See No Evil, Hear No Evil

We all hear about it, but we all say, "it'll never happen to me". We've all known someone it happened to, but still we remain blissfully blindered. Well, it happened to me, again.

What you say? A motorcycle crash? This is a motorcycle blog after all. But, no. I haven't crashed, not on my motorcycle. Not yet.

On the Sunday before Christmas, with half my shopping left to go, including my grocery shopping, I got one of those emails we all dread (well maybe just some of us) telling me my bank account is overdrawn.

My first thought was, No Way! But upon checking my online banking I found two charges I didn't make; one for $1507 and one for $128. Both charges were made in a city far away from where I live.

In a panic, I went flying around the house looking for my wallet, which I could not find. I had been shopping the day before and had carried my wallet in my pocket. When I couldn't find it, I assumed it had been lost or stolen.

I quickly called all my credit card companies and canceled my cards. Then I called my bank's fraud number and explained what happened. You see, I had chosen this bank - Bank of America - because they claimed to have absolute immediate fraud protection on my debit card. But the story from them was quite different than I expected.

All card charges not using a PIN are submitted to the account holder and sit there in "pending" mode until they clear. This could take up to 3 business days. It was explained to me that these fraudulent charges could not be removed until they clear. I could not file a fraud claim until that time. So in essence, while my bank account is $750 overdrawn, I could not access any of the money I knew I had. Nor could I file a claim to reverse it.

What they also told me was that they had to conduct an investigation before determining that it actually was fraud. Now, I can understand this, since I suppose someone may make a huge purchase and then claim fraud. However, the charges were made hundreds of miles from my home, in person, by a man. I know this, because I called the two merchants where my card was used, in person. In both cases it was a Hispanic man. Still, the attitude from the customer service representative was skeptical at best.

And the real kicker of all this? I have alerts set up to tell me when suspicious activity occurs on my account. However, I was only able to stop one transaction for over $1000 at Walmart, which occurred AFTER the thief used my card for more than $1700. Bank of America allowed the larger of the two transactions to go through, which overdrew my account for $500, then another after that! Neither of which I received an alert for!

Now, you must understand that this is the first Christmas in a very long time when I actually planned ahead so I would not be broke on Christmas Day. I had plenty of cash left over so that when my bills came in shortly after Christmas, I could still pay them. And here I was with no cash flow, only half my shopping done, and no Christmas dinner groceries.

I explained all this to the bank personnel on Christmas Eve, to which they just smiled and said, so sorry, there's nothing we can do until the charges clear.

So here's the way I see it. The charges have not been paid, but my account shows it is severely overdrawn. My cash sits in my account and I can't touch it. I've informed them that these charges are fraudulent, yet they cannot block them. With the technology of this day and age, and with many other banks out there who can immediately suspend a charge, the big corporate Bank of America prefers to screw its patrons rather than employ up to date technology.

I have in my possession a small register booklet that clearly states that Bank of America guarantees fraud protection, and that funds will be replaced on the next business day, which they have not done, and tell me they cannot do.

In the process of cancelling everything and going through all my EFT payments, which I must now change, I found my wallet. It had fallen down between my bed and nightstand. I was relieved, to say the least. But then it occurred to me, how could someone use my bank card in a point-of-sale purchase without the actual card? I got back on the phone, angry, confused and more intent on replacing my missing cash than ever.

Here's what they told me when I asked how the hell this could happen - any merchant can swipe your bank card and get the personal information it contains, and then make a counterfeit card. I was totally flabbergasted at this information. Not that these cards can be made, that's probably a simple thing to do, but that Bank of America had no fail-safe information embedded inside my card to prevent a duplicate from being used. All they needed was my card number, expiration date, and 3-digit code, all of which is clearly printed on the card.

Being the outspoken person that I am, I wrote letters and emails to Bank of America explaining my dissatisfaction over this turn of events, and their lack of action to correct what was an immediate concern for me. To which I received two responses from two different people. Both emails had canned paragraphs in them that matched word for word. Neither one answered my questions. They could both be given an "A" for politeness, and a "F" for customer satisfaction.

So, here I sit, on Christmas Day, and for probably all this week, with not a penny to my name. And somewhere in Ft. Meyers, Florida, some Hispanic man is having a very lucrative Christmas with whomever, at my expense.

I filed a police report, and do you know what they said? This crime occurred out of their jurisdiction and there was nothing they could or would do. Is it any wonder that criminals who steal identity and your money feel free to do so? The money hidden between the mattresses is beginning to sound more and more appealing.

I can't say my Christmas was uneventful. And this fiasco isn't over yet. But I have my two wonderful daughters with me, I have my health, and a roof over my head. All of which I achieved all on my own. Which is something that low-life thief can't claim.

I will prevail as I can prove my whereabouts when the charges were made, but the hassle? Well, I'll be shopping elsewhere to do my banking, as is my choice. And anyone who will listen will get the low-down on Bank of America.

It is said that when a customer is happy with services, they might tell one other person. But when a customer is unhappy, they tell 10 or more. I believe I'll do my part in supporting that theory. Is it their fault my bank card was counterfeited? No. But it is their responsibility, to me as a patron, and for using my money in their institution, to protect me from such things.

And just like the impending motorcycle crash, identity theft will happen to you eventually. Be ready for it, and if you do your banking with B of A, you may want to consider another institution.

Merry Christmas to all of you out there. Ride safe, ride free.

Journalism: Where is the Consistency?

The news article below was posted here on November 27, 2007. I am saddened by the loss of life in this accident, and for those who were injured. Especially on Thanksgiving Day.

The atrocity of this accident is portrayed very effectively. When you read it, you might feel blind anger at illegal immigrants in general, and drunk drivers most certainly. Then you will feel anger that our law enforcement failed to keep this particular immigrant within his country's borders, only to return to the US illegally and kill innocent victims.

Nowhere in this article does it say if anyone was wearing a seatbelt, and surely not the young man who died of his injuries.

Illegal Immigrant Accused Of Driving Drunk, Causing Fatal Boone Crash

BOONE, N.C. -- An illegal immigrant is accused of driving drunk in Boone over the Thanksgiving holiday and plowing into a sport utility vehicle, killing a man inside.

Boone police said Juan Manuel Juarez Reyes slammed into the rear of a Lexus SUV that was about to turn from Highway 105 onto Poplar Hill Drive shortly before 11 p.m. Friday. The SUV was skidded 250 feet, hitting a Watauga County deputy’s patrol car. The occupants of the SUV were trapped inside their vehicle but the deputy was not hurt.

The driver, Sallie Ellis Newell, and passenger Jacqueline Elizabeth Newell were taken to the Watauga County Medical Center where they were treated in released. But Brian Alan Newell and Andrew Russell Newell, who was in the back passenger-side seat, were flown to Johnson City Regional Medical Center.

Andrew Newell, 22, died at the hospital. His father remains in critical condition.

Family members said the Newells were returning from a Thanksgiving trip to South Carolina and were only a quarter-mile from home.

Authorities said Monday that Juarez Reyes was caught in the country by Border Patrol agents in 2002 and was sent back to Mexico. They aren’t sure when he re-entered the United States.

Police say he was speeding and drunk when the crash happened.

Juarez Reyes was first charged with driving while impaired, driving without a license and three counts of felonious assault with a deadly weapon causing serious injury by vehicle. On Tuesday he was charged with second-degree murder and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.

He is being held under $1 million bond and has asked for a court-appointed attorney. He’ll be back in court Jan. 14.

What is astounding about the outcome of this accident are the charges, and the bail.

At this point, you're probably asking why I would be astounded. After all, this man, an illegal immigrant, was drunk, speeding, and he killed an innocent American and injured others. Doesn't he deserve harsh punishment?

Why yes, I believe he deserves to go to jail the rest of his natural life. He broke the law - driving while alcohol impaired, and disobeying traffic laws, which resulted in one death and critical injuries to another.

I may be astounded at the severity of the charges and bail amount, but I am even further astounded that law enforcement sufficiently charged this man with his crimes in this case.

However, I'd bet a year's pay that it would not read this way had it been an innocent motorcyclist who had been plowed into and killed. I see it every day in the newspapers. Motorist runs down a motorcyclist, driver NOT charged, motorcyclist wasn't wearing a helmet. You could write a canned report, with [insert rider's name here], and [insert at-fault driver's name here] and they would look no different than the hundreds of articles written in newspapers about motorcycle accidents involving death or injury.

Even when the driver is drunk and kills a motorcyclist, the charges are never so severe as this report. So what is it this time around? Is this man being charged this way because he is an illegal Mexican? It can't be because he was drunk, as that hasn't produced charges like this for a dead motorcyclist. Is it because he caused the SUV to strike a deputy's patrol car? The officer wasn't hurt, so that can't be it. Why then?

When I read this report, and saw the injustice committed on those inside the SUV, I actually feel kindly toward the Journalist who wrote this, because it was written without placing any blame on the SUV driver who was merely making her way home with her family, after a Thanksgiving dinner.

So why is it when a motorcyclist dies at the hands of another at-fault driver, the Journalist must immediately discount the rider, and excuse the at-fault driver? He wasn't wearing a helmet, he was speeding slightly, the auto driver "didn't see him coming".

