You Can’t Make Me
North Dakota is all a’tizzy.
The North Dakota State House just passed a bill making the mandatory requirement of mask wearing illegal.
Three months ago, the virus strained the hospital system in North Dakota. The governor mandated statewide mask wearing and the number of covid cases “plummeted.” Local officials said that was because of awareness about social distancing, not masks.
Minot Republican Rep. Jeff Hoverson, the bill’s sponsor, painted government-issued mask requirements as part of a larger conspiracy driven by “unelected, wealthy bureaucrats who are robbing our freedoms and perpetuating lies.” Hoverson said North Dakota should be free like its sister state to the south and called mask mandates “diabolical silliness.”
Okay, okay, English majors, is “diabolical silliness” a thing? Can something be diabolical and silly at the same time, and if so, can you name one other thing that is?
Lidgerwood Republican Rep. Kathy Skroch and several other bill supporters claimed without evidence that mask-wearing doesn’t help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
You know, more and more newspapers are reminding their readers that some things are just plain silly by adding two words – without evidence. That’s a good thing.
Diabolical silliness reminds me of Monty Python or maybe the name of a band.
1That filing was a doozy! Thanks.
2I guess Darwin will take out a few more Trump supporters.
3Another example of diabolical silliness might be Dr. Evil in Austin Powers. But I agree with Jo, it only exists in fiction and comedy, and until proven otherwise, North Dakota.
4Diabolical Silliness? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj8n4MfhjUc
5As for the Republicans — how can one regard seriously a frightened, greedy, nostalgic huddle of tradesmen and lucky idlers who shut their eyes to history and science, [and] steel their emotions against decent human sympathy.
~H. P. Lovecraft
6Perhaps diabolical silliness can be explained this way: CS Lewis had the demon Screwtape explain
“Among flippant people the Joke is always assumed to have been made. No one actually makes it; but every serious subject is discussed in a manner which implies that they have already found a ridiculous side to it.”
In other words, this Republican is projecting his own difficulty onto his opponents.
7Improving STEM education is more important than ever
8May the theory that the dumbest die come back to haunt them.
9These lunatics claim a mandate to wear a mask to prevent the spreading of the virus is robbing them of their freedom, but they believe that meddling in people’s most personal life–abortion, who you marry, etc.–is their responsibility? If everyone just minded their own business things would be a lot better.
10Charles R. Phillips @5–Great link! Thanks for the laugh!
11In less than a year the virus has sent 500,000 fellow citizens to the grave. A lot of people have been left behind to mourn. Imagine how they feel when they see these anti-maskers strutting about. So much for American exceptionalism.
12“A damn lie” would be more to the point than “without evidence”.
13I’m looking forward to when media gathers the gumption to replace “without evidence” to “falsely.”
14Denial of the trivially obvious is just bloody stupid, and very common among conservatives.
15It’s way past time for the states with IQ averages above 90 to just forbid any travel from or to North Dumbfukotastan.
16And a total embargo of North Dumbfukotastanis, their livestock, goods and services [no masks or vaccines either].
Let them Darwin themselves into oblivion.
In a couple of months the whole inbred cretinous state would be a seething crock of pestilence, misery, and -freedumb- [no effing death panels needed].
In six months to a year, it would be ready for disinfecting and resettlement.
Sandridge @ 16. I’m with you on the embargo idea. In addition, I think all these know nothing wingnuts should be required to volunteer in COVID ICU units without masks so they can prove their herd immunity theories. Let’s see how that works out for them.
17Apparently, North Dakota’s Constitution is in violation of the US Constitution and has been since the state was admitted to the Union, technically invalidating North Dakota’s status as a state. The error was only discovered in 1995. (Oddly enough, it has taken from then until now for someone in the ND legislature to introduce a bill to correct the problem.)
Hmm. If North Dakota is not a state, then its Senators and Representative should not be able to sit in Congress as voting members, as is the case for DC, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, etc.
So there are only 98 legitimately seated Senators, 50 of whom are Democrats – a clear majority. Someone needs to tell McTurtle that all of the compromises he extorted from Schumer are null and void. Someone should also tell Joe Manchin that he is no longer the deciding vote, so he can quit grandstanding.
On a related note, if ND was never officially a state, would it have to re-request admission to the Union? And if so, could the Democrats use this as a means of getting DC and/or Puerto Rico admitted at the same time? You know, “North Dakota gets admitted only if DC and Puerto Rico (if PR wants to become a state) also get admitted. Otherwise, so sorry. The “lower 48” becomes the “lower 47” plus a territory.)
18Bob Boland says:
… technically invalidating North Dakota’s status as a state.
That makes sense. I always considered the Coen Bros movie “Fargo” as more of a foreign film. BTW, if you haven’t seen “Nomadland” starring Francis McDormand yet (streaming on Hulu) don’t miss it. Great script, great director, and Francis McDormand is exceptional, she’s a national treasure.
19I would say Lidgerwood Republican Rep. Kathy Skroch and the rest of the ND Rethug caucus qualifies as the definition of diabolical silliness.
20The N.D. statehood thing would be like Christmas comes early.
21Rick, you’re right about Frances McDormand. Way overdue.
“You soak his thumb in iodine and you might get by without the orthodonture, but it won’t knock a thing off the university. RILEY! YOU TAKE THAT DIAPER OFF YOUR HEAD, YOU PUT IT BACK ON TO YOUR SISTER!
Anyway..’
How many of these wankers think that job requirements to wear hard hats, visibility vests, or steel-toed boots is an infringement on their freedom? I believe all of that clothing is occasionally called “safety gear”…. Safety Gear… WHAT A CONCEPT!
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