There is so much PC-ism (literally hundreds of examples) within the Atlantic Beach / Myrtle Beach -Bike Fest Weekend story- it’s almost too much to absorb.

In response to five shootings, three deaths, and a total of ten people shot during Black Bike Week – The city of Myrtle Beach/Atlantic Beach is at odds within itself.

The majority of business and residents want the event cancelled –  But Myrtle Beach is stuck betwixt Atlantic Beach, the NAACP, and a hard place.   The entire issue, support vs. non-support for Black Bike Week, aka now “Bike Week”, falls along racial lines.

However, Myrtle Beach Residents are tightrope walking around their egg shell thin PC-ism’s saying it’s not about race….  While simultaneously the Town of Atlantic Beach residents are actively wielding the race-card.

To give you a sense of the irony – here is a news segment which aired *before* the weekend, and the outbreak of violence.   Viewed in hindsight this specific broadcast is fraught with irony:

Here’s the accompanying PRINT ARTICLE.  <- strongly suggest to read.  Note Town Manager William Booker’s comment before the weekend event:

Atlantic Beach town manager William Booker told WPDE NewsChannel 15 the town is working on collecting data on Bikefest’s economic impact on the area.

He says the town wants to use the information to attract more business sponsorships to the festival.   Bikefest officially begins at 3 p.m. Friday and ends at 3 p.m. Monday  (link)

Now lets take a look at the consequences and the same media reporting the aftermath of citizens who no longer want to face the onslaught of violence.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) – Residents and business owners are calling for the City of Myrtle Beach to end Atlantic Beach Bike Fest activity in the town.

In two days, a Facebook page demanding the city put an end to Bike Fest has gotten more than eleven thousand likes as well as hundreds of comments from residents.

Business owners tell News 13 after the weekend, they fear for their customer’s safety as well as their own.

Several owners spoke to News 13 about the issue but refused to release their identities.

Buz Plyler, the owner of the Gay Dolphin, was the only business owner who would speak on camera.

He says the event is not only becoming increasingly more dangerous, but his sales dropped 95% during the week.

Plyler says the city would do better without Bike Fest.

“They don’t want to see their event come to an end, but from the standpoint of the businesses it would be better if we returned to the regular crowd,” he said. (read more)

So how does the same Atlantic Beach town leader, William Booker, now respond to calls to cancel “Black Bike Week”, AKA: Bikefest? 

MYRTLE BEACH – In the wake of five shootings in the City of Myrtle Beach over the Memorial Day weekend holiday, in which three people were killed and four injured, many have called for the cancellation of future Atlantic Beach Bikefests.

The City of Atlantic Beach hosts the motorcycle rally each year, but because the event is so large, it cannot be contained to the four-block town and the event spreads out across the Grand Strand, including Myrtle Beach.

Monday, we reached Atlantic Beach town manager William Booker and asked him about calls to cancel Bikefest.

“Unfortunately someone has lost a family member,” Booker responded, “but there’s no evidence that the people who were involved were bikers or here because of the bike event.”

[…] “Bikefest is an activity that has gone on in Atlantic Beach for 35 years, and there have not been any serious incidents in Atlantic Beach as long as I’ve known about the event, which is about 5 or 6 years. So once again, to connect those tragic incidents to the Town of Atlantic Beach is inappropriate with absent data to prove that.”

Cancelling Bikefest in the future, he said, is not the answer to eliminating the tragedies because bikers are going to come whether Atlantic Beach prepares for them or not.

“It’s certainly better to be prepared for something that’s going to happen than to not prepare and it happens anyway. So, our position is, we will continue to prepare for Bikefest.” (read more)

THIS SHOULD BE INTERESTING

This is an interesting “case study” on Cultural Marxism (ie political correctness) to follow:

It is an interesting case study in politically correct anxiety to follow.

