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Angry Sisolak Defends Saturday Night Nosh

(Chuck Muth) – I’m interrupting the ambient background music here in my office – piped in by Pandora, not a live band – to bring you this special edition of Muth’s Truths…

Nevada Governor-King Steve von Sisolak was captured on video Saturday night enjoying an intimate dinner-for-four at a Las Vegas Italian restaurant, seated at the VIP table right next to the stage where a live band/singer – “ambient background music” – were performing maskless.

He was subsequently roasted royally for his metaphysical hypocrisy on social media, especially because of his discriminatory and contradictory “emergency” (now in its SIXTH month!) orders related to live entertainment.

The blowback was so fierce that His Majesty was forced to come out of his royal bubble and issue a statement on Facebook and Twitter.  It included…

“There is no prohibition on ambient background music, like what was playing at the restaurant – this has been allowed since the State entered Phase 2. However, there is existing prohibition in place under the statewide baseline standards for live events and performances, such as sporting events or concerts – unless they are spectator-less and receive approval.

Later in the day His Highness did a rare press conference – the first one in over a month – and was asked about his pizza party by Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Victor Joecks.

Clearly agitated by the conservative media peasant’s question, a prickly Sisolak responded heatedly…

“That restaurant in particular did temperature checks on the way in, everybody wore a mask, it was social distanced, they did extra cleaning in the restaurant, ambient music, as it’s called, where people do not go buy tickets to go to that, where people do not pay an admission, where that’s not the purpose of the visit, is allowed in a restaurant.  That’s what happened.  We went to dinner, we finished up our dinner, and the music played for a little bit and we left. … It’s allowed under Phase II and that’s what happened in the restaurant.”

Got all that?

OK, I’ve scoured through Imperial Emergency Directive (IED) #21 – the “Phase Two Reopening Plan” – and I can’t find one word related to “ambient background music.”

Section 25 of Directive 21 of Phase 2 pertains to restaurants and food establishments and allows for indoor dining.  But there’s no mention whatsoever of “ambient background music” provided by a live band being allowed.

To the contrary, Section 22 of Directive 21 of Phase 2 specifically states…

“(M)usical performances, live entertainment, concerts, competitions, sporting events, and any events with live performances may resume, but shall remain closed for public attendance.”

So a live band performing in a restaurant could be allowed, but only if the restaurant is “closed for public attendance,” right?  I mean, how is it “spectator-less” if people are sitting at a table eating but not “spectator-less” if they’re sitting at the exact same table not eating?

If you believe this gubernatorial brain fart, you believe that if people pay for food to listen to a band there’s no COVID danger.  But if people pay for a ticket to listen to a band in the exact same venue with the exact same seating arrangements…well, that’s Super-Spreader City, baby!

Apparently, the governor’s “experts” and “the science” say you can’t catch COVID as long as you have food in your mouth.  This makes absolutely no sense.

But let’s get beyond the hair-splitting colossal stupidity of the governor’s “ambient background music” rationalizing and move on to the bigger picture.

According to Dear Leader, it was OK for him and his wife to go to this restaurant with a live band providing “ambient background music” because, and I quote, they “did temperature checks on the way in, everybody wore a mask, it was social distanced (and) they did extra cleaning in the restaurant.”

Fair enough.  If those are the rules, then…

Why can’t a bar that doesn’t serve food be open if it does temperature checks of everyone on the way in, if everyone wears a mask, if everyone is social distanced and if it does extra cleaning?

Why can’t a casino lounge be open if it does temperature checks of everyone on the way in, if everyone wears a mask, if everyone is social distanced and if it does extra cleaning?

Why can’t sports arenas, concert halls and showrooms be open if they do temperature checks of everyone on the way in, if everyone wears a mask, if everyone is social distanced and if they do extra cleaning?

Why can’t schools be open if they do temperature checks of everyone on the way in, if everyone wears a mask, if everyone is social distanced and if they do extra cleaning?

Why can’t a church be open if they do temperature checks of everyone on the way in, if everyone wears a mask, if everyone is social distanced and if they do extra cleaning?

Why can’t convention centers be open if they do temperature checks of everyone on the way in, if everyone wears a mask, if everyone is social distanced and if they do extra cleaning?

Most importantly, why can’t a Trump rally be held if they do temperature checks of everyone on the way in, if everyone wears a mask, if everyone is social distanced and if they do extra cleaning?

Is it really too much to ask that everyone be treated equally under the Law of Sisolak?

Apparently so.

Closing Thought: DON’T BLAME THE RESTAURANT!

I read just now that some people have been directing their anger at the restaurant owners for King Sisolak’s Saturday Soiree.  Knock it off.  And stop giving it bad reviews just because the King & Queen ate there.

They didn’t do anything wrong.  They’re just trying to survive like the rest of us.  I’m happy they’re open.  I’m happy they have live entertainment.  I might even try going there myself this weekend.

The point is, EVERYBODY should be allowed to open and operate under the same rules and conditions.  That’s Sisolak’s fault, not the restauranteur.

I’m now returning to my ambient background music…

FAMOUS LAST WORDS

“Asked King @GovSisolak what the medical rationale was for allowing a band to play ‘background’ music at a restaurant where people don’t wear masks, but not at an entertainment venue where people where masks.  He dodged the question and cut off my follow-up.  No surprise, because there isn’t a medical explanation. The rules are what King @GovSisolak says they are.” – Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Victor Joecks

(Mr. Muth is president of CitizenOutreach.org and publisher of NevadaNewsandViews.com.  He blogs at MuthsTruths.com.  His views are his own.)

Disclaimer

This blog/website is written and paid for by…me, Chuck Muth, a United States citizen. I publish my opinions under the rights afforded me by the Creator and the First Amendment to the United States Constitution as adopted by our Founding Fathers on September 17, 1787 at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania without registering with any government agency or filling out any freaking reports. And anyone who doesn’t like it can take it up with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin and John Adams the next time you run into each other.

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