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Pennington GOP Commandeers Main Street Square for Unhealthy Trump Event

Unhealthy Trump Event—that’s redundant, right?

If you didn’t win tickets to enjoy the Trump-Noem Inferno of Freedom™ at Mount Rushmore, you can come flout public health with the Pennington County Republican Party on Friday in Rapid City’s Main Street Square:

“The fireworks and President Trump’s entire visit will be available for viewing on the big screen at Main Street Square for all those who were unable to attend the actual event, plus we’ll have a great band and special celebrities who will provide remarks,” [Pennington County GOP chair Jeff] Holbrook said.

Some of the special guests include Mike Lindell, founder of My Pillow; Gene Sullivan, a friend of legendary daredevil Evel Knievel and founder of Jump for Jesus — a full gospel motorcycle stunt team; and Jack Brewer, a former NFL player.

“This will be a family-friendly event and we welcome all to attend to celebrate this historic moment in Rapid City history with the return of fireworks to Mount Rushmore and a presidential visit,” Holbrook said.

Fencing will be placed around Main Street Square to provide a secure area for those wishing to attend with one dedicated entry point and exit point, Holbrook said. Face masks will be provided to anyone who wishes to use them and social distancing will be encouraged because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Holbrook said there will be no enforcement of those guidelines [Nathan Thompson, “Pennington County GOP Plans Events in Rapid City During Trump’s Visit,” Rapid City Journal, 2020.06.27].

Part of the merit of holding a public event outdoors during the coronavirus pandemic is that you can avoid crowding. Setting up one restricted entry point and one restricted exit point creates two points of unnecessary crowding. And since they vow, like their idols Kristi and Donald, not to enforce any coronavirus restrictions, people wishing to take sensible precautions against coronavirus but publicly celebrate America’s greatest leaders will still find themselves shoulder-to-shoulder on the way in with all sorts of heavily breathing, exultantly shouting people with likely no more than two degrees of separation from a covid-19-positive local Republican.

But hey, who needs CDC guidelines (like “Use multiple entrances and exits“) when you have the My Pillow guy to come pray for you? Praise the Lord and pass the Lysol!

12 Comments

  1. Ray Tysdal 2020-06-29 08:15

    We drove through Hill City and Keystone yesterday. There were hundreds of people milling around doing the tourists things. Throngs of people, license plates from Texas, Arizona, Florida, California (all coronavirus hot spots) and Guess What? We saw only 6 people wearing masks. Downtown Rapid City is the same way. If you live in South Dakota and want to visit the Black Hills it might be wise to put it off until (contrary to what is coming out of the White House and Pierre) the situation on Covid-19 is REALLY under control!

  2. El Rayo X 2020-06-29 10:13

    The committee had better mind their P’s & Q’s when playing music over the PA at this event. Recently, the Tom Petty estate and the Rolling Stones have have told Donny Boy to quit using their music at his rallies. A Republican friendly rocker like Ted Nugent should be cool with them using his hits like: Wango Tango, Wang Dang Sweet Poontang, Stormtroopin’, Love Grenade, Stranglehold and Cat Scratch Fever. Put the lyrics on the big screen for a family friendly sing along too.

  3. Eve Fisher 2020-06-29 11:09

    Between the tourists who’ve already hit the Black Hills, and the July 3rd event, we should have one heck of a COVID surge come July 17-23.
    And then Sturgis is coming August 7th. Another major surge August 21-28.
    Fun times, but I’ll pass. The last thing I need is COVID served up on a Trump My Pillow with a Nugent soundtrack.

  4. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2020-06-29 11:31

    I’ve taken two short vacation trips in the past several weeks. In both cases I took off mid-week, spent most of my time outdoors and away from other people, and then drove home on Saturday, avoiding weekend crowds. I bought groceries, ate on the trails, ordered a couple of take-out suppers.

    I enjoy both Rapid City and Mount Rushmore, but there’s no way I’d visit either this week, and especially not the Main Street Square Event or the Rushmore event, both of which are being hosted by Republicans who have shown they don’t take coronavirus seriously. Every Pennington County Republican whounnecessarily crowded into the Ramkota with Ed Randazzo to watch their virtual convention together should be staying in quarantine through this Saturday, not hosting a public event.

  5. Donald Pay 2020-06-29 11:36

    Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Commenters, thanks for outing the absolute stupidity of American tourists. There are many reasons to avoid South Dakota this summer. If this is being read by potential tourists who decide to stay away, you have saved lives.

    I can’t wait to see who’s stupid and cuckoo enough to show up for the GOP pandemic party. Hey, here’s some Republican health care policy advise: die fast.

    The rumor is George Soros is sending armed Antifa forces to Rapid City to spray the crowd with COVID. If you don’t want to get the disease everyone needs to wear a mask. People without a mask may face steep consequences, including, but not limited to, death.

    Does Il Duce know about the riot-boosting law? He could be in for state charges if he starts advising people to bust heads.

  6. mike from iowa 2020-06-29 12:31

    Wait until Nugent tells you about what his high school friends and he called “Nunning.” And no, you probably don’t want to know what it is.

  7. jerry 2020-06-29 13:05

    Hey South Dakota and especially Pennington, Lawrence and Meade County’s, wanna see your future? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkyXhPYbX0c

    Check it out, this is what your governor has unleashed on you and all of us in the state.

  8. Donald Pay 2020-06-29 14:22

    The Mt. Rushmore fireworks are cancelled. That’s unconfirmed, but it is a rumor going around that it has been axed. Anyone hear this out in SD?

  9. Joe 2020-06-29 14:51

    “Some of the special guests include Mike Lindell, founder of My Pillow; Gene Sullivan, a friend of legendary daredevil Evel Knievel and founder of Jump for Jesus — a full gospel motorcycle stunt team; and Jack Brewer, a former NFL player.”

    #starstudded

  10. Debbo 2020-06-30 00:26

    Oh good lord. smh 🙄🙄🙄

    I hope anti hate demonstrators pass on this one. Let the haters all rot each other. 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

  11. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2020-06-30 10:21

    Zero word and zero chance of cancellation, Donald. Where are you hearing the rumor?

  12. jerry 2020-06-30 19:20

    Pennington GOP, fit into the traitor zone with these events. They know as we all know, that trump supports the bounty put on American troops heads in Afghanistan. I have heard them blather that patriotic fake nonsense about Ellsworth and then they condone trump/Putin bounty on their heads.

    “WASHINGTON — The White House and top National Security Council officials learned about intelligence indicating Russia was offering bounties on U.S. and coalition troops in early 2019, a person with direct knowledge of the intelligence confirms to NBC News, well over a year before President Donald Trump claimed no one had briefed him about the matter.

    That intelligence, which the Trump administration has yet to act on, “was out there” at least a month before an April 2019 car bomb attack in Afghanistan that killed three U.S. Marines, the individual said. That attack has come under scrutiny as U.S. officials seek to determine whether any Americans died as a result of the Russian plot.” https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/white-house-learned-russian-bounty-intelligence-early-2019-n1232565

    And they want to celebrate this trash heap of a man, whatsup with that?

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