Each time I dunk on some extravagantly sized & overpowered truck, like I did last night w/the Dodge Durango Hellcat SUV, I hear from folks who politely argue that they could drive such a vehicle responsibly or that their desires for big/fast motor vehicles aren't inherently bad.

To be blunt: With the Hellcat, we're talking about a 5800lb, 710 hp SUV that does 0-60 in 3.5 sec & hits 180 mph. Dodge will sell it for one year only because they know it violates 2022 emission standards. Think how deeply Americans must love trucks to feel defensive about that.

To me, it's similar to the gun debate. You'll always find folks to argue against ANY restrictions because of liberty and how they will use the weapons responsibly. They won't admit the broader societal impacts (like tons of deaths) or acknowledge how they pave the way for idiocy.

Like if there's proof these vehicles are more likely to kill people—there is—and proof that they're designed to break a shitload of laws—they are—and wreak environmental damage (they do), why should I be sympathetic to the desires of selfish folks who want to own them? Fuck that.

In interviews, Dodge execs proudly say the Hellcat SUV is a "halo" product—a symbol of the power the brand conveys. We live in a nation full of man-babies who think owning gaudy weapons is sexy, a right. I say fuck that, fuck Dodge, fuck those who defend monstrosities like this.

I will wrap this up. Today is the start of the Independence Day weekend. I'm going to spend it with my family in a pretty limiting lockdown—and this is NOT a contradiction of my freedoms. It's a confirmation of my liberty, the freedom to do what's right for the greater good.