7-year-old boy called ‘little Hitler’ for selling hot chocolate to help Trump build the wall
A seven-year-old boy from Austin, Texas was called a “little Hitler” because he set up a hot chocolate stand to raise money for president Trump’s wall.
For Benton Stevens, it all began with watching President Trump’s State of the Union address on February 5, reports Dailymail.com
Benton Stevens' parents say their son wanted to help raise money to build President Trump's border wall.
— WTHR.com (@WTHRcom) February 19, 2019
He met people from both sides of the political debate. https://t.co/Ur2sQMlT6g
“He wanted to know about the wall, so we explained what it was about, and he was like “I want to raise money for the wall,’” Benton’s mother, Jennifer Stevens, told Kxan TV.
Jennifer and her husband, Shane, both members of the Republican National Committee, confirm that they share their political views and beliefs with their son.
The boy's parents, Shane and Jennifer Stevens, say their son Benton decided he wanted to start the fundraiser after watching the State of the Union address earlier this month.https://t.co/BwaWzV8sqH
— ABC 7 Amarillo (@ABC7Amarillo) February 18, 2019
IS BENTON BRAINWASHED?
This often leads to people concluding Benton is brainwashed, but his mom thinks otherwise.
“Well, of course, he supports Trump because we do, and he hears how we talk and this and that. Call that brainwashing, but I call it parenting because we instill our values in him.”
According to KEYE-TV, Jennifer said her son begged her to allow him to set up a hot chocolate stand to help raise money for the president’s controversial border wall.
What followed was a family effort; Jennifer made the hot chocolate, Benton’s dad Shane helped set up the stand, and Benton’s older siblings helped make signs for the stand.
Parents, who are both Republican National Convention members.
— Neil Cooper (@bigheadneil) February 19, 2019
Seems like parents are looking for attention and a photo-op with #Trump.
YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR
One of the signs reads: “$2 for 1 hot chocolate” while another said: “Proceeds help Trump build the wall.” At the stand, Benton also offered “Pelosi marshmallows” and “Beto marshmallows.”
“So what are we out here doing?” Shane asked Benton in a video published by New York Post. The young man replied:
“Doing a hot chocolate stand to help Trump make the wall.”
Within an hour of setting up his chocolate stand at a strip mall in northwest Austin over the weekend, he reportedly made $231 in sales.
"Amazing things are happening in our community," Jennifer Stevens said. "People who were originally very mean have started apologizing for what they said and sticking up for Benton." https://t.co/hieNzRPmL3
— WFXR News (@WFXRnews) February 21, 2019
UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT
So sweet was Benton’s gesture that he drew support and commendation even from liberals, but not everyone was on board. Social media users were divided in their reactions toward the little guy’s stand and the thought behind it.
Eventually, Benton’s parents decided to shut down the hot chocolate booth.
Not one to be discouraged, Benton convinced his parents to let him operate his stand the next day, and it was while there that someone drove by and called him “a little Hitler.”
7 year old Benton has raised over $1000 selling hot chocolate to help build the wall! It was his idea and even in Austin way more supporters than detractors. @seanhannity @realDonaldTrump @DonaldJTrumpJr @POTUS @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/hIcKFLrxvJ
— Shane Stevens (@shanest94828972) February 17, 2019
“A guy pointed at him in his car, and then he said that we didn’t like brown people. I don’t understand that at all.” Jennifer said.
EVERYBODY DESERVES HOT CHOCOLATE
Despite some criticism, Benton continues to enjoy support from conservatives and liberals alike and has raised more than $6,000 from donations.
The chocolate entrepreneur is now planning to give out free hot chocolates for people from both sides.
STATUS QUO WITH THE WALL
Meanwhile, Benton may not be able to contribute the money raised as intended because “to allocate money for the Department of Homeland Security, Congress must give its approval.”
The refusal of Congress to approve over $5 billion for the president to erect the wall earlier led to Trump declaring a partial government shutdown that lasted for 35 days and ended on January 25.
Thousands of people rally in US against Trump's national emergency to build border wall https://t.co/VeW4n3TT3V pic.twitter.com/yNVKQ99Jab
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) February 19, 2019
Last week, the president declared a national emergency, looking to bypass Congress in his bid to build the desired wall.