Barack Obama - Is This Who We Want Running Our Country?

The quotes below are written by Barrack Obama. This may be old news to you, but it should not be ignored. Regardless of what race you were born into, this type of attitude will divide our country even further, and perpetuate racial issues, not help. Racial prejudice is a mindset that cannot be overcome by a leader of that mindset.

The quotes below are indicative of a man who harbors bigotry and racism from a very early age.

From Dreams of My Father: 'I ceased to advertise my mother's race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites.' (Obama's mother was Caucasian. That he would associate one parent or the other by their race alone is disturbing.)

From Dreams of My Father: 'I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mothers race.'

From Dreams of My Father: 'There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white.'

From Dreams of My Father: 'It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names.'

From Dreams of My Father: 'I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn't speak to my own. It was into my father's image, the black man, son of Africa, that I'd packed all the attributes I sought in myself, the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, DuBois and Mandela.' (The racial identification of these great men are irrelevant in comparison of what these men stood for. That Obama can only see what color they were is proof of Obama's "fixation" on how color defines a man.)

From Audacity of Hope: 'I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.' (This one quote alone is enough to tell me that Patriotism means very little to Obama, and I doubt very much this has changed.)

One could argue that Obama wrote these words years ago, but may have changed his views. I think not. As a well read and educated individual, he wrote this at an age when his views of life had already been formed, just not when he could recognize he might be judged by them at some point forward.

The heart of a man who would become President should not be of any color or race. It should be that of a human being who is 'color blind'. If anyone thinks a man of this attitude and stature will champion your cause based on race or color, you deserve whatever perceived prejudice comes your way, for you invite it with full clarity.

God, by all forms, and by all names, does not identify man by color. That Obama does is very frightening. I will not endorse a man who identifies anyone by the color of their skin, no matter when he wrote it. I would feel the same about any candidate who did so about creed, religion, or gender. Do you? Will you?

Doc and Abate Dive Deeper Into The Cess-Pit

I've written here before of my distaste for FL Abate's President and paid Lobbyist. I've always felt that holding both positions was a conflict of interest. No one I know disagrees with that opinion either. Thus far, I have withheld my opinion with regards to Doc, on this blog, but I can keep silent no longer.

I am not sure what hold Doc has over FL Abate's board of directors, but it must be something substantial, and perhaps either dangerous or damaging. Any other explanation could only point to extremely ignorant and/or blind qualities of the individuals holding those offices. I cannot believe they are so blind to what is happening right in front of their faces.

As a Lobbyist, Doc's actions leave much to be desired. And apparently, others feel the same. It has been my belief for some time now that state legislators hold very little respect for Doc as a Lobbyist, and perhaps as an individual.

My first suspicion came in the form of viewing their behavior when Doc spoke in front of them at a hearing last fall. Most were whispering between each other, and some were idling flipping through papers in front of them. A few smirked to themselves when Doc made suggestive comments on how well he knew all of them. This was not the reaction I expected to see from those who work with Doc behind the scenes.

The second revelation came when I spoke to an official (who shall remain nameless), and was interesting in speaking with RC and I on our views of what could be done to make highways safer for bikers. She asked if I was affiliated with Abate. When I said no, she said, "oh good, I cannot stand Doc, he is mean, nasty, and spiteful". She gave me her card, and has since kept her word on exchanging ideas and has offered her help in dealing with state reps.

Another person, also nameless, but I will say is a state rep, said he was tired of Doc but felt he had no choice but to work with him. Other Lobbyists have said they have heard this too.

Many of us, RC of Big Bend Bikers For Freedom, Bruce of Bruce-n-Ray's Biker Forum, and others, have been the target of Doc's nastiness first hand.

RC has been threatened physically and refused entry to a State Abate meeting. Bruce had his Abate membership revoked with no forewarning, and I have been attacked for reporting what I saw at a committee hearing, by Doc specifically, and had other members of Abate attack my integrity based on pretty much nothing (apparently, I'm not a "real" biker because my leathers look too new and I don't publish my real name on this blog). One Abate member took exception to my disgust for apathy among bikers in Florida and decided to label me with the "c" word in an email, and copy it to others. Not the stuff one associates with professionalism or integrity in my book.

