City of Dallas offers QAnon crackpots special discounted conference rates

Some of the creepiest conspiracy theorists on the planet are descending upon Dallas, Texas for the Memorial Day Weekend. And the city apparently couldn't be prouder.

The QAnon-organized "God and Patriot Roundup" will feature speeches by the likes of retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, famed Kraken-smoking attorneys Sidney Powell and Lin Wood, Rep. Louie Gohmert, Texas GOP Chairman Allen West and a large supporting cast of ghouls.

But the strangest part of the weekend won't be the revelation that Donald Trump is secretly serving as president and has unleashed a nuclear attack on an island of cannibalistic, pedophile Democrats. You knew that.

No, it's that the taxpayers of the city of Dallas are giving these freaks the finest convention deal they have to offer.

The headquarters hotel for Roundup attendees is the city-owned Omni Dallas Hotel. It is welcoming QAnon just like any other convention. A large block of rooms has been reserved at special rates. As of today, if you mention your part of the God-and-Patriot Roundup, your deluxe room costs $149 per night. Try Expedia.com as just a regular guest and you'll pay $281.

Originally the event was to be co-hosted by Omni Dallas Hotel and Gilley's, a major entertainment megaplex, but it was announced earlier this month that Gilley's was pulling out. No reason was given by the venue, which is owned by Dallas Mavericks General Manager Donnie Nelson.

The Dallas Observer reported this about the event's organizers:

"The faces behind Patriot Voice belong to Q power couple John Sabal and his partner, Amy. Sabal is known in the Q community as QAnon John. He writes to tens of thousands of followers on a daily basis through his two Telegram accounts, QAnon John and The Patriot Voice.

"Scrolling through the two accounts, you'll see Sabal encouraging people to buy the $500-$1000 tickets for the event and boasting that he recently had dinner with Sidney Powell."

The Observer also pointed out another fact that apparently was not troubling to management at the city-owned Omni:

"The FBI has called QAnon a domestic terrorist threat. The conspiracy theory revolves around the idea that the so-called "deep state" is controlled by pedophile Hollywood elites and powerful Democratic politicians, all of whom are supposedly acting against the former president. Promotional material for the event often includes an acronym that stands for "where we go one, we go all," a popular QAnon mantra."

The presence of the QAnon slogan in the event's logo does remove any doubt about the connection. So while it can be assumed the city -- as a public entity -- would be obligated legally to treat all potential convention clients in a non-partisan manner, the willingness to accept an organization publicly associated by the FBI with terrorism does beg this question: If you're OK with hosting QAnon, who would you not be OK with hosting?

The KKK? Al-Qaeda? The North American Man/Boy Love Association?

So far, it doesn't appear that the Omni Dallas has been pressed too hard by the local mainstream media. The event itself apparently has been mostly ignored except by the Observer and an online alternative publication Central Track.

The Observer had this reporting about pushback against the event:

"A petition aimed at canceling the QAnon-linked For God & Country Patriot Roundup event in Dallas has made the rounds in national media, garnering nearly 20,000 signatures. Despite the mounting pressure, Colleen Morgan, the Dallas resident who started the petition, said she didn't get any response from City Council members or the mayor's office when she sent it their way.

"Dallas' communication department has been throwing to the media the same statement since the event was announced.

"'The city of Dallas is a welcoming city, bringing together people of many varied interests and ideas,' a Dallas spokesperson said in an email to the Observer. 'As always, we will do our best to ensure Dallas residents and guests attending this event are safe while in our city.'"

Credit the city spokesperson for candor: Its big tent does seem to welcome people of many varied interests and ideas. But notably, the hotel hasn't always been so chill regarding controversial political topics. Say after the murder of George Floyd, when the Omni's skyline neighbor decided to make a statement in his memory. From Central Track last June:

"On Tuesday night, Dallas' famed Reunion Tower showed a significant show of support for black lives and citywide demonstrations against police brutality by turning off its lights — something the landmark had only done once previously in its 42-year history.

"In social media postings announcing the decision, the operators of the tower said the building "stands for people – all people. The time is now to engage with compassion, patience and understanding."

"But some believe Dallas' notably LED-abetted skyline can and should still take things further. On Wednesday, a Change.org petition was launched by Dallas concert promoter Josh Smith that asks for more Dallas landmarks to follow Reunion Tower's lead. Specifically, the petition requests that Reunion Tower's neighboring Omni Hotel — a building capable of, and with a long history of, sharing important messages in trying times — to bear the message "Black Lives Matter."

"It is by no means an out-of-line ask. As we've reported in the past, the people in charge of the Omni's LED lights and the Reunion Tower lights often coordinate their efforts in the name of the Dallas skyline bearing unified messaging."

In another story, Central Track made the obvious connection: "Yes, that's the same City of Dallas-owned Omni Hotel that thought it might be too political to use its iconic LED façade to post the words "Black Lives Matter" during last summer's protests for racial justice."

Central Track, which had heaped criticism on Gilley's before its decision to withdraw from hosting the event, noted:

"To be clear QAnon is more than just another YouTube conspiracy theory gone mainstream. What began as a series of message board posts on the darkest reaches of the internet has gradually evolved into a psychotic subculture with a penchant for violence. Its followers' farcical belief system has evolved into a cult-like way of life for millions of people around the world. These people fervently believe in a never-ending string of coded false prophecies that are built around anti-Semitic, anti-democratic and wholly illogical ideals. In the process, QAnon has divided families, promoted white supremacy, destroyed minds and played a pivotal role in inciting the January 6, 2021, insurrection.

"Why is city-owned property rolling out the red carpet for something that will clearly bring unrest and unnecessary division to our city (yet again)?"