And if you want to follow the sociology, and watch how it plays out, here are some links to reference and follow along:

The Sponsor site and promotional page of Black Bike Week – HERE

The Sponsor Facebook page of Black Bike Week – HERE

The PC correctly titled opposition Facebook page “End Bike Fest” – HERE

The PC Local Media reporting HERE and HERE and HERE and Here, and HERE

More Local Media reporting HERE and HERE

A local website that tracks “The Thug Life” activity outlines some of the issues – HERE – And presents the history of the events and the “characters”, some with astounding criminal backgrounds, as they are revealed.

The NAACP Vows To Enforce Black Bike Week Rights:

(VIA NAACP) The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People will again keep a close watch on the City of Myrtle Beach (S.C.) and local businesses this holiday weekend as annual Black Bike Week festivities get underway.

For the fourth consecutive year the NAACP will conduct Operation Bike Week Justice to monitor activities in the resort town during Black Bike Week, the annual Memorial Day weekend gathering of African American motorcycle enthusiasts. Throughout the weekend, NAACP teams will be monitoring police activity and treatment of African American visitors, observing the practices of local businesses and watching traffic patterns.

In recent years, the NAACP and African Americans have filed and settled federal lawsuits against the City of Myrtle Beach and areas businesses for unequal treatment of Black Bike Week visitors compared to those who attend Harley Week, traditionally held one week earlier and a predominately white event.

“Any form of racial discrimination against Black Bike Week visitors will not be tolerated,” said NAACP Field Operations Chief Rev. Nelson B. Rivers, III, and a native South Carolinian. “Closing businesses or refusing to provide equal services to Black Bike Week visitors that are provided to visitors at other times of the year, not only makes no economic sense, it is against the law.”

Again this year, a complaint hotline will be activated for individuals to report closed restaurants, police misconduct or other unfair treatment. Black Bike Week attendees can report incidents by calling or by visiting Sandy Grove Baptist Church located at 1008 Carver Street [in Myrtle Beach] to file a complaint in person. Calls in previous years listed complaints against businesses for increased prices and noted police misconduct, frivolous charges and large fines for minor offenses.

Some progress has been made the last two years. Two more undisclosed settlements with offending businesses were reached recently. However, the NAACP remains concerned about the disproportionate number of arrests and the quality of police training in response to such large gatherings. Additionally, several establishments remain closed and continue to engage in discriminatory practices despite being aware of the lawsuits and Operation Bike Week Justice.

Moreover, last October the NAACP, the Conway, S.C. Branch of the NAACP and a Maryland resident were compelled to file a class action lawsuit against Friendly’s Ice Cream Corporation, its local franchisee, Myrtle Beach Friends Boulevard LLC, and the franchisee owners for discriminating against African Americans by closing the inside of their Ocean Boulevard location during every Black Bike Week from 2000 through 2005 and only offering inferior services outside the restaurant.

“This degrading second class treatment harkens back to an era when restaurant lunch counters were reserved for whites only,” said NAACP Interim General Counsel Angela Ciccolo. “African Americans were forced to eat substandard food, not regular Friendly’s fare, outside the restaurant which was in plain sight and in proper working order. Such practices send a clear message to African Americans that they are separate and unequal.”

In 2006, the NAACP successfully concluded every federal discrimination lawsuit filed in Myrtle Beach that arose from complaints by African American tourists who attended Black Bike Week festivities between 1999 and 2003. The lawsuits referenced unequal treatment of black motorcyclists by the city, four restaurants and a hotel.

Negotiated settlements were reached with the City of Myrtle Beach, Damon’s Oceanfront and Barefoot Landing, Greg Norman’s Australian Grill, the Yachtsman Resort Hotel and J. Edward’s Great Ribs and More.

“The NAACP remains vigilant in order to ensure that all tourists are treated equally,” said Myrtle Beach NAACP Branch President Mickey James. “We will continue to pursue litigation to right these wrongs.” (read more)

https://www.wbtw.com/story/25615292/members-of-myrtle-beach-community-call-for-end-to-bike-fest

https://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=1049762#.U4TQd-kU-M8

https://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=1046353#.U4TXoukU-M8