Would it matter if the motorcyclist was "just a quarter-mile" from home? Or returning from having dinner with his family? From what I've seen, the answer is no. All that matters is he was riding a motorcycle, taking a risk in competing with a 4000 lb automobile, and he lost. Too bad.

Even when the driver of the auto that kills him has been drinking and leaves the scene, when they turn themselves in, they get a pat on the back for being so "honest" and coming forth and confessing. "It's alright, we know you didn't see him".

I used to think Journalists were just stupid, and were blinded by the government about motorcycle accidents. I used to think that the pitiful laws we have are what allows people to walk away with a $45 fine and no jail time for killing a motorcyclist on the road.

From what I see above, in this news report, Journalists do know how to report an accident with facts in an unbiased way. Law enforcement does have the wherewithal to charge accordingly for killing someone in an at-fault accident.

Just not when it's a motorcyclist that dies.

I don't know whether to be angrier or sadder. Until now, I still held out hope that it really wasn't a predjudicial act upon bikers. I needed to be in that cocoon of naive trust, believing that I wasn't being profiled because I ride a motorcycle, that it was all just a coincidence.

But it isn't. My rights to due diligence won't be upheld if I am run down by a negligent motorist. Here's what it will read when my time comes:

"Early this morning, on her way to Starbucks just a mere quarter-mile from home, a woman riding her Harley Davidson motorcyle struck an SUV, who was attempting to make a left hand turn in front of her. She died on the scene. She may have been speeding, according to the driver of the SUV, I didn't see her coming. The driver of the SUV was not injured. She was wearing a helmet. The driver of the SUV was not charged."

Think that sounds farfetched? I challenge you to find me a newspaper report of a motorcyclist who is killed by an at-fault motorist, like the one in the report above, and show me where the driver was charged as that one is.

You won't find one. Your news report will read the same as mine, mark my words. But will it matter when we are already dead?

Journalists are just as bad as law enforcement. Both are responsible for the injustice done to dead American motorcyclists. Journalists are responsible for the attitude of the American public, who blame bikers for their own injuries and deaths at the hands of those same Americans.

And law enforcement could do something about it, but they don't. Not unless it's a scenario like above. They may be kind officers, they may shout 'rah rah' about Motorcycle Safety week (for that week only), but when the chips are down, the bottom line is, they don't care if we live or die. Better to target specific groups for being stupid and pulling wheelies; just another finger pointing game to say we kill ourselves. They might as well say I chose that SUV with the dumb driver behind the wheel as my suicide weapon of choice.

For the family in that SUV whose son is dead now at the hands of the drunk, speeding, illegal immigrant, I hope you see justice done. At least someone should have the right to it.

Green Eggs and Spam

Ever get those emails everyone forwards all over the place? You know, the ones that say if you don't send this to a billion people, you'll gain weight and all your hair will fall out. Or worse, the God of wrath will come and take your firstborn son and make him into a Liberal? (You thought those threats were a hoax, didn't you?) Well, I get these emails all the time. I usually look at them and then hit the trusty 'delete' button. But sometimes they do make me laugh, especially when there's a lot of truth in them.

So I've reprinted one of these "forwarded" emails as my post for the day. See how many of these statements you agree with but are too chicken to voice out loud.

Andy Rooney said on "60 Minutes" a few weeks back:

I don't think being a minority makes you a victim of anything except numbers. The only things I can think of that are truly discriminatory are things like the United Negro College Fund, Jet Magazine, Black Entertainment Television, and Miss Black America. Try to have things like the United Caucasian College Fund, Cloud Magazine, White Entertainment Television, or Miss White America; and see what happens...Jesse Jackson will be knocking down your door.

Guns do not make you a killer. I think killing makes you a killer. You can kill someone with a baseball bat or a car, but no one is trying to ban you from driving to the ball game.

I believe they are called the Boy Scouts for a reason, which is why there are no girls allowed. Girls belong in the Girl Scouts! ARE YOU LISTENING MARTHA BURKE?

I think that if you feel homosexuality is wrong, it is not a phobia, it is an opinion.

I have the right "NOT" to be tolerant of others because they are different, weird, or tick me off.

When 70% of the people who get arrested are black, in cities where 70% of the population is black, that is not racial profiling; it is the Law of Probability.

I believe that if you are selling me a milkshake, a pack of cigarettes, a newspaper or a hotel room, you must do it in English! As a matter of fact, if you want to be an American citizen, you should have to speak English!

My father and grandfather didn't die in vain so you can leave the countries you were born in to come over and disrespect ours.

I think the police should have every right to shoot you if you threaten them after they tell you to stop. If you can't understand the word "freeze" or "stop" in English, see the above lines.

I don't think just because you were not born in this country, you are qualified for any special loan programs, government sponsored bank loans or tax breaks, etc., so you can open a hotel, coffee shop, trinket store, or any other business.

We did not go to the aid of certain foreign countries and risk our lives in wars to defend their freedoms, so that decades later they could come over here and tell us our constitution is a living document; and open to their interpretations.

I don't hate the rich I don't pity the poor.

I know pro wrestling is fake, but so are movies and television. That doesn't stop you from watching them.

I think Bill Gates has every right to keep every penny he made and continue to make more. If it ticks you off, go and invent the next operating system that's better, and put your name on the building.

It doesn't take a whole village to raise a child right, but it does take a parent to stand up to the kid; and smack their little behinds when necessary, and say "NO!"

I think tattoos and piercing are fine if you want them, but please don't pretend they are a political statement. And, please, stay home until that new lip ring heals. I don't want to look at your ugly infected mouth as you serve me French fries!

I am sick of "Political Correctness." I know a lot of black people, and not a single one of them was born in Africa; so how can they be "African-Americans"? Besides, Africa is a continent. I don't go around saying I am a European-American because my great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather was from Europe. I am proud to be from America and nowhere else.

And if you don't like my point of view, tough...

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC, FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!

It'll be a sad day indeed, when we no longer have this man among us. Thanks, Andy, for not pulling any punches. Too bad more Americans can't do that.

I didn't forward this email out to everyone I know, but since I posted it here, does that count? Good thing I don't have a son. And everyone knows gaining weight and losing your hair is an age thing.

The Short List

I am tall for a woman, just shy of six feet. At the tender age of 13, I grew three inches in one year, and another inch the following year. As I recall, it was very painful. Literally! One leg grew slightly faster than the other, producing back and leg pain, and of course, I outgrew all of my clothes. Although, back then, mini-skirts were all the rage, and the bane of my mother's existence.

In the end, my legs grew to be the same length, and I stretched out to become a tall, slender high school girl, who was taller than most of the other kids.

I didn't want to be tall, I can tell you. I heard all the lines; how's the weather up there? are you an Amazon? are you a lesbian? was your dad a basketball player? And the worst part was, I was invariably taller than the boy I wanted to date, and who would not be seen with a girl who was taller than he.

I did, however, come to love being tall. It added to my self-confidence over the years. I could reach things that others could not. I also discovered I could do more of the sports that boys could do, and be taken seriously as well. It was my love for the extreme, and the "adrenaline rush" that came with it, that motivated me. And my dad, who "walked on water", was a car mechanic, so, of course, I had to be good at that too. Playing with machines, meant fixing them.

I was one of the "boys", and could hold my own. Oddly enough, even though I was tall and did all manner of things that were normal hobbies of the male persuasion, none of those guys thought I was anything but a woman through and through. Most of them respected me for my skills and my desire to participate in their sports.

When I started riding dirt bikes, I rode the same as any of the guys did, without any trouble, and kept up with them too! When it came time to buy a street bike, I had no trouble choosing, since I fit them all without a problem. I didn't even think about height, and made my decision based on looks and feel. I didn't know any other women who rode their own in the early days, so it never occurred to me that height should be a problem.

These days I ride my '02 Dyna Wide Glide with a lot of other women. Some of them are fairly short in height and I have heard all manner of stories about their experiences with buying their bikes. Why it never occurred to me that anyone would have a problem finding a bike short enough for them, I have no idea. Maybe it's because I'd never ridden with a lot of different women before. The few women I'd ridden with in the past were all tall enough to choose from a wide variety of bikes, and the short ones rode with their men.

So why have I written all this, if not for your amusement? Because last night I ran across a website for the "vertically challenged" woman rider!! How cool is that? Here's that link:

Short Women Riders

With all the women riders out there, and many of them shorter than the average man or woman nowadays, it stands to reason there would be a website somewhere that supported them (d'oh!), and the problems they face with finding a suitable bike for their height.

And what do they have on this website? A list of bikes available for short women! It's not obvious where this list is, so you can surf your way directly there at this URL:

Short Bike List

This list contains only metric bikes, and are categorized by rider height in inches. If you're 5'5" and over, and can sit a bike flatfooted (in boots of normal height in sole thickness), they say you're not short. If you're a short woman, and you ride a Harley, I'm sure they would love to hear how you've had it modified to fit you.

Note that they list heights for manage, and flatfooted. Manage means you can balance your bike at a stop while on your toes. My guess is, this list does not address wearing platform boots to lengthen your reach, which is employed by some women.

New and beginner riders should try a smaller bikes at first. They create the confidence needed before trying to master a larger, more powerful bike. I rode a smaller bike (physical size) for a while before moving up to a larger one. And from that one, it was a matter of simply moving up to a larger more powerful engine. Many women go for the huge bikes first, and then quit when they lose confidence.