We have heard of members unceremoniously kicked out of Abate, chapters disbanding, and other members stifled during state meetings when they spoke up in protest. The wonders never cease.

I've heard about nothing but strong-arm actions in this "MRO" of Florida (and I use that term loosely) for the past year and a half, since making my home in Florida. In researching Abate's past, the history is not pretty (a lot of legislative compromises, and blatant financial secrecy).

Conversely, I've also heard about chapters "doing their own thing" and steadfastly keeping to matters at hand. Still, they also refuse to see the writing on the wall; Doc is taking them down, through his own unethical actions, and the fact that the BOD follows him like lambs to slaughter.

Now we have word that the Whitesands Chapter (NW Florida) has disbanded. And the reasons are right in line with all the other horror stories I've heard. Only this time, the facts are out, straight from inside the organization.

In a nutshell, upon asking to be placed on the agenda at a state meeting, Whitesands members and their President, Diana Woods, were refused. Why? Because they wanted to see an accounting of performance and financial disclosure for what the Lobbyist (and President) was doing for his $50k/year pay (62 days of work per year - jeeeez, I'm in the wrong business!).

Read the entire letter from Diana Woods here. Apparently Diana received a certified letter of notice to disband her chapter. As RC says, how can you force disbandment of a chapter that has already disbanded?

Abate has lost a valued member in Diana, and a large chapter membership. That they cannot see the damage this has done, or will do nothing about it, alarms me. It shouldn't, but it does. How many apathetic bikers will stand by and watch more atrocities of this nature within their ranks and look the other way? If not apathetic, how many are simply afraid of retribution? And what does that say about those who are afraid, or about the those they are afraid of?

I know I will get "hate mail" from Abate members. Take your best shot, I know where the delete button is, right after I post your nasty emails on B-n-R forum for the world to see. The events of this past year speak for themselves, and the actions of Abate's president are directly responsible. The perception Florida has of Abate is rapidly going deeper into the cess-pit and Doc is putting it there. Doc's actions are nothing short of a despot, and if you can't see that, well, wish in one hand, shit in the other, and see what you end up with.

Nothing will change that perception until Doc and those in power change it through their own actions. Someone once said to me that good-will is rather like a bank account. You must make sufficient deposits to stay in the black. Too many withdrawals and the perception others have of you goes deeper into the negative. I'd say that Doc and Abate have made far too many withdrawals, and it'll be a long time before that account is reconciled.

Now's your chance to give your opinion anonymously. Vote in the poll (upper right hand corner of the home page).

Looking For Votes In All The Wrong Places

Last weekend, I rode with the Patriot Guard to honor Master SGT Shawn Simmons. Read the account here. When the time came for the escort to the cemetery and burial ceremony, the PG provided the escort and cross-street blockers - because Tallahassee Police and County Sheriffs would not.

While we escorted this procession, at nearly every cross-street, motorists honked and shouted obscenities at being blocked from continuing on their way while we passed. Several blockers on motorcycles had drivers attempt to go around them and cut in anyway, endangering their lives. The obvious disrespect of all was alarming. I had no idea just how much disrespect there is in Tallahassee for our military.

I came away from this mission with a blazing outrage - twofold; 1) the Tallahassee Police and Leon County Sheriff needed to be called out, on their refusal to provide police escort, and 2) the pissant attitude of Tallahassee citizens with regard to honoring our military needs to be addressed.

So Tallahassee's Sr. Road Captain, Mike Donohoe initiated the first contact with a letter, and others followed up with theirs, which prompted the Police Chief and the Sheriff to meet and discuss the policy on no escorts. Several Leon County Commissioners threw in their support as well, though they have no jurisdiction over law enforcement policies. We finally got word that the policy had been revised and police escorts for military personnel would be provided.

The fact that we had to demand the policy be changed is an outrage in itself, but either way, it appeared we would prevail.

With victory at hand, I anxiously awaited the promised press interview that would announce the change. Then I read the article, and sat here stunned beyond belief. Escorts would be provided, but with conditions; as long as they didn't conflict with football games!

