Metal Sludge –– In an age when news can be taken to new heights based on the headline alone, Metal Sludge will be first in line to raise our hand and plead guilty.

However, with the recent outcry of “Great White did what? How dare they!” we left it alone as it wasn’t truly a story.

Well it wasn’t a story until everyone wanted to make it one.

We did some basic research and according to Statista.Com the state of North Dakota has the 43rd most cases in the lower 48.

In other words, North Dakota are at the very bottom of the list with 4,334 cases in a state with a population of 762,062 (2019 census).

Adding, North Dakota currentlyhas 31 hospitalized Covid-19 cases statewide. 

The story about Great White playing a show took on a life of itself after select press decided to add the horric Rhode Island tragedy of 2003 into their current headlines.

We found that to be unfair and tacky.

It seems Metal Sludge was not alone in our thinking.

Paul Gargano wrote a piece that makes a lot of sense.

A 25 year industry veteran Gargano is still active to date and for years was the editor of Metal Edge Magazine.

Gargano wrote his blog on the Metal Edge Magazine instagram account.

We’re going to share those wise words below.

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Date: June 12th 2020
By: Paul Gargano

California encourages us to protest with strangers, but condemns socially-distanced backyard gatherings. Every state seems to have similar head-scratching quarantine contradictions. And as I type this, @officialgreatwhite are being vilified for a July 9 concert in North Dakota, where there are currently only 31 hospitalized Covid-19 cases statewide. Local officials haven’t deemed enough of a threat to impose social distancing restrictions, yet Great White are being treated as if they defied ordinance and put themselves ahead of public safety.

To be transparent, the unfounded outcry by click bait media wouldn’t bother me as much if it wasn’t piggy-backed with the tragic Rhode Island fire in 2003. The two are completely unrelated, and referencing the fire in headlines is sensationalistic, irresponsible and shameful.
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I wear masks. I’m not picking fights with people who don’t, but I believe we should. I studied constitutional law in college, and nothing about being told to wear a mask strips us of liberty or freedom. And I wear one out of respect, not fear. I respect the impact Covid-19 had on multiple hospitalized friends, and the sadness it caused taking the life of a family member. Wearing a mask is imperfect. Some provide less protection than others. But protecting someone else by even a little bit is more responsible than not protecting them at all.

So Great White played a show in a municipality without regulations. The band didn’t encourage anyone not to wear a mask – and anyone in that crowd could have worn a mask if they wanted. Getting mad at Great White in this scenario is like getting mad at a cheeseburger because you don’t like a restaurant’s dress code. This is my “Big Goodbye” to four things America has broken up with – common sense, logic, rational thinking and level-headed discourse.
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