Metric bikes in general are less expensive, and good used ones are easier to find. I would wait until you are ready for your final size and engine displacement before buying a brand new bike. Although resale values of metric bikes are improving, they still depreciate rapidly, and faster than a Harley Davidson motorcycle. The trade-off is Harley's cost more.

It occurred to me to question why motorcycle manufacturers are not offering more height variables for their bikes, since women make up a much larger percentage today than ever before. It almost seems like manufacturers believe a small woman is not strong enough to ride a larger displacement motorcycle, for it makes no sense to me why they would not address this issue.

Let's explore that theory for a sec.

Most of us who ride know where that thin red line is; when your bike is leaning too far off center for you to muscle it back upright. Your size and strength determines how far off center that line can be, and is the only strength parameter that applies (aside from hoisting it up off the kickstand and backing your bike up an incline). Yes, it's true, most of us women are weaker in strength than most men. What that means is we learn to deal with less "window" between the left and right point of no return. Strength plays no part in riding your bike with balance and finesse.

Any bike will continue to fall on it's side after crossing that magic red line, and the rider must get off (or get up) to pick it up. I don't know of anyone who can hoist their bike upright of the ground, from a straddling position. Oh, there may be a few "bruisers" out there who can, but I would bet the bike is not a 600 lb - 1000 lb cruiser. (Anyone who knows such a person can feel free to send me a video of this stunt, and I will post it here - we can all ooh and ahhhh over it.)

Check out this website for a great tutorial on picking up a fallen bike.

So, aside from the limitations of your balance zone while standing still, the height or strength of the rider has nothing to do with riding a motorcycle safely and efficiently. So why then the disregard for features that would enable more [women] to ride, particularly the vertically challenged women? It's anyone's guess, but it doesn't matter how tall you are or aren't, how strong or weak you are or aren't, you can adapt, and you can ride. Strength of character and determination is all you need. Manufacturers will catch up eventually, once they put down the big club and stop pounding their chests.

Short woman or tall woman, if you want to ride, here's some simple tips to remember:

1. Sign up for and attend a reputable Rider Safety Course. Before you buy.


2. Get your permit or endorsement. Riding without one is against the law.


3. Start small (physical bike size), no matter how confident you feel after taking the safety course. You can always trade-up at a speed you feel comfortable with. Some riders start out too big and drop their bikes too often, or have trouble learning to corner at low speeds. This can discourage you from getting the miles and time you need to become confident. There is a reason (the small bikes used) that you feel so confident after you complete the safety course.


4. Find a patient, experienced woman rider to accompany you on rides. If you have a husband or male friend who is patient enough, they will suit. (Sometimes those closest to you will feel anxious about you as a new rider, and may be too critical, and thereby eroding your newly found self-confidence.)


5. Wear suitable protective clothing, and a helmet. Once you've got some miles (and time!) under your belt, and you prefer to ride without a helmet, it's your choice. Read up on your state's helmet laws first. In Florida, you must carry at least $10,000 of medical insurance, either on your bike policy, or a personal medical policy, and be at least 21 years of age, to ride without a helmet. If you rely on your personal medical coverage, you must carry proof of this with you when you ride or risk getting a ticket for no helmet.


6. Read all you can on safety tips. There are scads of websites out there with excellent tips published. For example, most H.O.G. chapter websites list safety tips, as do Motorcycle organizations such as AMA, and state ABATE sites.


7. Learn to pick up your bike by yourself. This alone will build incredible confidence as you learn where that "red line" is. It can be very disheartening to have your bike fall over when you are out alone, and no one to help you. And no matter what anyone says, or how long they've been riding, male or female, we all drop our bikes at some point. It is nothing to be ashamed of (though it can be embarrassing). Restoring your bike into the upright position, all by yourself, can make a huge difference in how you feel about resuming the ride.


8. Never, never, never drink and ride. Even one beer (which may be under the legal limit for you) can impair your ability to react in time. Sitting behind the wheel of a car is far different than operating a motorcycle. I won't even go there on illegal drugs. Using them is against the law, and shows the most basic disregard for yourself, and for others you may be riding with.

Diversity Defines Who We Are

Diversity is a wonderful thing. Each of us has some sort of diversity that defines ourselves and makes each of us unique. Without diversity, we would all be the same. Now there's a scary thought.

di-ver-si-ty (noun)

variety
a variety of something such as opinion, color, or style
social inclusiveness
ethnic variety, as well as socioeconomic and gender variety, in a group, society, or institution
discrepancy
discrepancy, or a difference from what is normal or expected

Simply put, our diversity defines who we are; through controlled and non-controlled circumstances and choices. I like to think of myself as being diverse, but some would say I am different. Same thing, according to the English dictionary.

We are born into a particular race, sexual preference, visible attributes such as color of hair, eyes, and body size. For some, that includes religion, such as the Jewish nation which is composed of race and those who are converted. Each of us has a calling or has made a choice in employment.

In our personal lives, each of us employs diversity in everything we do. Should I buy that metric cruiser, or the sportbike, and should I deck it out in chrome, and which chrome accessories do I want? What color should it be, and what will I wear while riding it?

What hobbies or activities do I enjoy? How many children should I have, if any? What beliefs do I want to have, of those we have a choice in; is Halloween an evil holiday, or a fun one where I can obtain boatloads of candy and dress up in cool costumes?

Our individual diversities cause us to form opinions about others who prescribe to a different set of lifestyles. Opinions are never right or wrong, they are just opinions. But when that opinion becomes a judgement, this is where many forms of bigotry come from; i.e. cruisers are better than sportbikes, he/she is an idiot for doing bungee-jumping as a hobby, his/her sexual preference or lifestyle is different than mine so it must be wrong.

I recently commented on a friend's blog in response to a post about one of our political parties hosting a holiday dinner at a posh resort (Delaware Curmudgeon). My response was a tongue-in-cheek response to her comment about what to wear, should she be invited to attend; also a somewhat derogatory comment with a flair of amusement.

I said I'd happily accompany her in a black vinyl dress and thigh-high leather boots with 5 inch spiked heels (yes, I own such adornments).

What I found amusing was an anonymous response to my comment where the poster did not know if I was male or female based on my signature (Sam). He did eventually look at my profile, but not before responding in a short sentence that spoke volumes.

It was obvious that the poster thought I was male, and I was willing to dress up like a female to attend this political gala. The questions that immediately came to mind were: Would it make any difference if I was a male cross-dresser? A Lesbian? A Dominatrix? Would my comments be then invalid? My intelligence less than worthy?

And would I attend dressed that way? You bet I would! What fun to see all those high society snobs looking down their noses at me while their husbands drooled at the way I was dressed. But the likes of Shirley and myself, part of the common folk, would never be invited to attend such an event. We are not part of the rich and famous who can further the career of the politicians who govern this country. Our lack of diamonds and pearls, our date's long hair and beards, and our obvious lack of millions in our bank accounts, exclude us.

Now, I'm guessing most people reading this blog are of the same class as me and Shirley. We are the majority. We are those whose paychecks put salaries in the pockets of those who deem to call themselves "public servants" when it suits them. And we are not welcome to ride our motorcycles to this event, dressed in our leathers, and rub elbows with the rest. Sound like society a few centuries ago? I've got news for you. It hasn't changed, except to thinly veil the facts through media and lies.

I wrote my comment on Shirley's blog without any mention of what gender I am so I would know if people bothered to look at my blog, or my profile. I'd say it worked. I also don't think I need to. What difference does it make? Would my comments be any less important than if I came out and described my diversity in some way? Would it add to the point I was trying to make?

There are those in forums visit that still think I'm a man because of my name. I don't correct them either. It is simply too amusing when they finally realize their error. My profile isn't a secret, and I nearly always comment using my blog signature.

In my 52 years, I have known, and still have, friends who are from all walks of life, including cross-dressers, gay people of both genders, and BDSM lifestylers. Some of them I'd trust with my life. Their diverse life contributes to who they are, and in most cases, they are as open-minded as I am. For I am uninhibited in most things and appreciate that mind-set in others. I have my own set of rules and ethics for myself, the first and foremost being "harm no one".

A very good friend of mine is an under-cover law enforcement officer. He is a quiet, handsome man, who rides motorcycles, has a wife and children, and basically does not stand out in a crowd. I would place my life in his hands without question. He is also a cross-dresser. Another friend is a professional Dominatrix. She looks or acts no different than I when encountered on the street. Some of my best friends are lesbians. Do I engage in any of these activities? No. Does it matter to me if they do? Again, no. They are all intelligent diverse people I would place high on the list for honesty and integrity.

Being the diverse person I am, I can appreciate, and embrace in some cases, the views of others. And in keeping with my #1 rule, I limit my personal judgement of others to activities that harm or may harm others. Beyond that, who am I to judge what other people choose as their diversity in life? What is important to me is honesty and integrity. Not what a person does after hours, unless it is harmful to others.

In most jobs (including government jobs), a person has customers, internal or external to their employer, with which they must interact. Your paycheck is dependent on how you meet the needs of your customers. In government, public servant means serving the public, for which they are paid a healthy salary. Last time I looked, I am part of the public, same as you. To discriminate or judge me because I am not rich or influential is a crime deserving of getting fired in the least.

