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Blogger King |
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July 2008
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I've never met House Speaker Frank Chopp. I've never met Representative Larry Seaquist of Gig Harbor. But they both may owe stock car fans in the Pacific Northwest an apology for treating them with disdain and perpetuating the unfounded generalization of stock car fans being hicks. Speaker Chopp suggested that stock car legend Richard Petty (who was in Olympia lobbying for a track in Kitsap County) was a guy who was picked up for driving under the influence, even though Chopp admitted that story was told to him and he wasn't sure of its accuracy. Richard Petty is an iconic figure in Nascar with a sterling record as a driver, owner and ambassador of the sport. Representative Seaquist referred to the company that wants to build the track as, "These people are not the kind of people you would want living next door to you. They'd be the ones with junky cars in the front yard and would try to slip around the law." That sounds like the caricature of a red-neck who cares about nothing but beer and stock car racing. (For further reference, I suggest you check out David Postman on Politics in Thursday's edition of the Seattle Times). The legislature should consider the merits of the proposal for a stock car track in Western Washington's backyard. Crunch the numbers. Ask the tough questions such as; does it pay to have a major stock car track in the region? Who will profit by the deal? Does Kitsap County want it? Can the state afford it? What are the environmental consequences? What are the infrastructure needs? Can the area handle the traffic on a big race weekend? Ask all of those questions, and more. Those should be the factors to consider when the legislature and others decide whether Washington should have a big stock car track, not on what they think the typical NASCAR fan looks like or how he or she acts. By perpetuating stereotypes, we (Washington residents) end up looking bad to the rest of the country. 9 Comments |
An update on this story. House Speaker Frank Chopp personally apologized to Richard Petty for the remarks he made about him.
I have been a Washington resident for over 60 years and have listened to way too many complain about the high taxes we have to pay to enjoy the glories of the pacific northwest. Highways are in need of repair,our schools are dismal, and many more assorted complaints about the way our state is run. HOWEVER, when the opportunity comes to embrace an enterprise that would bring in millions of tax dollars as well as boost the local economies ...
OH NO! We can't do that. Is it the religious right-wing fanatics that are blocking our way? Whoever it is must be out-shouted! It is time the majority of the people of Washington have the kind of state that prospers and grows with the times. I have listened to cries of fear of organized gambling [if we allow off-reservation casinos] and the turning of our communities into living caricatures of Foxworthy's redneck lifestyle [if we allow Nascar racing. What a load of crap. BEWARE! these people will sell you a bomb shelter in preparation for Saddam Hussien's weapons of mass destruction!!!
Great real Washington - accept the opportunities presented to you before they stop coming.
denisgem
I love racing, bringing a NASCAR track here to the
Northwest is something thats been in the works &
Ideas for quite a while, For someone like "denisgem" to say the right-wing is at fault
for not allowing the thought of a track is so far off. For one thing, Yes, a prayer is said for the drivers & then The National Anthem is sung in
a respectful way (with "God" included). America,
as far as I know started auto racing, sure there's
the "Grand Prix" in Europe & bicycle racing But America started the "Auto Racing" sport.
Your christine (I'll Sue The State Of Washington
If I'm Not Elected Gov.)gregoier went against
every idea to have a track. And by the way,,
A prayer is said everyday in Congress before a
meeting. Get your facts straight before rambling
on. And by the way, NASCAR is generally Republican. Dawg.
"denisgem" your chris
My buddy in Little Rock, Arkansas. says your (denisgem) is drunk & don't waste your time with him. I can't help but ask "denisgem" to buy a
bottle of french wine & watch the al gore flick,
I'm sure you'll find it "Facinating" Dawg.
Here's something else to ponder over, gregoire
doesn't want a race track in a far off place but
is all for a basketball team in Renton, when's
the last time you were on the "S" curve in
Renton? Need I say more? Dawg.
I get more than enought auto racing experience on I-5 and Aurora ave during my daily commute. Why put up tax money to create a circular manicured freeway to no-place, and then pay to get into this publicly owned arena, and watch cars wizz around in a circle to ear busting niose?
This experience can be had free with some chairs and a picnic basket at any old freeway overpass, and it's 'real', 'raw' and much more a sport of the people.
As for generating revenue and comparison to the excellent decision to legalize gambling just about everywhere except maternity wards I must ask, where are the big paybacks that were to result from taxes on legalized gambling? All I see is money going into casions, but none coming out in the form of public benefit.
J wall,. do you know how much money a NASCAR track
would bring in? The construction alone would be
millions of dollars! Alot of people would be
working & the intake of a NASCAR track would be
enormous. Your complaint is noise? I have had
children & now grand-children. I know noise.
And every sunday is my day to watch NASCAR &
believe me! I would love to leave the house &
go to a NASCAR race.
Flashdawg,
I don't see how it would bring any more money to the average person footing the public debt. If this is just a jobs program, building anything, put people to work fixing roads and bridges instead. And I think of the poor tourist industry in Oregon & Idaho and other markets where we'd be kidnapping dollars from their economy. What about them? Only so much extra money to go around- the Seahawks, Mariners, Hollywood, TV Evangalists, Casinos, the Sonics... NASCAR would take money from these needy critically important jobs programs.
I applaud your enthusiasm for something you like, but I'll not go to NASCAR, or campaign to send them my money. Sure they're good at what they do, but I see enough tough & exciting driving from behind the wheel, or walking to the grocery store. And I think it's un-sporting to mug tourists on their hotel and car rental charges or snag tax-payers to foot the bill. To be fair I would un-subsidize the rest of pro sports, not just NASCAR.
Noise from free hydroplanes and blue angles once a year is a fine and wonderful thing for all to enjoy. Hydros are free, why does NASCAR need a handout?
I also feel a sort of national NASCAR branding of America is in the works. Every dratted thing for sale at Fred Meyer from baby formula to flashlight batteries has a NASCAR logo on it. When I buy milk I don't want to see a helmeted guy leaping from a race car on the packaging, I'd rather see a cow.
Longacres was the thing for me, too bad it's gone!
Never heard the horses complaining about not making enough money.
How bout that good old viaduct, good place for a road rally. Should we just fix it?
If NASCAR ever hit the wall it would probably be the J. Wall. Why argue success? Auto Racing is the most popular sport above the sheets. It's loud. So are the trains that wake me up at 2 am and are 3 miles away. So are planes... the ones that put a paycheck in my hands for 30 years. So are Harleys. I ride a Suzuki. We could put a wonderful facility in the NW... If we had a governor that would let the Indian population build one for us. We could have had Major League Baseball, the national pastime. But the Gov was against letting the tribe do anything. They wanted another casino closer to town. So What? In the mean time we have druggies and other criminals roaming the streets because we can't afford to put them where they should be. So let's nix every attempt to bring more revenue into the state. Let's just lay here, crippled by the lack of the almighty dollar because someone might be offended by something or other. It's all chocolate and vanilla folks. We won't please everyone. Ricky Nelson said it well in "Garden Party." ...Might as well please yourself. NASCAR in Portland would please me. Pass the petition... I'll sign that one.