Once again, I seriously question the integrity of Leon County Sheriff, Larry Campbell. So if I read this correctly, and based on the fact that football teams were often escorted by police prior to the policy change while soldier funerals were denied, in the event of a conflict, football games would prevail.

It could also mean that during football games, a funeral procession through town would be a nightmare, and he would choose not to provide the escort for that reason, or maybe he thinks he won't have enough officers to comply.

Now I could understand not wanting to take a funeral procession through Tallahassee during a football game. Tallahassee football fans are just as obnoxious as anywhere else. That's their prerogative. However, who says any funeral procession must go through town? There are any number of routes that can skirt the congested area. And, in the case of a conflict with a football game day, I feel certain that the family, whose son or daughter came home from Iraq in a casket, would not mind being flexible. He could also prevail upon neighboring counties for added support, couldn't he?

It's called innovation. I use it in my daily job, managers of grocery stores use it, high level executives use it, mothers of large families use it. So if Sheriff Campbell is capable of using innovation to make something work, why wouldn't he? I'd like to believe Sheriff Campbell is an innovative manager, so why would he voice this 'condition'? Was he trying to cover his ass in the event he could not provide an escort, or didn't want to?

Here's what I think. Sheriff Campbell is worried about re-election. I'd say football fans in Tallahassee outnumber those who are aware of military funerals. And I'm convinced there are many who never think about the daily lives of our military personnel so far away from home. What's a few motorcyclists, or Patriot Guard Riders, in comparison to thousands of football fans when it comes to voting?

So I question the integrity of a man, whose role is to protect and serve, but is willing to compromise the honor of the most honorable of any of us, by placing football games above the funeral procession of a fallen soldier, who is by all rights, a hero in my eyes. All in the name of votes? And, Sheriff Campbell is a Veteran. That makes his statement all the more despicable.

If anything, let's look at how this statement appears to the general public. It says that OK, he'll provide the escorts (because we pinned him down and he had no choice), but don't worry citizens of Tallahassee, they don't rank above you all, and your fanatical football games. So why in the world would the good citizens of Tallahassee care about fallen military soldiers? It doesn't appear that our Sheriff does either.

Is it any wonder that we were shouted at, cursed at, and threatened? And some of the comments written in response to the news article are even more evidence of the ignorant, and cowardly, attitude so prevalent in this city. Sure tells you where the priorities are in this town, and those priorities don't include the reverence and honor for those who fight so far from home, for those who die in the name of freedom, yours and mine.

In spite of the change in policy on escorts, Sheriff Campbell won't get my vote this year, or any other year. I like a good football game now and then, but not at the expense of those who give their lives for mine.

My prayers tonight will be for PGR missions to be few and far between. And for Sheriff Campbell to be replaced with another whose integrity is intact.

Ride free, ride loud, ride long, ride safe.

In my last post, I have printed my response to Sheriff Campbell. I encourage you to also write to him with your thoughts on this matter. His email is CAMPBELL@leoncountyfl.gov

Open Letter to Leon County Sheriff, Larry Campbell

In response to Sheriff Campbell's reply to me stating I would hear in the news tonight that the escort policy for military personnel would be allowed.

Dear Sheriff Campbell,

Better late than never, I always say. I can overlook the length of time it took, and the effort it took from us to bring this issue to the forefront. Changing the policy was the only decision that could be made, and is appreciated by many families to come.

Chief Jones' statement that it is only smaller cities that provide escorts is incorrect. Jacksonville is always there in full force when needed, as are many other cities in Florida that are much larger than Tallahassee. No matter. The policy is changed and that is what's important today.

What I find hard to overlook is your comment printed in the paper that football games take precedence. There are ways to cover both by working with other counties. The likelihood that both will happen on the same day is remote, but routes can be planned to avoid the city - any number of things. I'm certain the families would agree to be flexible so that they can be accommodated. And I would expect you to be innovative in a situation like that.