Circumstances are such that I do not belong to this "class" of people. Does it make me less of a person? No. I may have the same years (or more), of education, just in a different capacity, than many politicians, and we pay their salaries. What we get (or should get) from our government is service based on our needs, as part of the public, regardless of our diversity.

The government advocates that a person not be discriminated against based on diversity, yet it happens every day, as in the political event Shirley writes about. Every time politicians pass a bill that removes freedoms from us, their employers, against our will, they are in direct conflict with my needs and desires as their employer.

Would I agree to have politicians as part of my inner circle? That all depends on their honesty and integrity. As far as I can tell, very few meet my criteria, as a friend, or a public servant.

Judge not, lest ye be judged. The freedom to choose your own diversity in life is a God given right.

Ride long, ride free.

The Battle For Freedom: Must Reads

As each of us goes through our daily lives, today and every day, while rights and freedoms are being removed by our government and put into law, unless you join the fight to stop them.

In early November 2007, Dave Christy, Bikers' Rights Advocate, Colorado, began a narrative on the current (and alarming) state of affairs with regards to Biker's rights, and the escalating loss of freedoms directed at us, as bikers, in a way that is clearly discriminatory. It is published on LDRLongdistancerider.com and I've posted links below.

For example, in Florida legislature, now on the table:

Did you receive the notice not long ago from your vehicle insurance company about PIP? Do you know what that means to you as a rider? HB265 and companion SB984 relieves an at-fault auto driver's insurance company from the responsibility of paying for your injuries if that driver runs you over. You will not be able to purchase PIP on your motorcycle (the bill excludes motorcycles from the term motor vehicles), which means you personally can be sued for the medical bills of someone you hit. You will be required to purchase catastrophic personal medical insurance in order to ride your motorcycle and be covered. Uninsured motorists coverage will not apply to motorcyclists. Your only recourse will be to sue the driver who ran you over, at great cost to you, and that's assuming the driver has anything of value. And, of course, if you can still walk, talk, still have a place to live, and are independently wealthy.

And Federally, now on the table:

Unless the HIPAA law loophole is amended, your medical insurance underwriter can continue to refuse to cover you when you ride, or drop it if you have it.

Without PIP and affordable personal medical coverage when you ride your motorcycle, you you are not covered on all angles. If you own your bike outright, are you prepared to ride with no medical coverage whatsoever? And if your lien holder requires it, can you afford it?

And if you are run over? Well, your life will be, in a word, over. Even if you survive.

It's not just about helmets, handlebars, or after market pipes. There are bills in the works (Florida State and Federal) THIS YEAR that will take away your freedom to ride.

Want to know the real reason mandatory helmet laws are being shoved down our throats? Insurance companies. They believe if we all wear helmets we won't be injured or die. Ludicrous? Yes, we, as bikers, know that's pretty far-fetched. But insurance companies know that when one of their insured runs us over, they pay BIG. They want out of that responsibility. And they have the money to lobby for this. We just have our little letter-writing fingers.

And for all of you reading this who don't live in Florida? If this Florida bill goes through, how fast do you think YOUR state will follow suit?

So, if you ride, and you have thus far chosen not to involve yourself in the fight to ride free, these installments written by Dave Christy are a must read. Beware all - you are about to learn of very real and present dangers of losing your right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in owning and riding a motorcycle.

If you don't ride, whether you have opinions about motorcyclists and the laws that govern them or not, PLEASE show that you are not narrow-minded and ignorant of the facts, and read these installments. They are fact based, and portray the real situation. Even though you don't ride, they do involve you in a very real way.

I will be posting the link to each installment as they become available, and I have taken the liberty of adding quotes from each installment, as a "hook".

Remember, opinions, to be taken seriously, should be based on fact.

BATTLE ESCALATES AGAINST RIDERS' FREEDOM OF CHOICE

Part 1 (click the link to open the installment)

"We're all in the traffic mix and rely, with an x-factor of trust, on each other to do the proper things. In spite of that reliance, vehicle operators commit 'fouls' on other roadway users, and/or themselves, to the tune of millions of collisions, crashes, and "accidents" every year in the U.S.A., resulting in 40,000-plus fatalities every year, to include an escalating percentage of motorcyclists in that figure. It's a sad fact. What must be understood is that 95% of all accidents are due to human causation factors!"

"The motorcycling community is relentlessly pounded upon by NHTSA, and more so in the last few years due to the increase of motorcyclist fatalities as a percentage of the yearly highway total. The news media are fed the stats, latch on and stoke the flames through inference among the general public, who view us riders as a careless liability, damn-near miscreants who ride "donor-cycles" and deserve what we get because motorcycles are 'dangerous.' And you have to wear a helmet. If you don't wear a helmet you brought it on yourself."

"Without helmets, we all pay" says NHTSA, as they create polarity in the public realm and influence opinion, deliberately against motorcyclists--attempting to establish motorcyclists as a disproportionate drain of injury and medical dollar consumption. This is called the Public, or Social Burden theory."

Part 2 (click the link to open the installment)

"By inference, the message is "You motorcycle riders - when you don't wear a helmet and you get hurt - are costing the public money. And when you get killed, it's because you weren't wearing a helmet!"

"Using my home state as an example, our Colorado government estimates (probably conservatively) we have almost 800,000 medically uninsured, or about 17% of the population. This figure would probably include some people who ride motorcycles. At any given time, any of these folks are dependent on publicly-funded medical care, for any reason under the sun. Shall we paint all these folks with the brush of 'Social Burden?' Using the logic, after all, what's the difference between "us" and "them?"

"It is also a known fact that over 100,000 people die annually due to "medical mistakes," more than 20 times the number of annual motorcycling fatalities. That's about 280 average everyday, folks."

---

"The battle for bikers' rights is not about patches, parties or poker runs. We fight to protect the freedom and promote the interests of American motorcyclists ... to defend our right to choose our own modes of transportation, attire and lifestyle ... to deter and defy discrimination against us ... and to vanquish those who violate our rights or right-of-way."--Bruce Arnold

Another Soldier Dies

We are all aware of the war in Iraq. Many of us have a favorite pastime, if you will, for supporting our soldiers. They do deserve it, after all.

As a biker, I discovered the Patriot Guard Riders, whose mission it is to honor our soldiers and their families. Others who do not ride lend themselves to celebrating Veterans Day, or visiting Veterans Hospitals.

But this post is not about our revered military soldiers. It concerns the very real and important war here at home, in all states. A war many fight daily for our rights.

Do these 'soldiers' die at the hands of opposing military soldiers? Carrying guns and grenades? No. They die at the hands of thoughtless, distracted drivers; the soccer mom carpooling the neighborhood kids, the young man across town who is late to work, or the business man passing through who can't put his cell phone down.

What do these soldiers fight for?

They fight to keep us all riding free and riding safe. Some of them break the law to set a precedence so you and I don't have to wear a helmet, or can ride down a boulevard with aftermarket pipes. Some spend countless hours daily writing letters to legislative bodies, so you and I can continue to enjoy our motorcycles whenever we wish, wherever we want. Some quit their jobs to serve on a board of directors and devote their lives to the 'cause', so we can ride free. And some even write blogs about the issues at hand, in hopes you and others will listen and add your voices to the army.

Some of these soldiers are "snipers", adding their contributions anonymously because of their employment status. Still they fight.

Mostly though, these soldiers have lives, families and jobs, same as you and I, and still they devote their lives to our freedom to ride uninhibited by government bureaucracy. They are ordinary men and women, doing extraordinary tasks. For you. And for me.

Do we have a holiday to remember them by? No, but we should. Do they get a 21 gun salute at their funerals? No, but they should.

A large majority of riders cruise (no pun intended) through life thinking, "It'll never happen to me." And if they worry about rights, or dying at the hands of those who violate our rights, they just might have to acknowledge that their voices and actions are needed. But no, that might cut into their Football time, or the Scrapbook class. It's much too convenient to simply look the other way.

Lead, follow, or get out of the way. By that I mean, if you don't love riding your scooter enough to contribute even a small portion of your time to fight for the very freedom that allows you to ride, sell the bike, it's not for you, and go back to your chosen life.

There are very few valid excuses for not contributing to something that you directly benefit from. But aside from that, there is no excuse whatsoever not to honor those who have fallen in the line of duty.

Look up the different H.O.G. websites around the country and be sure to view the pages listing those who have crossed over while riding their motorcycles. Check out the MRO's and ABATE websites. They are all listed there.

If you ride a motorcycle enough miles, enough years, sooner or later you will personally know someone who has lost their life while riding. It is a tragic event, certainly. What loss of life isn't. But when you see that one of your soldiers has died in the line of duty, take the time, even if privately, to honor that person.

And the next time you feel the need to contribute to something good, ask what you can do to join the fight for freedom. Every little bit helps. And who knows, maybe someday our Freedom Fighting soldiers won't have to die for your right to ride free.

Thank you, Dan Hoffman, for all that you did for me. I didn't know you personally, but I know who you are. You're one of those people who selflessly spent a great deal of your own time fighting for my right to ride free.

Rest in peace, brother.

http://delawarecurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2007/11/call.html
http://miva.delawareonline.com/miva/cgi-bin/miva?obits.mv+72805

Woman Biker Spotlight: A Jewel Among Women

I’ve recently come to know a very special soul in the world of women bikers. This post is about her, and the role she has played in honoring this country’s Veterans, and her life as a woman biker.

