The power of slogans

"Meth, we're on it ! " 

Thats the new anti-drug slogan campaign of the South Dakota government

I think I know what they were going for there....but still.

Keep in mind that South Dakota is a Trump state, and you'll have an answer as to why they don't carefully read their own press release material. After all, the SoDaks worship a President who can't read.

I cut 'em a little slack, though, because winter is coming (and the place has already had a couple of extended previews), and six months of frozen nightmares await. South Dakota's history: they slaughtered tens of thousands of Indians and then decided they didn't want the place when all the cattle froze to death. Now, it's biker rallies and Mount Rushmore. And oh, I forgot, Wall Drug.

The hatred continues...

Well, Stalker, I've said several times that you should lighten up, and maybe have your brain bleached...

 And you should have your mouth washed out .

Kevin Lewis writes:

"South Dakota's history: they slaughtered tens of thousands of Indians and then decided they didn't want the place when all the cattle froze to death. Now, it's biker rallies and Mount Rushmore. And oh, I forgot, Wall Drug."

Reality:

"Here are the top five industries in South Dakota:

1. Agriculture, including livestock and crops, is one of the largest industries in South Dakota. The state has an estimated five beef cattle per resident and agriculture has a $20 billion impact on the state economy annually. Approximately 98 percent of the farms in the region are family owned and operated.
2. Manufacturing, including food processing and electronics, are big income generators in South Dakota.
3. Mining is another key industry in South Dakota's economic landscape. The country's leading gold mining center was once operated in the town of Lead, which is in the Black Hills. In 2001 the mine closed, but other types of mining, including some gold mining, continue today. 
4. Tourism, also known as the leisure and hospitality industry, employs approximately 42,000 people in South Dakota, and fluctuates seasonally, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
5. South Dakota thrives in casino gaming. As a home to several American Indian reservations, including Pine Ridge and Standing Rock, the casino gaming industry has a stronghold in the state.

Ref: Top 5 Industries in South Dakota

Poor old DonDiego spent some time in the Black Hills in August of 2017, prior to placing himself in the path of a total solar eclipse.

By locating his car strategically, teechur and DonDiego found themselves encircled by the Custer State Park buffalo herd, . . . really cool.  There were over 1200 animals in the herd.

And the Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a grand tribute to several US Presidents, . . . a Federalist, a Democratic-Republican, and two Republicans. [Sorry - no Democrat]  Not to mention a fine easy trail laid out beneath the monument.

Oh, and teechur and DonDiego dined at Wall Drug after a great day in the Badlands National Park, where we saw lots of  Pronghorn Sheep and passed a massive Prairie Dog City on the way out of the park.

DonDiego also recommends visiting Deadwood for some Old West touristy fun.  It's near Sturgis, where they hold the massive motorcycle rally, where motorcycle fans enjoy themselves, unaware of Kevin Lewis's apparent disapproval.

DonDiego recommends touring western South Dakota; and one is unlikely to meet Kevin Lewis there, but maybe one ought to check to make sure before deciding on the time to visit.

[By the way the eclipse was fabulous ! ! !  It was the third total-solar-eclipse DonDiego has seen. And in April 2024 another total solar eclipse crosses the USA - from the Texas-Mexico border through Southern Illinois and on to Labrador.  DonDiego recommends seeing it.]

South Dakota's population dropped dramatically in the late 19th century when a series of bad winters wiped out the cattle industry. Western South Dakota still has less population than it did when the railroads encouraged people to settle there--many, sight unseen (to their regret).

The buffalo were slaughtered in an attempt to starve out the Indians and take their land. After that was done, settlers found that most of the lands stolen were too high and dry, and the growing season too short, for agriculture.

Thus, treaties were broken and genocide committed for a land that wound up being very thinly settled.

Its present condition as a Trumper state is in part a legacy of those times. Yes, there is some compelling scenery--particularly in what were, by treaty that the US broke, Sioux lands.