Making that statement was uncalled for, and takes all of the goodwill out of your actions in changing this policy. Was that really necessary? Who was that directed at? The outrage originated from escorts provided to sports teams but not fallen heroes. That statement makes it very hard to see you in a different light, Sir.

In spite of any conflict in providing escorts for military personnel, it is you and Chief Jones who will bear the public scrutiny; good or bad, depending on your actions in a given situation. What you say and do in the public eye sets a precedence for others, and this town already has a piss-poor attitude when it comes to our military, which was evident in the shouts and threats we received by motorists who had to wait the extra few minutes for the procession to pass. Do you think this town's sports fans would feel any differently about a fallen officer on your force? No, not unless you do. When push comes to shove, I stand for any soldier who dies in the war over any fanatic who can't contain themselves over a football game. For they choose to attend a football game, our soldiers don't choose to die in Iraq.

It is a sad day when a law enforcement officer loses his or her life. My heart and prayers go to all in this regard. Soldiers are no different, except their daily lives are far worse. They don't get to go home at night to their families, and many never see them again. The majority of them have not even lived long enough to have their own families, other than parents and siblings.

Those who ride with the Patriot Guard do not put their personal lives before these soldiers and their families, and the risks we have taken in escorting them is part of that. I would expect the same from our law enforcement, who are paid as public servants.

I'm not a Veteran, but I've lost loved ones in every major war since WWII. All were spit upon and dishonored. It is time for this country to STOP the disrespect, and understand that it is not about whether the war is right or wrong, it is about those who die in them, their service, and the families who love them. And you are in a position to help that change. Let's move forward and do the right thing.

Respectfully,
Sam

Freedom Isn't Free

I had planned to write up my rendition of the press conference that was held at the capitol Monday morning, in a dry blow-by-blow sort of way, but I walked away from that conference with something else, besides the distaste I had for our state's political blindness. RC had already blogged on this, but I felt the need to vent after seeing this new "dog and pony show". So this is what I saw of this conference, but more importantly, what I saw of RC in action.

The new campaign, "Ride Proud, Dress Loud", is at best a "feel good" move, and will contribute to future problems for motorcyclists everywhere. But RC made damn sure our concerns were heard. If they didn't know him before, they know him now. I knew we'd only get the chance for one or two questions, and I knew RC would hit them hard.

I have known RC for a little more than a year now. Each time I am with him somewhere, fighting the good fight, or supporting our troops, I see something new that smacks me right up the side of the head and says, see, there's another reason this man has more integrity than those lofty politicians sitting up there in their tidy little offices, or the "little Napoleon" who runs the [small] MRO called Abate in this state. Come to think of it, if any Abate members were at this conference, they did not make their presence known. Why am I not surprised at that?

The title to this blog is one of RC's favorite sayings. RC runs the Big Bend Bikers For Freedom blog, and if you haven't been there, you should go and check it out. And if you have been there, you know that RC is every biker's warrior. An "old school" biker in every sense of the word, RC is a bearded, long-haired biker who has been-there-done-that. His sense of fairness and compassion is evident in everything he does; quick to laugh and kind of heart, until you mess with freedom, or give yourself airs you don't deserve. Then you'd better run and hide until you've mapped out 100 ways to make it up. God love him.

So back to the press conference. Now I may be wrong in thinking that many of the 50 odd bikers that showed up for the press conference on Monday were there to hear the speakers, and maybe get on TV, but I know for sure that RC and I went there specifically to challenge the discriminatory flavor of this press conference. And a handful of others I know came for that reason as well. Some who showed up and made the "feel good" comments to reporters that were printed in the media, and may like wearing neon pink; the better to see them when they are riding home drunk after Hooters bike night. OK, I sometimes wear a white and red colored jacket. But that's because I want to. No one is going to dictate to me what I wear when I ride. No one. And I won't give lip service that contradicts that.

So while the majority are either standing around waiting for something to happen, or socializing, RC is documenting, networking, and cornering officials and reporters. I'm still hanging back and making myself available to him when needed. I don't recognize these people yet the way he does.