Jewels, so nicknamed after her given name of Julie, is a blond woman of 55 years. She is a woman of great passion, evident in everything she says and does. Like me, she is a very trusting soul, and she shared her innermost thoughts with me; about life, and also about her life.

Listening to her tell me the stories of her childhood and family background in the red clay farm country of Donalsonville, Georgia, her ‘Southern Belle’ accent makes one think of Mint Juleps and sultry afternoons on a porch swing overlooking endless fields of cotton.

Originally a ‘left-coaster’, I found myself listening with studied intensity to catch the meaning of words or phrases I’d never heard of, and laughing delightedly at the definition of those I asked about. Her unique way of speaking in half sentences, one running into the next, almost as if her speech cannot keep up with her thoughts, was a challenge for me. But as I came to know her and understand the complex person beneath the small town southern upbringing, I discovered a very intelligent and grounded woman, with a very big heart and a great deal of honesty and integrity. One has only to leave preconceived ideas behind to see what is beneath the surface.

Jewels left her family home, after graduating from high school, seeking to learn about the world beyond what she’d known for 18 years. She realized that staying in the small town where she was raised would eventually suffocate her. Her journey took her to Europe where she met, and married her first and only husband. (When her two sons were small, she divorced, and set about raising them on her own. She never remarried.)

While in England, she owned a 1972 Triumph motorcycle (her first), and rode about the English countryside with friends. Somewhere along the line, she experienced a crash as a passenger and decided riding wasn’t conducive to her safety. Twenty years passed before she rode a motorcycle again.

Jewels obtained an education in the world of real estate and insurance (life, health, and variable annuities) from the University of MD, and the University of VA. In the course of her life, she took other educational courses to supplement her knowledge. She made Washington, DC her home. Through her work, Jewels made friends and rubbed elbows with powerful, high rolling executives, and the common man alike.

I can easily see how Jewels could be at home with anyone, switching from her easy southern speech to that of a professional woman in a very visible position in the world of finance. She is loveable, kind, and holds her own with anyone who presumes to push her around. She is comfortable with who she is, and shows it.

Since I am also one who left the ‘comfort zone’ in life to raise children as a single mother, and to pursue a professional career, I know what it takes to become assertive enough to survive among the professional men of the world. It’s not easy, and it eventually shapes your attitude into one of confidence, with a sometimes solitary content. You want acceptance, but you no longer need it.

Women don’t often successfully achieve that plane of existence, where we feel equal in a professional world. It takes many years to get there, struggling and persevering throughout. The results come from seeing and learning much about the world, and the people in it, learning about ourselves in the process, and adapting.

Washington, DC is the extreme opposite of Donalsonville, GA, and even Tallahassee to some extent. The daily traffic in DC alone can shake even the most confident driver. The business world is dog-eat-dog and only the sharpest survive. You learn, you adapt, or you fail. I can’t see Jewels giving up or failing at anything. Her tenacity is the root of her success.

Throughout her life, Jewels has met life’s challenges head on; even the painful ones. No moss-growing for Jewels. She made many trips back and forth between DC and Georgia to deal with the death of her sister-in-law, who died tragically in a drunk-driving accident. She held her family together and fought for her brother’s right to keep his children as he lay in a hospital fighting for his life. Her worldliness helped her niece and nephew learn to overcome this tragedy and move on with their lives. She allowed these ‘bumps’ in the road to help her grow as a person, rather than let them drag her down.

Around 1995, Jewels met Tommy Rhodes, who became her ‘other half’ and though they chose not to ‘ruin a good thing’ by marrying, Tommy is still a major part of her life.

Tommy was and is an ‘old school’ biker, and Jewels decided that riding full time again was where she wanted to be. Having owned and ridden various motorcycles on and off since 1992, Jewels was secure enough in the world to make it a consistent part of her life. She jumped into the world of bikers, the way she does everything else, with conviction and purpose.

She became actively involved with Rolling Thunder at the national level. Following that, she became a lifetime member of National H.O.G., an active member of Fairfax, Virginia H.O.G., and a member of Ft. Washington H.O.G.

In October of 2002, one month after the 1st anniversary of 911, the Fairfax, VA H.O.G. chapter was contacted by Congressman Frank Wolf, who pointed out that inpatients at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC received all the attention of well-wishers and volunteers, while overflow, outpatients, and families housed on the base received little or nothing.

Fairfax H.O.G. members brainstormed the issue and decided upon a Pizza Party and biker show for these brave souls. With help from the Red Cross, Jewels among others, began the planning and execution. It was their first 'Operation Atlas' Event.

As Jewels tells me of this event, the emotions are evident in her voice and expression. It was the beginning of an effort Jewels needed in her life; giving back to those who gave so much to us in the course of serving our country.

She recalled how heart wrenching it was to see those men, women, and their families, enjoy some respite from the harshness of military service, and how delighted they were that ‘someone’ cared. The smiles were everywhere, and the tears flowed freely.

Speaking for her involvement in the H.O.G. chapter and these charity events, Jewels declared, “No matter which way the wind blows, we will not cease events such as these until the last soldier comes home”. The intense emotion elicited from such an experience would not bar the way.

One is reminded of the passion of Scarlet O’Hara in Gone With The wind, “As God is my witness…..”.

Other events followed at Walter Reed. Jewels arranged for the first decorating party in the recreation center for the Christmas holidays. Fairfax H.O.G. members were also asked to hold the first breakfast for the soldiers on Christmas morning (some 200 hungry participants) at the Maloyne House. Add to that, along with other organizations who helped with the expenses, they purchased gas and phone cards for the troops and their family members.

In August of 2005, with her sons grown and off on their own, Jewels decided it was time to “go home”. She packed up and moved back to southern Georgia, and then to Tallahassee to be closer to the employment pool, which presented another challenge.

Tallahassee is termed a “little big town”. It may be where the Capitol of Florida is, but employment in Tallahassee is nothing like Washington, DC. Many years ago, I moved to the high-tech region of New England and Boston, where high paying jobs are plentiful for the educated professional. Tallahassee is a college town, and for every job there are 20 applicants. Pay is directly proportional to the low cost of living in the area. Nevertheless, Jewels chose to move home regardless of the job opportunities.

However, armed with the numerous rental homes Jewels owns to supplement her income, she searched for the right job. After trial and error positions, she moved into a job with AAA Insurance.

“The pay here is nothing like working in DC,” Jewels tells me, “but I love the work, and I’m happy”. (How many of us can make that claim?) A further testament to Jewels adaptability, and character.

Jewels’ need for charity work continued in Tallahassee, with her involvement in a local motorcycle group called the Chrome Divas, consisting of all women riders. She also became an active member of the local Tallahassee H.O.G chapter.

“These days, military facilities are off limits to civilians, because of Journalists.” Jewels informed me.

“Getting in to visit Veterans now takes an ‘act of Congress’, unless you have a track record and know the people who run the volunteer programs.”

In April of 2006, Jewels began what would be a lengthy attempt to contact the right person at the Veterans Hospital in Lake City, FL. She never gave up.

More than a year later, in June of 2007, after speaking to many uninterested people and months of leaving many phone messages, she connected with someone who could give her the permission to organize a visit to the Veterans residing there; a gentleman by the name of Michael Allen.

The initial reluctance to allow this visit to happen was met with the tenacity Jewels is so famous for. She patiently explained that it was not a solicitation, and she merely wanted to gather a group of bikers together, and bring them out to visit the Veterans; a gift of appreciation, nothing more. Michael Allen decided to trust Jewels, and allowed her to make the arrangements.

The ride was scheduled for November 10, 2007. All 13 riders were proud members of the Patriot Guard Riders, a nationwide organization dedicated to serving and honoring those who fight for our freedom. Six of those riders were also members of the Chrome Divas. Jewels was the only member of Rolling thunder. You can read Jewels’ account of this visit here.

If Jewels has her way (and I have no doubt she will), this will become a regular thing. Thank God for people like Jewels. She is certainly anything but “ordinary”. Those with such big hearts, like Jewels has, will always have room for others, and her selfless motivation to include so many deserving souls in her world makes her stand out in the “spotlight” of women bikers, and the world in general.

Jewels currently resides in Crawfordville, Florida, a small town south of Tallahassee. She shares her home with her tiny (and old) dog, Tyler, and rides her Dyna Low Rider whenever the opportunity arises.

The Choices We make In Life

The choices we make in life are ultimately what shapes our future and makes us who we are. God gave us the ability to make choices, and each of us exercises that ability every day. We are responsible for what we do, as individuals, and the outcome of those actions.

It is truly a sad situation when the safety of others is threatened by those who would act irresponsible and then claim it is their right to act in that manner.

This, then, passes on the choice of placing oneself in the position of being unsafe, to the person whose well-being is threatened.

Take, for example, the alcoholic, whose actions are solely their own, to drink in excess and operate a motor vehicle. It is their choice to drink, or drink in excess, regardless of the law. No one forced them to do it.

It is not the choice of those who do not drink and drive to share the road with a drunk or alcohol impaired driver and be at risk. The safe choice may be not to drive at all, to avoid encountering a drunk or impaired driver. However, society has decreed that driving while alcohol impaired is against the law, to protect the lives of innocents.

