Yes: Our Favorite Politician, Bob Reilly, Was RE-ELECTED In New York

Bob Reilly, the New York Assemblyman who's helped to prevent NY from regulating MMA, has fought against new legislation, and made every effort to ensure MMA is a misdemeanor in New York has unfortunately, beaten Republican Jennifer Whalen in New York's 109th District by fewer than 1,000 votes and was RE-ELECTED much to the disappointment of MMA fans and professionals pretty much everywhere.

According to Reilly, speaking on MMA: "It's violent," and "I believe violence begets violence. In New York State, the legislature and the governor constantly are trying to do away with violence: violence in schools, violence in our urban cities, domestic violence. I think this just helps perpetuate and encourage violence."

According to mmabay.co.uk, when asked to list specific legislation that benefited the taxpayers of New York State, Reilly said: “Probably the single effort that I did, and I won’t say that it’s the most important, is my single effort to keep ultimate fighting out of New York State. And why those who advocate this violent and vicious sport for the reason that it will bring money to this state, I, in fact, claim it will not.”

He “claims” it will not bring money to NY? What is the basis for his claim? Just “I am Bob Reilly and I claim it” and so it is so? Tell me: how does a person like that get RE-elected?

The song he’s singing is so old and he’s repeated it so often, the grooves in his record are getting worn out. And you want to see something really scary? Watch this video.

And apparently he’s still not listening to professionals in the industry. You know, there’s nothing worse than an ignorant old fart who’s so set in his ways he won’t even listen to reason. With Reilly, once his mind is made up, that’s it, and there’s no way he’s going to ever change it.

If Christopher Columbus were to ask Bob Reilly to fund his trip to the New World, we’d all be living in Europe, because I’ll betcha’ Reilly still thinks the world is flat.

Nothing you can say will change his mind: "It’s flat, dammit, because I say so!" Even if you show him proof: it won’t matter, because he’s always right.

And even though 45+ other states have sanctioned and regulate MMA; even though they can show him proof that they’re using the funds made to pay off state debt, or to fund college wrestling programs, or for other “good”; even though the United States Army, Navy, Marines and other branches of the service not only teach MMA, but encourage their service personnel to compete in the sport…Bob Reilly still thinks he knows better.

What is really odd and makes me scratch my head is that Reilly is cool with boxing, ice hockey, WWE, martial arts tournaments, BJJ tournaments, football, and cheerleading.

So according to Reilly, competitors can participate in a karate tournament, or in wrestling, or in a BJJ tournament, or a kickboxing event…but they can’t compete if they use all those skills…at the same time. Does that even make sense?

And it’s okay to participate in, and watch, violent sports such as ice hockey, football, boxing, WWE and so on because THOSE sports do not beget violence like MMA does.

And the difference between these sports and MMA is…hmmmm…thinking, thinking, thinking.  Nope...can’t come up with anything. Does anyone else have a clue?

Fortunately, not everyone in NY agrees with him, and these vocal individuals are intelligent and strong enough to question his dissension. Take, for example, Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez, the New York Secretary of State.

In this article, she discusses the pro's and con's of legalizing MMA in New York with foresight and clear thinking.

This lady really speaks to the issues we have all been asking Reilly; that is, if MMA is so bad and it won’t help the NY economy, then why have 45 (now) plus states already approved the sport? 

Per Ms. Cortes-Vasquez: “I believe this is a reasoned middle ground between retaining the ban on MMA and other ‘combative sports,’  which is economically detrimental to us but beneficial to Connecticut, New Jersey and the other 40 states that have already legalized them, and abandoning that ban. That would open the door to unregulated fights that flout the existence of athletic commissions and the health and safety rules they enforce.”

Right on Lorraine, (may I call you Lorraine?) – someone in New York buy that woman a latte!

I do think the old record player that is Bob Reilly is losing some spin, and we’re going to start to see some changes in NY soon.

Maybe, if we’re really lucky, they’ll do a recount and find Jennifer Whalen was, in fact, elected.