South Dakota: Douchebag of the Month

Omega Supreme · 2/27/2013 2:04pm

What did he just say?

Sometimes when you hear something or read something, especially headlines, you can’t believe what is being presented to you. In a day and age of information at your fingertips logical fallacies and outright ignorant statements are nothing short of pure laziness or the placation of the ignorant masses.
State Representative Steve Hickey of South Dakota, a person with the ears of his people, has gone and left his logic at home. He, in no uncertain terms, compared MMA to child pornography.

That’s right, as seen in this blog post, Representative Hickey states:: MMA is the child porn of sports".

Decent and civil societies have to draw the line somewhere; we allow parents to discipline their kids to a point, we allow people to drive up to certain speeds; with smoking we draw the line after tobacco and before pot; with “adult entertainment” we draw the line at child porn. Where do we draw the line with violent entertainment? I suggest we draw the line at cage fighting. Boxing, wresting and legitimate martial arts are violent too but the line needs to be drawn somewhere. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) or “cage fighting” is over that line – in fact, even the martial arts people I talk to tell me they hate cage fighting because it is a smear on traditional martial arts. I hope you’ll agree that MMA is over the line of what should be tolerable with regard to “violent entertainment” as child porn is clearly over the line with regard to “adult entertainment.” MMA Cage Fighting is the child porn of sports.

The interesting thing is that the Hickey isn't alone in his bigoted view of MMA. Governor of the State of South Dakota, Dennis Daugaard, is equally guilty, spouting off such comments as, “…the way one wins in those contests is by beating up your opponent, bloodying them, kicking, scratching,(and) punching.”

South Dakota Governor Dennis "I don't pull" Daugaard

So how should we respond? Let’s start by not defending MMA. Mixed Martial Arts is a sport. If you like it, watch it; if you don’t, turn the channel. Let’s address the ignorance and lack of basic logic that these two men of power are currently exhibiting by insulting everybody’s intelligence.

First: Steve Hickey would like to compare MMA to child porn. “Decent and civil societies have to draw the line somewhere...”

Let’s start at logic and draw the line to ignorance, shall we? Hickey uses the examples of tobacco sales versus marijuana use, and disciplining as compared to abusing or beating a child as precedents for morale boundaries. Erroneously included in these comparisons was the setting of speed limits, which is a matter of safety, not a morale boundary. “The psychological community will tell you that desensitization to violence works exactly like desensitization to porn…this exactly how it works with violence.” This statement exemplifies Hickey’s ignorance; the psychological community and soldiers who suffer from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) will disagree with it. MMA is a sport competition done between two consenting adults. It is not between an adult an unconsenting or coerced child.

Secondly, the Governor of South Dakota actually says there is scratching!!! Really!?! No, Govenor Daugaard, there is no scratching in MMA. With that being said, you leave us with beating, punching, kicking and bleeding. Well you just described, TKD, Karate, and Kickboxing.

Now let’s take apart some of his evidence:
He posted this link up showing 5 year-olds doing “Cage Fighting" (CNN).

No head punches in this video

The above link shows examples of Kids Pankration, a sport where there are no strikes permitted to the head. Pankration is the most traditional Martial Art taught in modern times, dating back over 3000 years. Did I mention that strikes to the head aren't permitted?

This is contrary to his comment “… cage fighting is a smear on traditional martial arts.” The educated know that traditional Martial Arts history consists of a long list of violent “death matches” which, ironically enough, rarely ended up in any deaths. But there they are, Gong Sau challenge fights are a staple of "Traditional" Martial Arts. Not to mention actual videotaped examples of homicide in "Traditional" schools.

Image used in Hickey's blog post as an example of MMA brutality

Some may find it ironic that the picture of MMA fighter Sakuraba having his ear torn off was not done inside the cage. It was during an MMA match, yes, but the argument is that Cage Fighting and MMA are one in the same.

Honestly, there are more people in each of the cities of New York, Dallas, Los Angeles and other major cities throughout the United States, than live in the entire state of South Dakota. It would not be a terrible blow to the sport for this state to outlaw MMA; it would just perpetuate ignorance. There is no need to defend MMA, it is here and it’s going to stay. On the other hand, corrupt and ignorant politicians that think they know what’s good for you… that is bad for everybody.

I sometimes wonder how certain politicians get elected into office. Stupid is as stupid does? I know that Douchebag is as Douchebag does. And South Dakota residents have apparently allowed several douchebags into office.

South Dakotans, if you don't want the rest of the nation, no, world, thinking you're a bunch of douchebags like this guy, maybe you should make sure he doesn't get elected next go-around.

**Phrost** · Posted On: 2/28/2013 12:27pm

One of the things I want to point out here is that MMA isn't even regulated in South Dakota; all sorts of stupid nonsense happens.

These bureaucridiots are basing their desire to ban the sport, largely on the sport at its worst.

South Dakotans, especially those who are involved in the sport, from coaches to fighters and even fans, should be demanding some basic regulation of standards on their own part, before the government comes in and "regulates" it out of existence in that state.

**Soldiermedic** · Posted On: 2/28/2013 12:36pm

It doesn't seem like they are going to be able to stop it:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-ca...7898--mma.html

My favorite part:

Steve Hickey, the representative who grabbed plenty of headlines by fighting against MMA's regulation in his state, tried to add an amendment to create a commission that would oversee different disciplines of martial arts but not MMA

But its interesting to note that South Dakota has a ridiculously high suicide rate, as well as one of the worst records regarding child poverty in the country. Their child social service system is woefully underfunded, except when it comes to the state government kidnapping Native children off of the reservation so they can be put in Christian missionary households. But clearly stopping MMA is number 1 priority.

The only way that child porn and mma are alike is that Steve Hickey gets aroused watching both.

**bobyclumsyninja** · Posted On: 2/28/2013 1:26pm

South Dakota Governor Dennis "I don't pull" Daugaard

Magical

So so misinformed, or just lying.

**W. Rabbit** · Posted On: 2/28/2013 2:07pm

Originally Posted by bobyclumsyninja

Magical

So so misinformed, or just lying.

He's a politician, I'm sure its a generous amount of both.

This is funny.

https://twitter.com/stevehickey

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 2/28/2013 2:18pm

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) or “cage fighting” is over that line – in fact, even the martial arts people I talk to tell me they hate cage fighting because it is a smear on traditional martial arts.

If you do ANY TMA learn your history, or forever be ridiculed for saying stupid ****!

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 2/28/2013 3:21pm

The majority of the time a politician speaks, I end up shaking my head and the word "ignorant" usually pops in there shortly after. The same has happened while reading this!

**Weezaholic** · Posted On: 2/28/2013 3:59pm

As a South Dakota resident it's embarassing for people to know we elect these clowns. I've seen enough gross mismatches and other sorts of bullshit. At least it sounds as if the people are finally speaking loud enough to be heard.