No one sensibly denies that driving while drunk is wrong or unsafe, and indeed society provides strictly enforced laws to bring those who do drive inebriated to answer for their actions. Those who are not caught eventually cause harm to another, and by then the crime is already committed. The injustice is done. Someone is injured or dies. Families suffer.

As a motorcyclist, I know that reaction time could mean whether I live or die in the event an auto driver should violate my right of way. I practice all the safety skills learned by riding many years. I am continually on the lookout for those who don't see me. To ignore this ever present danger is to invite disaster, sooner than later.

I enjoy riding my motorcycle, and every moment that I do not have to spend looking out for 'the other guy' is a moment I can bask in the enjoyment of riding.

Just as there are those who drink and drive autos, there are many who drink and ride. Just watch the newspapers if you want to see the results of motorcyclists who drink and ride. They are the ones who ride too fast and lose control, misjudge a curve and leave the paved road, or cause injury to another rider or driver, and many times end their lives then and there.

Some of us know a few who have died. Many will shake their heads and say they never thought it could happen to him, he was such a good rider. Alcohol impairs the brain's normal functions and awareness. They don't mean to crash, but they do. It is always sad when someone dies, motorcycle or not. It is even sadder when it can be prevented.

Alcoholism is a disease. It wrecks lives, and the lives of family and friends. It is also a threat to strangers; all in the name of demanding the right to drink and drive. In the throes of this disease, the afflicted is blind to their own sickness. Denial is prevalent. Those close to them try to help and then finally realize it is futile and retreat to a safe distance. It is impossible to help those who will not help themselves.

I am continually amazed at the blatant disregard for the safety of others, when riding in a group, from those who exercise their selfish right to drink and ride and violate the law. Can we predict the sudden appearance of a dog in the road, or a deer? What about a rider in the middle of the pack whose reaction time is slow due to alcohol and fails to stop in time, or swerves into your 'safety zone'.

We've all heard the inebriated person state they are fine to drive, and off they go weaving all over the road. We often take keys away from such individuals to prevent them from injuring themselves or someone else.

Where does this perceived arrogance come from? Do I have the right to set fire to some one's home, were I a pyromaniac? Just because I choose to?

No, I don't, but this is the logic of the non-addicted person, not an addict. The alcoholic's need for the "fix" overwhelmingly overrides any logical right or wrong. They become irrational and paranoid. (Why are you trying to ruin my life?)

Almost always, the alcoholic has succumbed to their affliction out of the need to feel good about themselves when they otherwise do not. Does this excuse their behavior? No. Can we help them? We can try. More often they must seek help from professionals, which most of us are not.

We have all either heard stories or witnessed a collision caused by a rider who is impaired from alcohol. Some are killed, while others live to change their ways. At what cost? The unintentional death of a fellow brother or sister? The death of themselves?

I choose to ride safely, but that includes not riding and drinking, or riding with those who drink. And though it may appear that I am selective with who I ride with, it's not personal. It's a matter of wanting to live another day to ride.

You may choose to drink and ride. It is, after all, your right to make that choice. It is not, however, your right to endanger the well-being of others by doing so. If you can't drink responsibly, don't ride. If you don't want to ride without drinking, ride alone and allow others to be safe from you.

And if others decide they don't want to ride with you because you drink, take a long hard look in the mirror, preferably when you are sober. In the end, the choices you make in life determine whether you reach the light at the end of the tunnel, or run head on into an oncoming train.

Ride safe, and watch out for trains.

We Reap What We Sow

Here's an email I received earlier today. I almost always check these out, especially if from a friend, then delete them. This one I passed on.

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this happen?" (regarding Katrina). Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?"

In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW".

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards.

Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein

Amen, Ben.

Motorcyclist's Apology

Amarillo newspaper guest column reprinted verbatim:

An apology is in order, so, please, forgive me. It was not until this morning on my ride to work that I fully understood I was in error.

Yes, I've noticed that there are many very busy and important people on the roads. You all are hard to miss with the cell phones, laptops, breakfast bars, coffee, cigarettes and all, but until now, I didn't realize I was causing so much trouble for you busy, multitasking drivers.

I figured it out this morning, thanks to the nice lady working on the laptop who needed the lane I was in.

First, ma'am, let me say that when I honked at you from the shoulder, I didn't mean to startle you. My intent was just to give you a little beep to let you know the lane was all yours. But I was braking so hard, I couldn't lift my thumb off the horn button. My bad.

I surely didn't mean to cause you to nearly hit the guy talking on the cell phone. You know, he was smoking and talking as he moved his SUV right into the space you had just left.

Anyway, the good news is, that's when I realized all of you multitasking drivers must be texting each other about intended lane changes and running traffic lights and stop signs and such. I'm sorry - I'm still using old-fashioned blinkers. I didn't realize you needed some time to e-notify that guy that you needed the lane back. I really messed it up for both of you!

I can only say that the guard rail was a little distracting, and I was only thinking about myself. I'll try harder next time.

Like I said, I didn't know that was how you multitasking drivers were communicating. It must have been in an e-mail, but my laptop fell off my tank and I haven't replaced it.

However, I have a solution.

I know many of you are so busy and important that you have no choice - you have to eat, work, talk, read and do lots of other really important things as you drive. Those of us who use the road only for traveling would be happy to stay out of your way; we just need to know you're coming.

A little visual clue would help - I was thinking of a bumper sticker. That way, everyone could identify you as Drivers Utilizing Multiple Behaviors.
Of course, that's a little long, so we'd cut it down to an acronym - DUMB.

If you'd place stickers on the front, back and maybe the sides of your car, the rest of us would know not to interfere with you on the road.

I think it's such a good idea, I'll pay for the bumper stickers and even put them on for you. Deal?

Again, I'm sorry I got in your way. I'll try harder to see you coming from now on.
I promise!

Larry Supina is an Amarillo resident. He works as a safety manager at Pantex.

Article reprinted from Amarillo.com

No Compromise, No Surrender

Recently I posted on Bruce-n-Ray Biker Forum that I was in full support of MADD Ray Henke, who declared "no compromise, no surrender" in response to the Delray Beach biker ban fiasco.

Read Ray's post here.

Ray replied that my words defined a "fire" that he and many others believe the legendary Quig instilled in many bikers today.

Although my fire was lit months before I knew who Quig was, perhaps this is true in the reasoning behind Quig's lifelong fight against biker discrimination and the right to ride free.

I really don't know what initially fueled this passion in me. Perhaps it was the sudden and conclusive realization that law makers didn't really care about stopping the frequent "murders" of bikers by distracted drivers, but instead insists on forcing helmet laws. Perhaps it was just the idea that government continually tells me what I can and can't do without just cause, as in so many other piddly laws that get shoved down my throat without my consent.

Perhaps it is because I live in a country where we often hear the words, "Land of the Free, Home of the Brave", which I know I have to fight for every day.

I am a passionate woman, in most things I do, and believe in. Freedom is a hard won option in life. If you don't fight for it, and fight hard, you will lose it. It's not going to always be there for you just because it says so in our Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem. To believe so is naive at best.

I've been told that because I have red hair, my temper is one to avoid, and perhaps that is true on occasion (however, I doubt the red hair has anything to do with it since it is actually very gray underneath the Ms. Clairol). Most times I think my anger, or passion, is justified, for it is truly rare for me to be fired up about trivial things. I have some basic rights that spark my temper on occasion; such as the right to free speech, the right to fair and honest service for those I pay for, and the right to be treated with dignity and respect as a human being. I don't view those rights as trivial. Freedom is not trivial by any sense of the word and I will fight for it as long as I breathe, red hair or not.

History is full of men and women who were "fired up" about their potential loss of freedom.

Joan of Arc led French soldiers into battle to defeat the English. The English were convinced she was supernatural because she rallied a second time in spite of being wounded. Joan was not supernatural - Joan was fired up. She fought for freedom.

Bunker Hill pitted common farmers against trained military and sparked a war that won America its freedom from British oppression. Were they more disciplined than the British soldiers and thus knew they would win? No. They were fired up. They had much to gain, but even more to lose; their freedom.

I could go on, but you know where I'm going with this. We have to be fired up about all the injustice going on against bikers. Delray Beach wants to ban bikers from their restaurant row on Atlantic Avenue because a few restaurants decided to put tables outside, right next to the road. Diners want a peaceful meal.

Wait, isn't eating out at restaurant a lifestyle choice, just as riding my motorcycle is? You have the right to choose where you eat based on the food, service, and/or ambiance, and the government does not tax you on the maintenance of those restaurants, while I do pay for the maintenance of those roads. So I say, diners, find another restaurant, or go home and eat, for your personal demands infringe upon my personal freedom! I don't tell you what your rights are because I don't like what you drive, what you wear while driving it, or what it sounds like.

This focus is not on all the noise on this stretch of road either, but just bikers. Though, they would have you believe otherwise. Does that fire you up? It's clear discrimination. Do these restaurants (and diners) focus on the noise a local train makes? Other vehicles? No. They know they'd lose that battle. How about now, fired up yet?

They focus on bikers because they dislike us, as a group, and because IT IS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN. Why is that, do you think? I'll tell you why. Because the majority of bikers are complacent in their comfortable existence and won't get involved. "I don't go to that city", or "I'll just ride a stock bike", they say. It's always someone else's fault, or "I can't get involved because of my job", is another one I hear, but many fight anonymously. Shall I go on?

