CNN/AP: South Dakota hears threats of tourism boycott

[DeepModem Mom]

South Dakota hears threats of tourism boycott
Friday, March 17, 2006


PIERRE, South Dakota (AP) -- The superintendent of Mount Rushmore was surprised at first when people from all over the country started calling up to express their opinion about South Dakota's ban on nearly all abortions.

Some callers said they were so upset that they would never visit Mount Rushmore, South Dakota's No. 1 tourist attraction. Others said they were so thrilled that they would make a point of coming to see the chiseled faces of four U.S. presidents in the Black Hills.

On further reflection, Superintendent Gerard Baker decided that the messages from far and wide made sense, because Mount Rushmore is a symbol of freedom.

"That's what we're all about here," he said. "That's what America is all about, people expressing their freedom and people expressing their choices and so forth."

In an uproar that has taken many South Dakotans by surprise, politicians and state agencies have been bombarded in the past few weeks with thousands upon thousands of calls, letters and e-mails -- pro and con -- from across the country and around the world....


http://www.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/03/17/sd.abortion.tourism.ap/index.html

[LynnTheDem]

1. YES!!! Now I'll say (haven't in a long time!) GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

(Or at least half of the country!)

CHOICES.

[MadMaddie]

2. It's a start....I have been saying the only thing these states

will understand is losing those $$$$$$.

We have a long way to go though...it's a start....

[StClone]

4. Especially South Dakota

Honestly, Mongolia's got more going for it if not for an American institution: Mount Rushmore.

[Ben Ceremos]

16. If "God blesses America" any more,

America will be the lowest country on the pole. Choice is decidedly not what America is about. America now, is about screwing everyone who is not rich and connected to dirty politicians. It is the nation that refuses to provide affordable healthcare, denies people their civil rights in the name of a lie called terror, it lectures every other nation while setting the poorest example possible, it preaches peace and wages racist war, it disenfranchises its citizens and then tries to export this failed model as democracy, it is a nation of disconnected and purile people who don't respect anything , even themselves...it's too early to bother with this line any further...:evilfrown:

[ananda]

24. worth repeating

Ben Ceremos (
16. If "God blesses America" any more,

America will be the lowest country on the pole. Choice is decidedly not what America is about. America now, is about screwing everyone who is not rich and connected to dirty politicians. It is the nation that refuses to provide affordable healthcare, denies people their civil rights in the name of a lie called terror, it lectures every other nation while setting the poorest example possible, it preaches peace and wages racist war, it disenfranchises its citizens and then tries to export this failed model as democracy, it is a nation of disconnected and purile people who don't respect anything , even themselves...it's too early to bother with this line any further...

[SammyWinstonJack]

36. !

:applause:

[bluestateguy]

3. Tourism?

What's there to do there anyway, but snap a few pictures of Rushmore and move along?

[SeattleVet]

10. What's there to do? Ever heard of Sturgis Bike Week?

Mega-motorcycle party. Attracts something like 500,000+ people for a week in August. There are some rumblings about lots of people not bothering to attend this year.

This is probably SD's largest single event of the year. If a substantial number of bikers (which includes a lot of women bikers, or bikers with women riding with them) opt out this year it will send a huge message, and have a rather large negative impact on the overall SD economy. People going to Sturgis spend a lot of time and money in the state while they are getting to and going from the event. Lots of restaurants and motels will take a hit. Oh, yeah...and bars, too. Lots and lots of bars.

[CottonBear]

13. Yep. Only 760,000 +/_ Pop. in SD & 500,000 bikers could boycott.

I hope all the bikers boycott and go elsewhere.

[54anickel]

22. Yep, we're not going this year.

[dogfacedboy]

46. Bike Week is a HUGE part of SD's economy.

My wife and I usually go every other year. NO MORE. We really enjoyed SD in the past, typically spending Bike Week, and another week cruising around. Not to mention pumping about three to four thousand dollars into the SD economy during that time.

[Maddy McCall]

39. Many scholars (armchair and academic) of Am Indian history...

visit the museums and sites in the Dakotas. Personally, I would never visit Rushmore, because the images of American presidents carved into the sacred hills is the equivalent to Swastikas being spray painted onto the Washington Monument.

But as an American Indian history scholar, there are many sites I'd love to visit.

[Bjornsdotter]

5. LOL....I was one of those callers!

Glad to see they are getting the message.

