Photo by CD-7 GOP candidate Casper Stockham
Photo by Randy Corporon
WEDNESDAY UPDATE: Pretty close to an epidemiological worst-case scenario, reports Denver7:
Thousands of supporters gathered at Bandimere speedway on Tuesday night, though they did not gather to watch racing. This, in many attendees’ words, was a peaceful protest.
The Stop the COVID Chaos Rally was held to promote two lawsuits being filed against Colorado policies related to COVID-19. The first is being filed by Bandimere Speedway against Jefferson County for its health regulations on businesses. The second is being filed by Colorado House minority leader Rep. Patrick Neville against Gov. Jared Polis’s emergency mask mandate…
We’re not sure what Denver7 is talking about with the second lawsuit from Patrick Neville, since his appeal to the Colorado Supreme Court was rejected last Friday–perhaps he intends to file a different suit, but we haven’t seen confirmation of that as of this writing.
As for the thousands of COVIDiots swapping droplets with one another last night, now comes the incubation period.
—–
As the Denver Post’s Shelly Bradbury reports, sometimes the jokes write themselves:
The Jefferson County racetrack that health officials took to court for violating social distancing requirements at its events is hosting a “Stop the COVID Chaos” rally Tuesday, renewing concerns from the county health department about public safety amid a pandemic.
Colorado House Minority Leader Patrick Neville and right-wing activist Michelle Malkin are slated to attend the evening rally at Bandimere Speedway, according to a statement on the racetrack’s website.
Attorney Randy Corporon, who has represented the racetrack, and members of the Bandimere family will also attend the event, which will include speeches and a presentation on why public health orders regarding coronavirus precautions are unconstitutional, according to the statement.
Jefferson County’s Bandimere Speedway has been a vanguard of “COVID resistance” throughout the pandemic, repeatedly going to court to keep their stands full(ish) with and without any semblance of best practices to contain the spread of the disease. At tonight’s rally, it’s our guess that face masks will be unfashionable at best, and the proper six feet-plus of distance always to be observed in public will be more of an exercise in futility than a rule.
When the “COVID Chaos” becomes less of a laughing matter, of course, is in the days to couple weeks after–when the outbreak you can set your watch to starts exacting its toll among the freedom fighters attending tonight’s festivities. Much like Donald Trump’s misguided Tulsa rally that claimed the life of Herman Cain a few weeks later, or the Sturgis motorcycle rally now blamed for at least 20 new COVID-19 cases in Colorado alone, these are fully predictable tragedies–and the attendees, high-ranking GOP elected officials among them, are the only ones who don’t get that.
As always, avoid the area downwind if possible–and roll your windows up if you have to take C-470 this evening.
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When it is full then lock and block the gates. Drop MRE's to them and let them sit there for a couple of weeks.
Free dumb is never free.
And we all pay the price unfortunately. Goddamned ignorant, selfish ship of fools ! They all should be ashamed to be so dumb, but they wear it like a badge of honor.
Fucking idiots are going to be fucking idiots. I suspect Corporon will get paid either way.
Like it or not, and I don't, given that I can hear the dragsters from my Lakewood house, they do have some amount of freedom of speech.
Having said that, the county should revoke Bandimere's business permit if they go through with this. The family has talked for years about moving north to Erie or Weld County in order to have more space. I think JeffCo can get along without them.
I guess I'm downwind, SE across the valley. I could see their fireworks display on the 4th. Covid doesn't survive long in open air, though – it needs moist particles and surfaces to live, so I'm not worried about direct spread.
But tonight's "Covid Chaos" will likely be yet another superspreader event – which we don't need. Sensible people will stay away, and Darwin will do his thing, unfortunately including a lot of innocents, as well.
Yes, revoking Bandimere's business permit is a good idea, although Polis and the CDPHE will get shit for it. Isn't Bandimere mostly a summer/fall business anyway?
What sucks is that these people will be showing up at Walmarts and other businesses, frothing, maskless and full of rage, sending their kids to school and complaining about masking / social distancing rules.
To clarify, I’m not concerned about COVID coming the several miles to my house. My concern mirrors yours; impact on other people and Bandimere just ignoring the rule of law.
Bandimere is open year around, although not necessarily for racing. I can see it from couple of my walking routes, plus driving around. There often are camper vans and RVs parked there in the middle of winter. Doing what I don’t know.
I wonder if they will feature some of the freedom seekers who attended the Sturgis rally. Motorcycle short track races are one of the premier crowd events up there. AP news says 263 positive COVID-19 cases in 12 states so far.
First Sturgis-related COVID death reported in Minnesota. Freedumb can be fatal
Here's the link for that story. 260 known infections nationwide traced to that Sturgis rally. 20 of those in Colorado. 1 death (known) so far.