Because of a Call-To-Action at the last minute, the city commissioners were inundated with emails and letters of protest against this ban. A small number of bikers rallied to the city meeting (and I say small because, given the number of bikers in the local vicinity, it was a paltry number). A small victory was won that day, as the commissioners voted to table the ban for now. What might have happened if ALL of us were sitting home snug in our complacency, waiting for others to take action???

This war is not over folks. Delray Beach's solution now is to implement a severe noise ordinance. This means that I, with my after-market pipes, which are not noisy at all, will be targeted. Law enforcement in Delray Beach will, with no scientific justification, pick us off one at a time and issue outrageous fines for perceived noise, while ignoring the other sources of noise also present on this Avenue.

Yes, we won this first round, because enough bikers rallied together to fight it. Now we must regroup, discuss a new strategy, and attack again before they can gain a foothold. We must not waffle on this issue!

But wait, now I'm hearing voices in the wind, crying "compromise, compromise!".

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

What this says to me is, "Gosh, you were so nice to drop the [illegal] ban of bikers on Atlantic Avenue, I'll just give up a small portion of my rights in return".

As Ray Henke says, "I spit". Except, I'll go further and say, I spit ON YOU for even suggesting such a thing.

NO WAY should we compromise and allow this to happen! In doing so, we invite every city in the country with roadside restaurants (or any other perceived reason) to follow suit. We invite law enforcement to indiscriminately target us and collect huge fines for sound that is part of our heritage. And our right!

Can they differentiate between those who truly are in violation? No. They don't have the expertise or equipment to do so. Therefore I say to you now, do not compromise on this issue. it is unlawful and still very much discriminatory. If this law is passed, many of us will pay the price to restore our freedom, while filling the coffers of this small bigoted town. Will you be willing to fund my court costs?

Do we, as bikers, want our right to ride where we choose severely limited? While those with boom boxes in their cars go thumping merrily down the road wherever they choose? And so diners can sit on a busy road and not have to see or hear bikers on it? What about the "bad biker" image this law substantiates if successfully passed? That all bikers are a nuisance and should be "under the control" of others?

I know I don't fall into that category. And I won't allow this to violate my freedom to ride wherever I choose, after-market pipes or not. If I am ticketed and fined in Delray Beach for my after market-pipes on my otherwise stock Harley, I will fight it. And I will win. My video camera will be running, and I WILL ride wherever I please. Bring it on!

I will protest the unlawful search and seizure should they touch my bike, or shove a night stick up my pipes. I will demand to know how they've determined my bike is too loud. I will have witnesses. And I will win. I still hope it does not have to come to that. And when things get tough, I'll just keep fighting, and look up to the sky and give Quig the "thumb's up".

I may be a woman, but I still have the "cajones" to fight for my freedom. Do you?

Fight for the right to ride free, or get off your bike and sell it to someone who cares enough to join me.

Brotherhood (and Sisterhood)

Brotherhood is not about discrimination, it is about uniting in a commonality. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Motorcycles come in all shapes and sizes, and those who ride are the commonality, not the type of bike they ride.

Regardless of what someone rides, they are a "biker" and belong to the Brotherhood of bikers. Women are part of that analogy, though we are women. In this sense, Brotherhood encompasses all of us who ride.

If we are to be united in order to fight off those who would take our freedom to ride and stomp all over it, we must recognize that no matter what you ride, or what someone else rides, we are all part of this Brotherhood!

Read a post on RC's blog, Big Bend bikers For Freedom, sent in by a Sportbiker.

If you've done this sort of thing to a Sportbiker, to any biker, you may hang your head in shame right now. This makes you nothing more than a bigot, and worthy of nothing from anyone except pity.

I dislike this type of attitude (does that make me a bigot?). If you're one of "them", be sure to keep your mouth shut around me, or expect a new orifice to appear somewhere on your body.

Ride free, ride hard, ride whatever you like, just ride.

Jouralism By the Light of the Moon

Or should I say "by the light of Moonrider"?

I've spent a lot of time harping on Jouralism, and the ignorance or unethical writings of this country's Journalists. But I'd like to bring your attention to one Journalist who could write the book on Journalism.

She goes by the name of Moonrider. She is a Journalist, a true Journalist, meaning that's her profession. And she lives by the creed that all Journalists should live by, but sadly do not. She's also an avid motorcyclist.

All of her blog posts are well written and refreshing. Here you'll find not just editorials on the M$F, but on other subjects. Many of them will make you snark, chuckle, or just laugh hysterically. And some will inspire you to join the Freedom Fighters of this country who despise those who would take away our right to ride free.

Take a moment and view the video created by Moonrider below. This video is also posted on Big Bend Bikers For Freedom along with another editorial about it.

As in all of Moonrider's videos, this one is extremely well done, and spells it all out in plain words:

We, as motorcyclists face another foe who has no qualms, feels no remorse, about killing us. The very people who sell us our rides are in league with the M$F, and unless we come together to fight it, our next generation riders are going to suffer.

It's time to start asking questions, folks. Do the motorcycle dealers in your area support this farce? What is the M$F's agenda anyway?

Check out Moonrider's blog here and see for yourself. You'll find all the answers there, the data to support it and a huge eye-opener.

Ride free, keep your friends close, keep your enemies even closer.

Flex Your 4th Amendment Rights

I ran across this website tonight and liked what I saw:

http://www.flexyourrights.org/

Given that bikers are often in the cross hairs of law enforcement these days, and those "public servants" might feel more inclined to harass you rather than shake your hand, this website can give you some insight on your 4th Amendment Rights and keep you out of trouble.

And while you're there, check out the videos on bad cops. Simply astounding, given it was a 20 year old who had the cajones to take on the local law enforcement in his town.

Check it out and remove any doubts about your rights when you are confronted with law enforcement. Whether it be a traffic stop on the highway, an illegal checkpoint, or an approach while you are stopped, there's some great advice here.

It surely can't hurt to be prepared for those times when you can't resist cruising that boulevard where bikers are banned, or wearing your favorite DOT baseball cap in a helmet state.

I had to wonder: Is searching your pipes for baffles illegal without consent?

And when you've got about 45 minutes or so, watch the video. It's well done and I have to say I learned a great deal from it. I'm almost looking forward to an opportunity to try these new skills out.

Dissension Among the Troops

Recent issues surrounding motorcycle rights have glaringly brought to the forefront a wide dissension among the ranks. Why this is can only be discerned from a number of sources. I apologize up front for the long post. However, this post encapsulates many related issues of late.

Since coming to Tallahassee, I have become accustomed to frequenting several "bike nights" in the city. This is a great place to share information, find out who is doing what, and enjoy camaraderie. Tallahassee has two such bike nights that attract a large number of motorcyclists; Famous Dave's BBQ on Wednesday night, and Hooters on Thursday night.

About three weeks ago, information about a new bill in Florida raised its ugly head. A bill that, if passed, would allow law enforcement to permanently confiscate your motorcycle and remove your endorsement for 10 years. The violation? Speeding at 30 mph over the speed limit in what is deemed reckless operation of a motorcycle. The call on reckless driving would be up to the officer's judgement.

Now this bill is first and foremost a HUGE discriminatory move on the part of law makers. No mention of automobile drivers committing the same act is included.

Many of us who actively work independently as freedom fighters immediately called all those we know to action and wrote or called the state rep responsible for the bill.

The question cropped up, as it has in the past; where is ABATE?

ABATE of Florida, who claims to work for all Florida motorcyclists, was silent. No word of encouragement that all would be well, no alleviation of fears. Upon opening the ABATE of Florida's website, I expected to see a call-to-action. Nothing. Not until a few weeks later, when out of the blue Doc handed a "directive" down for everyone to cease and desist with the phone calls to the state rep. The missive said - the bill is killed.

Calls to the rep's office for days afterward confirmed it was not - as Doc stated - killed, but very much alive. Rumor has it that Doc was negotiating for different wording! Not for the demolition of this bill. Did Doc offer any information on what he was really doing? No. Just the usual "run along, children, it's all taken care of".

With all the "helmet" stuff going on with NTSB and NHTSA, and no substantial information on any assistance from ABATE of Florida, I had just about had it with ABATE-come-lately.

Then, recently, the city of Delray Beach, Florida, announced a hearing and their intention to ban ALL motorcycles from a 5 block stretch of road in their city, simply because diners along that stretch of road do not like loud motorcycles. A huge outcry from many biker sources ensued.

NO WORD FROM ABATE. Nothing. Nada.

I am a frequent visitor to a forum called Bruce-n-Ray's Biker Forum, where all issues surrounding motorcycle rights are posted by many freedom fighters around the country. Bruce Arnold of this forum is like the rest of us. He wants the protection of biker's rights for all, and has drawn us all into a unified army of freedom fighters through this forum. His logic is sound, and his motives are non-judgemental, and if biased, only heavily so in favor of our basic right to ride free and safe from cagers.

Many of us voice our "opinions" of ABATE, and other various motorcycle organizations around the country, but Bruce carefully remains "politically correct". (Remember this later when I tell you about an unwarranted attack on Bruce, by one ABATE chapter president and then by Doc himself.)

As a blog writer, I enjoy the freedom of saying exactly what I think, but always try to substantiate those words with facts. My goal is to get readers to think, and to sit up and take notice of what is going on around them.

