proudly advertise that fact at their restaurants.

This drove up the price for produce in the area crazy high. Now poor, urban people can no longer afford the fresh produce that's grown on their own street.

For one brief moment, Detroit got a taste of libertarianism. They found out that, when the government is not involved, the poorest thrive. They found out that, when the government interferes, all of the good stuff ends up in the hands of the wealthy and the least-able are cut out.

Of the farmers who are left, why would they give away ten pounds of tomatoes to the elderly woman living on a fixed income when they can sell those tomatoes to rich white people for $10 a pound? So even charity goes down hill.

With the newly imposed fees and regulatory compliance - and high taxes - the farmers who are left can't afford to be generous. They aren't getting rich. They're still poor.

But damn. Detroit now has the largest farmers' market in the nation.

UPDATE: I found out that it's gotten even worse. Now corporations are buying up the empty lots and putting in 'urban gardens' and now the poor people aren't even allowed to farm on that land anymore. smh

So a few years ago the city of Detroit went nutz tearing out all of the abandoned, uninhabitable buildings. This left a ton of empty lots.

People in the neighborhoods (mostly black) started putting gardens in these lots. Then people started giving away/selling the fruits of their labors to other people on the street. Neighborhood gardens sprang up everywhere. Suddenly, for the first time in decades, poor, city folk had access to fresh fruits and veggies at nearly no cost. Even the local gangs were supporting and protecting the gardens. Everybody was happy.

Except the Democratic government.

First they said that everybody had to stop farming because it was a health hazard. They said that the lots may have lead and asbestos from the old buildings.

The people had a fit so the government sent in people to test the soil. They found out that it was fine.

But these lots technically belonged to the government. So they started charging each person a $100 annual fee to farm the government-owned lots. Some of the poorest farmers (especially the elderly living on Social Security) couldn't afford the fee and had to drop out. With the fees came regulations and inspections. People who had a mistrust of their government dropped out. People with lower IQs and mental disabilities struggled to even understand what was expected of them, so they dropped out.

Then they decided that people couldn't just sell on the street corner or give away the surplus food. They needed to sell it in a controlled manner.

So they put millions of tax payer dollars into building the largest farmers' market in the United States and charged the poor, urban farmers a stall fee to sell their goods there.

Rich people in the surrounding area wanted to virtue signal their support their poor neighbors AND indulge in their leftist 'buy local' ideology so they come to the farmers' market in droves. Local chefs buy their merchandise there and proudly advertise that fact at their restaurants.

This drove up the price for produce in the area crazy high. Now poor, urban people can no longer afford the fresh produce that's grown on their own street.

For one brief moment, Detroit got a taste of libertarianism. They found out that, when the government is not involved, the poorest thrive. They found out that, when the government interferes, all of the good stuff ends up in the hands of the wealthy and the least-able are cut out.

Of the farmers who are left, why would they give away ten pounds of tomatoes to the elderly woman living on a fixed income when they can sell those tomatoes to rich white people for $10 a pound? So even charity goes down hill.

With the newly imposed fees and regulatory compliance - and high taxes - the farmers who are left can't afford to be generous. They aren't getting rich. They're still poor.

But damn. Detroit now has the largest farmers' market in the nation.