Commissioner of Agriculture Andrew Gipson fired back at those who criticized his decision to allow the Mississippi State Fair to proceed. He stated on Facebook:
This is a message for those criticizing having the Mississippi State Fair. Enough of the complaining! Our State Fair is Mississippi’s most significant agricultural exhibition. The Fair has existed for over 160 years to support our agricultural and livestock producers in their efforts to raise better stock to feed Mississippians and their families. The State Fair Livestock Shows are critical and they spur our young people to continue working in agriculture, like this future dairyman who showed the top milk producing cow last year! In addition, the Fair offers a variety of Mississippi food products crafted by our own people. If you find it ok to travel to shop at Walmart, Kroger, or go to ball games, you will find it even safer and more meaningful to come to the 105 ACRE 161st Mississippi State Fair, and you should come if for no other reason to support Mississippi agriculture - the farmers who never stopped working so we all could eat and survive during COVID. Instead of complaining we are having it, think about the purpose of the Fair and come have a good time celebrating Mississippi agriculture. If you are too fearful to venture out, please just stay home and thank a farmer next time you have something to eat. Let us get on with life, so everyone including you can have something to eat. My team and I worked our tails off to develop a safe plan to have the Fair under these conditions and I’m very proud we are setting a model for the rest of the Country. It can be done! Onward. Thank you and have a blessed day.
33 comments:
Money over-rides public health...always.
He's just trying to thin the herd a bit. Seemed like a good way to him. I guess we'll see if his plan works.
I wish more dentists would attend the fair. There aren't a lot of fair-goers with enough teef. They will be out in full force next month.
“Our State Fair is Mississippi’s most significant agricultural exhibition.”
How embarrassing. What’s the significant exhibition? Is it the free biscuit? The pig race? The donut burgers or fried snickers?
Do the Governor and Commish really think this is about the farmers and that we are falling for it? The State Fair Commission is a special fund agency, which means that money for their budget is generated from events held at the Fairgrounds and the State Fair is by far the single largest piece of the revenue pie. Just be honest and admit that the State Fair Commission needs the revenue generated by the fair in order to survive financially.
And on another matter watch the BS they come up with to justify holding events at the new Trade Mart, Mistletoe Market Place is not far off. How can they continue to not allow restaurants and bars not to fully reopen, but it’s ok to have thousands roaming the Fairgrounds. If you have been to the fair then you have seen the workers operating the rides. Are we to believe that these workers will be responsible for “ DEEP CLEANING “ each ride after every use? PLEASE!
Governor, it is time to lift all restrictions and allow people to move forward. If the State Fair can safely be held, then a restaurant and/or bar and all other businesses can safely open too.
The most buffoonish thing Gipson does is wear that cowboy hat constantly. Hey fatties you can get fattening food anywhere not just at The fair.
With all of the signs and noise, I'm sure the virus will think it's a protest and stay away. It'll be fine.
Just don’t let him run for Governor ever.
The fair is a significant agricultural event as proven by the old adage “In a pig’s eye.”
So, to recap, health concerns are over-ridden because:
The fair is important to the economy.
People come to Jackson from all over.
Lots of fun stuff is available in one place.
Socialization and camaraderie are important in society.
Important people always show up to wave and stuff.
Businesses on High Street need the seasonal money.
People get to test their basketball shooting skills.
Covid is over-rated.
Cowboy hat and boot sales are important in the state.
Where else will you see Tate Reeves in a buckboard?
Cindy and Feel might make a special appearance.
Cowboy Maloney and Jerry Lake will have sales.
Not sure how the tilt-a-whirl and guess your age booths promote farming, but whatever....
No other state is conducting their state fair during this pandemic, but I guess the 'major contributor' to the Ag Commish races (for every Commissioner in recent history) needs to do something with all those rides that are parked down in the Byram area.
The idea that Gibson believes that the Fair can be conducted with proper cleaning, limited attendance, etc is ridiculous. And to claim that this is an "agricultural exhibition" is even more so.
Hey naysayers, if you don't think it's a good idea to attend the fair, then stay your ass at home. Damn all this whining and bitching.
In regards to his hat, if he is going to wear it he needs to learn men's hat etiquette - when and where to wear it and when and where to take it off.
Ah hell guys, we all gotta die sometime.
I am not for or against the fair as I will not attend but wonder if the Commissioner would knowingly put sick livestock in with his healthy herd?
There have been crowds of people waiting in lines at restaurants all over the metro. People are going to the Kroger, Walmart, and Lowe’s in droves . But yea, let’s cancel an outdoor event because the snowflakes are scared to live life because of the Wuhan flu.