Cheers

[NYC]

8. Good for you!

Isn't it nice to know you made an impact? :hi:

[MrSlayer]

6. I had a Black Hills trip all planned out for this summer.

But I called and cancelled it all and let them know why.

[Patsy Stone]

7. Good for you!

One of those e-mails was mine.

[Robeysays]

33. not to get off subject....

HELL YES! mystery science theater three-thousand!

[Critters2]

40. I miss mst3k

*sigh*

[movonne]

9. I bet there is more cons than pros....

[niyad]

11. D*** right there are calls-at least 3 of them were mine-to various people

and agencies.

[Mind_your_head]

12. South Datkota....Coat Hanger Country

Nominated for new state motto

---------------

Thanks to all of you who called, e-mailed, and wrote ~ you all rock!

[Pachamama]

37. "South DaCoathanger"....That's what I call the state now....

:puke:

I'll never go see Mt. Rushmore or visit that state as long as laws like that are in effect. Meanwhile, two couples we used to go with to Sturgis are not going this year. They normally fly in from Aspen...not this year or until this law is nullified or overturned.

[libertad]

45. that is clever!

thank goodness it is not Hawaii where it would be hard to cross state lines, though.

[fearnobush]

14. The GOP is pretending that SD does not exist.

They fear overturning R v W and if it ever were, it would ignite massive demonstrations and send hoards of new voters and mod GOP voters to our side. The GOP would be smashed back in to the stone age of political power - they would lose it for a very long time. That is why they run from South Dakota.

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[dansolo]

15. How can they claim to be suprised

They were planning on this reaction.

[symbolman]

17. Notice how the media frames it as a Pro Con deal.. bullshit

I LIVED in Sturgis, SD for two years, I got a tattoo there, knew a lot of bikers, attended many of the events when a town of roughly 7000 hosts between 300,000 and 500,000 bikers who do nothing but throw money around..

You cannot even BUY one of those deserted buildings on the main street the rest of the year as any of those buildings are conduits for MILLIONS of dollars once a year.

Anyone here want to get famous and make HISTORY? I'll tell you how..

Start a site called www.boycottsturgis.com and post everything you can about the SD law on Abortion, mention that BIKERS have girlfriends and WIVES who HATE this kind of Govt Intrusion, and that you want to collect 500,000 signatures stating that these bikers and their friends, girlfriends, wives, pals of wives, etc WILL NOT ATTEND THE STURGIS RALLY THIS YEAR. PERIOD.

Say that you will deliver the petition personally to the city fathers of Sturgis SD once you've collected and printed them all out.

I'll bet you a million bucks that a special session of their State Legislature will be held and Abortion will be BACK ON THE TABLE before this summer..

I know these people, I know bikers, and if they hate ANYTHING, it's some govt telling THEM what to DO..

You'll be on CNN in no time, and you will literally change history, I'm dead serious.

I don't have time, PLEASE will someone do this?

[Vinca]

18. Ditto your idea. I'm technically challenged and couldn't figure

out how to do it, but there are incredibly smart people on this site who could. All I can do is swear not to step foot in the state or spend any money there.

[davsand]

20. A lot of the bikers I know are Libertarians.

Most of the bikers I know/have known are independent thinkers that really dislike governmental intrusion in any form. I really can NOT see how the South Dakota attack on women and choice is gonna play well with these folks.

I'd suggest that you consider trying to start a movement of bike week to another state completely--like maybe Montana--where they still are living free to choose. I would not THREATEN or petition, I'd just say screw it and go someplace else.

Sorry in advance to any of our SD DUers, but that state is seriously f**ked up right now and should just be avoided.



Laura

[Le Taz Hot]

25. Montana . . .

If I remember my history correctly, wasn't Montana the first state to allow women to vote? Oh, what irony THAT would be!

[BR_Parkway]

38. Most bikers I know don't want the gov't telling them to wear helmets

so I can imagine how much more intrusive this little Be the First Theocracy on your block crap is going over.

Someone could make a good deal of money by organizing an alternative to Sturgiss in a nearby state to give all those bikers an alternative.

[LeftHander]

19. My Parents live in South Dakota...

I am going to tell them that I am cancelling a trip this summer to see them. Though I don't want to punish my parents. Both aging...but we have had a rocky relationship in recent years because of my father's bigotry and uwavering support of Republicans. I thought I would once again try to make ammends as they are in their 70's. They have not seen their grand daughter for over two years.

