Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Showing Original Post only (View all)The Gob-Smacking Stupidity of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally [View all]
The Gob-Smacking Stupidity of the Sturgis Motorcycle RallyThe Wry Wing Politics blog
August 4, 2020 by Brian Lambert
Read it here: https://www.wrywingpolitics.com/the-gob-smacking-stupidity-of-the-sturgis-motorcycle-rally/#comment-144467
Excerpts:
It goes without saying that the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, a tribal extravaganza of face-to-face, jowl-to-jowl, belly-bumping machismo and consumer exhibitionism holds the high probability of being the single largest super spreader of COVID-19 held anywhere in the world since the outbreak began last November. A quarter of a million people, the vast majority middle-aged to older white men, will both ride into western South Dakota this week for the giant, mechanized bacchanal
and then turn around ride back to their homes, all across the country, spreading everything they picked up in Sturgis all along their routes, like a horde of toxic Johnny Appleseeds.
Bikerworlds other big rally, in Daytona, Florida went on as scheduled this past March in the early days of the pandemic. But Daytonas Biketobefest seems likely to be cancelled this fall, what with the virus surging worse than ever in large part due to protestors, the roughly 36% of freedom-loving Americans who refuse submit to reality and continue to prolong and enhance the peril to the lives and livelihood of everyone else.
Letting Sturgis happen amid all this is of course not surprising given the culture of South Dakota. The current governor, Kristi Noem, once upon a time the South Dakota Snow Queen, is every Trumpists dream girl. Shes abolished the requirement to get a permit before carrying a concealed gun, opposed Obamacare and every form of abortion rights she can find or be pointed at, is on record during Obamas term as being very concerned about the national debt, so much so that as a Congresswoman she declared the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Medicaid, high-speed rail projects, cap-and-trade technical assistance, and subsidies for the Washington Metro rapid transit system examples of federal programs she thought needed a damn good whacking.
+++
Point being. No matter what science or common sense or common courtesy say, no matter whats good for the rest of the country, South Dakota wants the money the flagrant recklessness and naked stupidity Sturgis brings in.
Bikerworlds other big rally, in Daytona, Florida went on as scheduled this past March in the early days of the pandemic. But Daytonas Biketobefest seems likely to be cancelled this fall, what with the virus surging worse than ever in large part due to protestors, the roughly 36% of freedom-loving Americans who refuse submit to reality and continue to prolong and enhance the peril to the lives and livelihood of everyone else.
Letting Sturgis happen amid all this is of course not surprising given the culture of South Dakota. The current governor, Kristi Noem, once upon a time the South Dakota Snow Queen, is every Trumpists dream girl. Shes abolished the requirement to get a permit before carrying a concealed gun, opposed Obamacare and every form of abortion rights she can find or be pointed at, is on record during Obamas term as being very concerned about the national debt, so much so that as a Congresswoman she declared the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Medicaid, high-speed rail projects, cap-and-trade technical assistance, and subsidies for the Washington Metro rapid transit system examples of federal programs she thought needed a damn good whacking.
+++
Point being. No matter what science or common sense or common courtesy say, no matter whats good for the rest of the country, South Dakota wants the money the flagrant recklessness and naked stupidity Sturgis brings in.
Mr. Lambert is an excellent writer and I hope you enjoy his story.
Site Bio...
Our Mission. Elvis Costello crooned, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused. Thats the mission statement here try to see the amusing side of the world as it is, while languidly trying to change it.
Im a liberal in Minnesota with, as polite Minnesotans say, a different sense of humor. So, there is a steady diet of liberal politics, Minnesota issues, and quirky humor. But please bear with me when I stray off-topic, and off-mission. Remember, Elviss Mission Statement only promises to try, so humorless rants, barbaric yawps and wonk-a-thons also sometimes are in the mix.
Overall, were just trying to save the world while having some fun. If you know anyone with similar interests ranter or ponderer, conservative or liberal, gal or guy invite them over for some politics on wry.
Joe Loveland
Im a liberal in Minnesota with, as polite Minnesotans say, a different sense of humor. So, there is a steady diet of liberal politics, Minnesota issues, and quirky humor. But please bear with me when I stray off-topic, and off-mission. Remember, Elviss Mission Statement only promises to try, so humorless rants, barbaric yawps and wonk-a-thons also sometimes are in the mix.
Overall, were just trying to save the world while having some fun. If you know anyone with similar interests ranter or ponderer, conservative or liberal, gal or guy invite them over for some politics on wry.
Joe Loveland
KY.......
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
38 replies, 4955 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (56)
ReplyReply to this post
38 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
How'd the Democrats get people to die in other countries to help them with the ploy?
dem4decades
Aug 2020
#20
I've brought that up many times; they'll say "the whole world is against trump"
oldsoftie
Aug 2020
#29
...and how courageous of 160,000 people to die just to make trump look bad...I salute them
spanone
Aug 2020
#25
Isn't it the way it unfolds The repukes screw things up and the dems have to fix it
mitch96
Aug 2020
#5