Thursday’s thumbs

A few thoughts on Hogs, as well as hawgs

ANWA DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE re there any thumbs up left in Razorbackland, or are there

just heads down? Hog fans are disappointed with the start of the football season, which might be better hashtagged as #gettinghammered than by #hammerdown. For the moment, Arkansas fans have little choice but to buck up, toughen up and grit their way through the adversity of it all. These are still our Razorbacks, right? It’s still OK to pull for them, right? They could use some support right now.

The team is going to keep showing up, even in the face of long odds. Will fans? Are you still a fan if you abandon them? What does it mean to be a fan these days? Does Arkansas loyalty have its limits?

Thumbs down to booing. Thumbs up for fighting on. Thumbs up for fans who show up, through thick and thin, who can feel deep disappointment but still show support, who actually make it believable when someone sings the praises of Razorback Nation.

Or is that just hype? Onward. Upward. And yes, the thumbs keep coming.

By this time next week, the annual Bikes, Blues & BBQ motorcycle rally will have completed Day One on its way into three more days of festivities in Fayetteville and a big buildup of motorcycles in Northwest Arkansas. Whether near Baum Stadium, the Washington County Fairgrounds, the Walton Arts Center or elsewhere along Dickson Street, or on the highways throughout Northwest Arkansas, the event offers music, food and fun. Like every other event in the region, the rally inspires both enthusiasm and criticism. If you’re into music and the modern motorcycle culture, it’s great. If not, it can be a little off-putting. On balance, though, the 19-year-old rally has been a success for the community in terms of tourism and more than $2 million raised for local charities. A reminder: The rally brings in thousands of riders, so it’s critical that those on motorcycles and those in other vehicles ramp up their levels of awareness on the roads.

It’s unfortunate that the rally organizers have to say on their website that they “in no way condone or accept racism, white supremacy, bigotry, fascism, intolerance or hate speech,” but we’re glad they’re clear about their stance. A portion of the motorcycle crowd and vendors appears ready to embrace certain distasteful symbols such as the Confederate battle flag or products featuring misogynistic messages. It’s our hope rally organizers do everything within their power to, at least, try to make sure the sale of such items by licensed vendors is tamped down. There’s no controlling what individuals display. It’s a free country, thankfully. But the rally’s statement isn’t enough if organizers turn a blind eye to the sale of such items by vendors it chooses to be involved in the rally. The much-touted family friendly atmosphere is diminished with the presence of such symbols or messages.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So is appreciation for a name like The Momentary for the multi-disciplinary space for visual and performing arts set to open in 2020 in Bentonville. Still, by any name, this artistic endeavor by the Waltons looks and sounds like a transformational facility, not unlike the impact created by the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Arts (now there’s a name) the family opened in 2011. And now Walmart has stepped up with $2 million for the Momentary that will support free general admission as well as money for major art exhibitions, live performances and other events. Free admission to Crystal Bridges from that museum’s opening has been underwritten by Walmart. These are generous steps to ensure Northwest Arkansas remains a vibrant place for the arts and attractive place for people to live and work.

Fayetteville High School deserves high praise for creating an atmosphere in which 19 of its students were able to earn semifinalist status in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program. FHS led the state in the number of semifinalists, with Bentonville High School coming in at second place with 10. Haas Hall Academy, a charter school, produced nine semifinalists. These individual achievements are nonetheless indicative of the educational opportunities students have in area schools.

How many times have drivers, pedestrians or cyclists traveling on College Avenue in Fayetteville had a moment of inspiration — or maybe it was frustration — in which they muttered “Somebody ought to change (x) about this road?” Now is the time to take such thoughts beyond the confines of talking to yourselves and share them with a firm working with the city of Fayetteville to develop a corridor design plan for the road, which is also U.S. 71B. Over the next several months, the city will promote opportunities for people to add their ideas for what a future College Avenue should look like. A plan creates opportunities to create a street over the years, as development happens, that makes sense and functions more effectively for everyone.

Kudos to the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce and Bentonville schools for putting together a daylong conference for young women between eighth and 12th grades designed to build their leadership, social and workforce skills. About 360 students participated in a day that undoubtedly made a difference for their futures. Day-to-day learning is important, but sometimes it’s vital to take a break for some inspiration.