I am going to tell them why I cannot go to South Dakota. They voted for the lawmakers and no doubt don't think they have been part of the tragedy that is the abortion ban. But I think they need to realize it does effect them.

I know this may sound harsh but I want them to feel the pain of a lifetime of bigotry and racism that I was forced to live with for 25 years. I hope they will write thier state lawmakers and tell them what they have done to people from South Dakota and what they have done to people across this Nation. This is bigger than my relationship with my parents and rips to core of what it means to be a decent human being. I refuse to support mean spirited ignorance and complacency.

If that means not seeing my parents, so be it.

It makes me sad and I will be writing South Dakota representatives and telling them directly. Regardless how they may of voted.

[momster]

21. Can't you meet them at the border?

Or visit but don't spend a dime? Bring food from out of state and cook it instead of eating out. Make sure you have enough gas to get in and get out without buying any. Don't pass up a chance to let your child know her grandparents because of this institutionalized idiocy. In the end, joy is our best weapon against hatred and the joy of grandparents and grandchildren should not be denied.

My father died of AIDS when my daughter was two. I'd give anything for them to meet so he could see how great she is.

[peacebird]

28. How about inviting your folks to visit you and see their granddaughter?

[LeftHander]

43. they have always been welcome...

I am the youngest in the family....and have been ignored for most of my life by my parents and sibilings except to ridicule me....

They do not ever go out of thier way to visit or call me. I have always called and visited them...until a few years ago.

They treated me so badly when I was young that I think they just want me to fafe away. So...I have from them.

Relationships even family ones are two way streets....I simply finally realized they didn't really care much about mem my dreams or my family.

[Neecy]

23. good

I don't know what it's like in other parts of the country, but here a South Dakota tourism board commercial airs constantly, complete with an annoying ditty.

I couldn't imagine a worse place to go for a family vacation, given that if you have daughters they'll be viewed as breeding stock for rapists. That doesn't sound particularly family-friendly. Just the attitude is spooky - why submit children to such a terrible environment just to get a snap of Mt. Rushmore?

[SaintLouisBlues]

26. Yep, my Black Hills trip will not happen

I was all set to go last year, but had to cancel at the last minute.

Now I'll send them a nasty gram telling them why.

[SaintLouisBlues]

27. Email addy for the SD tourism board

[e-mail]

link to the contact page: http://travelsd.com/feedback/aboutus.asp

Just sent my message: no tourism dollars from me.

[peacebird]

29. my email to SD tourism board

Vacation plans:
Biking through South Dakota Black Hills - cancelled. Visit to Sturgis this year? Forget it - there are other great places to party in states that still care about women's rights.

Would have liked to see the Mount Rushmore, but we refuse to spend any of our tourism dollars supporting the "Coat Hanger" state.

[SaintLouisBlues]

30. Nicely done

[peacebird]

31. thanks - and thanks for the email address too!

you made it SO easy!

:toast:

[DeepModem Mom]

32. Thanks, SaintLouisBlues!

[KansDem]

34. I don't believe this statement for one second!

In an uproar that has taken many South Dakotans by surprise...

Really? Where have these people been lately (besides South Dakota)?

[progressoid]

35. How many pros vs how many cons?

I bet our side is winning!

[ldf]

41. anyone in higher education?

citibank stafford and alternative loans process through sioux falls, south dakota.

my school's $ amounts are about 2 million. a drop in the bucket. but citibank could be dropped as a recommended lender option by many schools, unless they move their processing centers OUT of south dakota...

ya know what i'm saying??? i hope to do just that.

if citibank called them up and expressed reservations about their "agenda", i bet they would listen.

i'm just saying....

[mac56]

42. One of those e-mails was mine.

We've vacationed in S.Dak. for years, right next door to Minnesota. Never again.

And don't fool yourself - - without tourism, S.Dak. hasn't got bupkiss.

Every morning the whole state turns to the west, drops to its knees, and gives thanks for Mount Rushmore.

[Puglover]

44. My letter

We had a trip planned to see Mt. Rushmore the 3rd week of July and I wanted you to know I have cancelled it indefinately.
None of my money will go towards your backwards fundementalist state.

I just heard a new name for South Dakota.

"The Coathanger State"

How perfect.

[They Live]

47. my email...

I was going to visit South Dakota for a couple of weeks on my vacation this year, but I've had a change in plans. Due to the recent abortion ban by your state, I'll be boycotting spending any of my money there until your Fundamentalism goes away.
Thanks, but no thanks to fascism.