The Saudi LIV "We Aren't Just Thugs And Murderers, We Play Golf, Too!" Tour comes to the U.S. this weekend, specifically Oregon, even more specifically Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in tiny North Plains. And are the folks there amped for that!
OK, so ... not so much.
In fact, the mayor of North Plains, and several other mayors in surrounding cities, have sent the club's owner the ever-popular "We have concerns" letters. Some club members aren't too hot on the idea of playing host to a bunch of guys who've proved they'll take money from anyone. And Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden has spoken out against the tournament, reminding people of the shenanigans the Saudis pulled a few years back right in Oregon's backyard.
What happened was, a Saudi student ran over a 15-year-old girl in nearby Portland and kept going. Charged with first-degree murder, he removed a tracking device and vanished. U.S. authorities are convinced the Saudi government facilitated his escape with a fake passport and private jet back to Saudi Arabia.
Seems a bunch of people in the Portland area (and Pumpkin Ridge is) haven't forgotten that. Just as other bunches of people haven't forgotten that 15 of the 19 terrorists who attacked the U.S. on 9/11 were Saudis, too. Some of the families of the lost on that dark day have spoken out against the LIV tour, and have scheduled a news conference for tomorrow morning, the first day of the tournament.
I can pretty guess what the gist of their comments will be.
"How could you play golf for the people who murdered our sons/daughters/husbands/wives?" will likely be one theme.
"We don't want you here. Go home," will likely be another.
Both of those sentiments may be expressed using different verbiage, mind you. But here at the Blob we like to keep it at least marginally clean.
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