An acquaintance of mine posted this link to a story about how Atlanta wanted to designate an area for legalized street racing, and all I could do is wince and knee-jerk react about how stupid this idea sounded, without even reading the article or understanding the context behind this thought. But then I read the article, and its own impetus article, and yep, everything is about as stupid, reckless and a terrible idea as it seems.
For starters, we have this little nugget of information:
On May 14 Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said the city is looking at a new solution that came as a recommendation from her 18-year-old son.
I have mixed opinions about Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. Personally I think she is what a lot of people thought she was, a hand-picked stooge by departing mayor Kasim Reed, who ultimately is in office to pad her pockets as much as she can before departing, and granting favors to all within her circle for them to pad their pockets as much as they can, much like Reed did. But at the same time, I appreciate her staunch opposition to the current federal administration, and how she often times make a point to hold press conferences to state her intention of doing the opposite of what the Baked Potato in Charge is trying to do, as well as his local butt-buddy, Bubba Kemp, like strongly advising Atlanta residents to stay home and exercise proper social distancing, despite the reopening of the state.
But the fact that Bottoms is even considering this idea on the recommendation from her 18-year old son, this says to me that he himself is probably into street racing, probably partakes in it himself, and Keisha would only try to make it legal, because she doesn’t want her shithead son getting arrested and/or wrecking and hurting innocent people and becoming an embarrassing shit-stain on her career.
Ultimately, the whole thing is laughable, because nobody seems to realize the fact that the general appeal of all this street racing is the fact that it’s illegal, which is why so many people get a thrill out of doing it in the first place. Making it legal would absolutely ruin the thrill for people who go out in the night looking for other cars to race, and then they’d go out of their way to go find random areas where it’s not sanctioned, and then get their rocks off elsewhere.
Or, the areas where street racing could be made legal become flooded with so much testosterone and machismo, that it would become a ticking time bomb of a location where mounting rivalries and sore losers would eventually come to a bullet-riddled, violent bloodbath of a crescendo, and then it’s fifty times worse for Bottoms for having sanctioned this in the first place.
Laughable are the comments of those who are in favor of this stupid bullshit idea:
“I mean if it’s a safe spot they’re going to do it anyway so why not have it be a safe spot,” said Yannick Nzeza.
“I’m with what he said. It keeps the culture of Atlanta alive, we do love our burnouts and our cars,” said Xavier Dickinson
I love that they think that burnouts and cars are exclusive to Atlanta, and that it’s remotely close to being their own culture. Last time I checked, anyone into racing cars is typically into burnouts, regardless of if they’re in Atlanta, or Miami, or Los Angeles or anywhere on the planet with a street racing scene.
The bottom line is that this whole idea is idiotic, and it’s clearly indicative of the slow local news and the grasping at straws being demonstrated that this is even news in the first place. Illegal street racing is going to happen no matter where in the country it is. Containing it and making it legal will only serve to kill the thrill behind it, and it would only be a matter of time before those who enjoy it will go out of their way to make it illegal again, but then risk the lives of innocent motorists in order for them to get off on the thrill.
I’d say I hope this idea should be a no-brainer to die in the well, but I also underestimated Bubba Kemp’s rise to governor too, so anything is truly possible when it comes to the stupidity of Georgia politicians.