Florida bikers, sit up and take notice.

Now, I've never met the president of ABATE of Florida. But here's what I know about ABATE and the infamous Doc. I will leave out what I have heard from RC of Big Bend Bikers For Freedom, as it is common knowledge that there is no love lost between RC and ABATE, and I wish for you to understand that these are my own conclusions. The words that follow are based upon articles and letters written by others about Doc and ABATE of Florida over the past many years. It is also based on ABATE meeting videos as well. I'll add my comments to the statements in italicized text in square brackets.

Doc is a paid lobbyist and President of ABATE of Florida. ABATE hired him on a contract to lobby for them. He cannot be fired from the job without being paid off for the guaranteed two years of salary. Doc is also reimbursed for all expenses incurred.

[I view this as a direct conflict of interest. As President AND lobbyist for ABATE, membership is helpless to oppose Doc's final decisions, many of which are indeed opposed by the majority.]

Doc has never disclosed a financial report as a lobbyist for ABATE, nor has ABATE disclosed when they've received government monies or how and when it was used.

[More suppressed information.]

ABATE of Florida is either late in confronting serious issues with regards to Florida's bikers, or does not deem it their responsibility to inform all of it's membership (or other Florida bikers) of what is happening, when it happens.

[It is my opinion that ABATE does not feel it's their responsibility to inform Florida's bikers. I also believe that Doc develops his own agenda until his actions are brought to light, and then changes them to align with what is supported by all. What I do know along these lines, is even when the ABATE membership wants a particular issue handled in a certain way, Doc has the authority to change it without the membership's consent. He did this blatantly with the cell phone bill. The membership wanted the bill to say 'ban all cell phones', and Doc amended it to 'all but hands-free'.]

Doc informs all government officials in Florida that he, as a lobbyist for ABATE, speaks for ALL Florida's bikers.

[Doc does not speak for me, or many other bikers of Florida. Doc speaks for himself, and a small number of ABATE members. This is a concern for me. What arrogance and disregard for those of us who differ in opinion from Doc. I am entitled to my opinion of what my rights are as a biker. So is Doc. However, Doc is paid by ABATE to lobby for it's membership, is NOT entitled to inform anyone that he speaks for me.]

ABATE of Florida has a history of bickering over who was the organization responsible for resolving individual issues.

[My, my, my. Are we talking about adults here? Or children arguing over who found the best tree house first. This is surely an overflow of Doc's arrogance onto it's membership.]

Now, let me break away for a moment and address a few things. First of all, when I first started reading about ABATE and their President, Doc Reichenbach, I started with a clean slate. I wanted to be objective in the outcome of my view of this person who has caused discontent with so many for so long. So one of the things I did was to ask others, face to face, what they knew of or thought of this person. What I heard was overwhelmingly negative.

Interview question: "Do you know who "Doc", the President of ABATE, is and what he does?"

Out of approximately 100 people, 43 of them were women, 57 were men. All own motorcycles. Of those 100 people, 66 did not know who Doc or ABATE was. Of the remaining 34, 26 were women. Here are the main threads of comments in this survey:

Those women who knew who Doc was, had starry-eyed praise for Doc as a figurehead, but when asked, had very little clue of what he does or doesn't do.

The men who knew of Doc merely stated Doc was a lobbyist, or president of ABATE.

Those women who DID know about Doc, and what Doc does, had a common thread to their comments; Doc is a sexist.

Now, I won't print their comments here, as I do not want to worry about meeting up with some hit man in a dark alley, but some of these comments would make any woman's skin crawl. It is enough for me to know that Doc feels threatened by women of any intelligence. I guess that means there will never be a chance to ask Doc questions and get reasonable answers. I am, after all, a woman engineer of reasonable intelligence, and very tall (strike three).

But I digress.

I got two line items from this interview with local bikers:

A very alarming number of motorcyclists in this state do not know who or what ABATE is.

Those women who have had any interaction with Doc aside from exchanging pleasantries, thought he was a sexist.

I don't know which one alarms me more; the fact that a great majority of bikers know nothing about ABATE, what they do or are doing (even members), or that Doc, who presumes to speak for me as one of Florida's women bikers, is a sexist. At this point, I'm struggling to find a reason why I should like or trust Doc with any of my freedom fighting.

Somehow I don't think I'd get idle pleasantries from Doc. So here's a few questions for ya Doc, so you can be prepared if and when we ever meet and we can avoid the idle UNpleasantries:

Why do you think you have the right to tell me whom I can and can't write to, when no one (other than maybe a choice few) has any clue what you are up to, at any one given moment?

Why is it that a place like Bruce-n-Ray's Biker forum broadcasts issues long before ABATE does? And very often from forum visitors, not moderators.

What gives you or ABATE the right to criticize those of us who fight for the rights of bikers?

As a public figure, and paid lobbyist for ABATE, why is it no one has ever seen a financial accounting for the ABATE money you spend?

If you have nothing to hide, and you know people are questioning your motives and actions, why won't you disclose to the public what you are doing?

So let's look at a recent squabble involving ABATE and another Florida motorcycle club, the Enforcers. We've already covered the fact that ABATE is more often than not late in addressing serious issues at hand. Last week, Bruce Arnold sent out a call-to-action requesting help in stopping the Delray Beach motorcycle ban ordinance. The highest of praise and heartfelt thanks should go to Bruce for calling in all freedom fighters and swamping the email boxes of the city commissioners who will decide this issue tomorrow.

NO ONE HEARD ANYTHING FROM ABATE.

However, apparently the Enforcers MC planned to rally and protest this city hearing, and since ABATE had already made contact with the city's officials, an argument ensued. Not about the fact that another club was organizing a protest, but about who got there first! And of course, the president of the Palm Beach ABATE chapter had to throw in a slur against the Enforcers MC, and Bruce Arnold as a scapegoat for anyone hearing this call-to-action from other than ABATE, because once again, ABATE failed to inform anyone of what they were doing!

Here's a few quotes from the Palm Beach ABATE President, "Strongbow" in answer to an inquiry as to what is going on (see the thread here and judge for yourself):

Of the Enforcers MC, he says, "In fact this group of cops and ex cops are not welcome at alot of local establishments and motorcycle events for the very same reasons that this ordinence had been proposed. This action is purely for their own purpose.

"Their trying to make it appear that they are responsible for organizing this rally when in fact they contributed to the the city taking this action."

Read a rebuttal to this comment from a member of the Enforcers here. Now there's a man with integrity.

And here's what Strongbow says about Bruce:

"You must have received an email from Bruce Arnold who has had a hard on for ABATE since he was rejected as a candidate for webmaster for ABATE of Florida 4 years ago."

A "hard on"? This is an elected chapter president? Is this how an organization conducts itself, who claims to represent me, a biker of Florida?

So I ask you, the reader, is it any wonder our right to ride free is being challenged more and more frequently? That we are losing ground, losing respect?

What else can we expect, can I expect, from these immature little boys making an attempt to play at being adult.

Can we focus on what the issues are at hand? Can we unite as bikers, one and all, in an effort to thwart the ever increasing violations to our rights as Americans to ride free?

Over and above the obvious kowtowing to Doc Reichenbach by a whole lot of bikers who can't think for themselves,

Over and above the fact that Doc Reichenbach is a sexist (my opinion based on numerous other comments made directly to me),

Over and above ABATE's sad organizational and social skills,

The issues at hand are more important than anyone's ego.

Get over yourself, all of you. Put aside your differences, and GIT'R DUN!

Rumor now has it that Doc went into a tirade, in an ABATE meeting no less, about RC and his blog. It seems that Doc doesn't like that RC prints things about him. Yet, when RC has tried to ask Doc questions Doc doesn't want to answer, Doc gets angry, Doc gets nasty, and Doc threatens RC with his bodyguards. If this is how Doc has treated the women I interviewed, no wonder they have a low opinion of him.

OK, so let's recap here.

Doc Reichenbach has treated some women bikers with less than acceptable decorum.
[Surely does make me anxious to meet him! I can't imagine any woman biker would want to support ABATE or Doc knowing that Doc treats women this way.]

ABATE is slow on the take when it comes to critical issues, and squabbles over who got there first.

Doc and ABATE's reputation is gaining notoriety which causes Doc to launch into a tirade at a state ABATE meeting. [Enough to cause someone to warn RC to watch his back. Read a threatening letter from Doc to Bruce here, when he posted his support of RC.]

ABATE and Doc Reichenbach continually warn off those of us who would add our voices to the others in Florida who are not ABATE members, stating that we 'might screw up' Doc's (ABATE's) chances of achieving his agenda. [They insist "we" must join them, but they will not join "us" and unite in a common cause.]

And to all this I say, to Doc and ABATE of Florida: You are not the majority I think, not anymore. You're screwing with OUR goals now. (Squabbling with, and defamation of, the Enforcers MC. Lagging and withholding of information on critical issues. Opposing what Florida bikers want on legislative issues.)

I guarantee you, Doc, I won't be having a temper tantrum in front of multitudes in a state ABATE meeting and make idle threats over one person (now two) who isn't afraid to ask the right questions. I left that behavior behind in my teenage years. What I'd be happy to do is provide you with a mirror, for there you will find that which must be corrected; your own behavior, your own actions.

If you can't do that, stand down and allow the army of freedom fighters to march on, uninhibited by the dissension of your making.