I think it's totally unfair for the state to demand people attend the fair.
whatever. don’t go if you feel like it’s a covid19 petri dish. don’t go if the teenagers freak you out at night. don’t go if you are scared to go to jackson. don’t go if you think it’s too expensive. don’t go if you think the rides are marginally safe. don’t go if you expect everyone to be in a mask like disney.
i’m not going because my kids don’t enjoy it anymore. i’ll go when i take grandkids one day.. i really don’t care to walk around eating fried foods and losing my fillings eating taffy.
As a fan of the absurd, I usually get a bit of a kick out of things like this: examples of our state’s rather extreme stupidity. But this truly isn’t funny. The State Fair is a disaster waiting to happen, a Petri dish of Covid right there downtown. No intelligent person will attend, so that leaves only the stupid in attendance. Fine, if the virus would infect only them, but..,viruses don’t operate that way. These gap-toothed pkeasure seekers will make it worse for us all. Philip Gunn needs to be bullwhipped.
8:10 am I will not go as the fair is entertainment that I can easily avoid. Unfortunately, I can't avoid you Covidiots who get so close without mask that I can feel and smell your breath with my mask on.
When you go to the fair, please visit every tent, it's not really an enclosed space( wink, wink) and do talk to the people in line. Do touch your face with your hands at every opportunity. That ends up being a lesser risk so don't pass up your right to pick your nose in public. Do accept everything some stranger hands you. And, don't forget to use a bathroom, portable ones too if possible!
Good job in helping the US set pandemic records per capita (5% of the world's population but 25% of the cases) and in also giving "the pot who calls the kettle black" real meaning and a leader in hypocrisy on " right to life".
With any luck at all, you'll be too sick to vote Nov 2nd.
I will not attend the MS State Fair this year because of safety concerns. None of those concerns have anything to do with Covid-19.
" The most buffoonish thing Gipson does is wear that cowboy hat constantly".
Ain't that the the truth.
We're Mississippi . . . not Texas.
Even Texans don't wear rodeo clown headgear.
"What’s the significant exhibition? Is it the free biscuit? The pig race?
Laughing at that that comment.
" I wish more dentists would attend the fair. There aren't a lot of fair-goers with enough teef. "
Laughing even more . .. (but it's the truth).
" will not attend the MS State Fair this year because of safety concerns. None of those concerns have anything to do with Covid-19."
I reached that same conclusion during the early 1990s.
I was not concerned at the "fair", but returned to a vandalized car in a so called "safe & official" parking lot along High Street.
"In regards to his hat, if he is going to wear it he needs to learn men's hat etiquette - when and where to wear it and when and where to take it off."
I agree 100 percent.
I've heard many of his donors just love the 50 gallon hat.
Andy is not a bad guy, only goofy with his fashion choices.
And yes, he's a public figure so anyone can make fun of his embarrassing cowboy hat.
Things more likely to kill you at the fair than the Wuhan Flu:
1. Random gunfire
2. Targeted gunfire with poor marksmanship
3. Stampede following said gunfire
4. Random act of wilding or violence
5. Automobile collision
6. Ride malfunction caused by methhead labor
7. Cardiac arrest
8. Diabetes (or Diabeetus for those of you in Niknar)
You’re more likely to shot at the fair tan to die at the fair from covid.
Because we all know that social distancing and masks work effectively, right?
I only want a free biscuit and a front row seat at the pig race.
After all . . . our town of Pelahatchie didn't get to host the local "Barefoot Muscadine Stomp" this year.
The mayor said it was cancelled over some lost keys to City Hall . . . (or a virus going around the county).
Censorship. KF is the new Castro as he doesn’t believe in actual free speech. Just paid-for-speech. His blog isn’t about sparking debate or ideas..it’s about the donations and ads he can get and cash in. #truthhurts
To all those who say “if you don’t feel safe going then don’t go “, I agree, now will the Governor and other elected officials remove all the other bans and mandates and let all of us go back to living our lives, if they can’t or won’t do that then there should not be a State Fair.
"With any luck at all, you'll be too sick to vote Nov 2nd." I'd drag my sick, coughing, sneezing, high temperature none tasting ass, on a portable ventilator just to be counted.
The Governor needs to lift the restrictions on bars and restaurants if he allowing the state fair to happen!
Guess the all hat/no cattle Boss Man has told us! We must go to his nasty slush fund generating fair, whether we want to or not. Will he wear a Ag Czar badge and holster as he rides his white horse down the midway? Don’t you love temper tantrums from elected officials? I’d laugh if it wasn’t so sad.
Easy to get sick at the fair even without Covid. Trashy, nasty place.
I'm honestly glad Costas Pavlou, my Dad . . . and the rest of that group of old friends aren't around to see what has happened to the fair, and Jackson in general.
I'm so glad Victoria is continuing her Dad's iconic place on the midway !
Costas' Place will always be a staple of the fair . . . just like memories of the old double Ferris wheel.
So, in memory of a great man that adopted Jackson as his new hometown, grab a burger and cold beer and toast Costas !
The man was a great Jacksonian.
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