This press conference was nothing more than a publicity stunt designed to win public approval, in spite of what anyone else thinks. I knew that, RC knew that, but I don't think many others knew that. Some were indignant that anyone would protest such a "feel good" initiative the state had cooked up "for motorcyclists". Lord, help me look past their short-sightedness.

So let's examine why on God's green earth two of this state's freedom fighters would think our freedom is yet again up for grabs.

Fact: 2/3 of all motorcycle deaths are due to negilgent and/or distracted drivers of 4-wheeled automobiles.

Fact: Drivers convicted of right-of-way violations, and killing or injuring a motorcyclist, are fined for a traffic violation and allowed to go free.

Fact: The majority of guilty drivers who kill or injure a motorcyclist can get out of any restitution by stating, "I didn't see him/her".

Fact: Drivers who use cell phones while driving, hands-free or not, are equal to impairment of a driver under the influence of alcohol.

Fact: There are no valid studies that show bright colored clothing, or motorcycle color makes a motorcycle more visible to a driver, especially one who doesn't look.

Fact: Light colored helmets and headlights have proven to be helpful in making motorcycles visible to motorists, WHEN THEY ARE LOOKING.

Fact: The state of Florida now mandates that all new riders must take a state designated rider training course, for about $200.

Fact: There are 29 approved driver education schools for various fees.

Fact: A standard drivers license written test contains no information about motorcycle awareness or cautionary techniques.

Fact: A standard drivers license only requires a driving test and written test. Renewals only require a written test.

Fact: A motorcycle is bound by the same driving laws and is entitled to use the same roads as any other motor vehicle.

Fact: When a helmet-less motorcyclist dies at the hands of a negligent driver, the government and the public focuses on the absence of helmet, not on the guilt of the driver, regardless of the injury that caused the death.

This last fact is the most telling of them all. Tell me, dear readers, once this campaign is going strong, and "Ride Proud, Dress Loud" is plastered all over the state, how often will we now hear, "Well, she didn't see him because he was wearing black"? What this campaign will do is raise awareness for yet another excuse for NOT seeing motorcycles. Now it'll be, "he hit him because he was wearing black, and he died because he wasn't wearing a helmet". God help us all. Next thing you know, some uppity state rep with a hair up his ass, like Carlos-Cantera, will come up with a bill forcing all motorcyclists to wear neon orange vests, helmets, and plaster neon stickers all over our bikes.

There are 15.5 million drivers in Florida, and only 3.9% of them are endorsed. Why is the state trying to convince US to accept sole responsibility for those 2/3 motorcycle fatalities that are not the rider's fault? Does this not smack of the band-aid approach that helmets do? We know that helmets will only protect our heads up to 20mph, and that most fatalities occur at much higher speeds. We know that the head is only part of the body, which contains many other areas where we may be fatally injured, all of which is mangled in a crash between a motorcycle and an automobile. The physics will win every time.

Indeed, that morning I rode my bike down to the capitol, and while sitting at a red light, in the right lane, a pickup truck squeezed past me, IN MY LANE, to make a right hand turn. If I had leaned my body to the right even 6 inches, his mirror would have smacked me in the head. Somehow I doubt that wearing neon orange would have made any difference. My point being, drivers take full advantage of motorcyclists without any regard for their safety, and just don't care about looking for us, or are too distracted to. I've been told the risk of them hitting me is solely mine, because I choose to ride, which, in their mind, absolves them of any wrong-doing.

I would challenge you to an experiment, assuming the Director of FLHSMV has credibility in her statements about color of bike or clothes. While you are out driving your car next time, and you see a motorcyclist coming in the opposite direction from a distance, I'd like you to determine what color the bike is, and what color clothes the motorcyclist is wearing, first thing, the minute you spot them in the distance. Especially if you see a biker on a Harley, or cruiser type of bike. Can you see what he's wearing through the fairing? Can you tell what color the bike is on the small front fender?

Mark my words. Somewhere soon, a motorcyclist is going to die at the hands of a negligent driver, and the first thought that will come into their head as they look at him lying in the road is, "oh my, I didn't see him because he's wearing black, so it isn't my fault".

So yes, we went to that press conference to protest. What were they thinking??? The director of FLHSMV was adamant, in her words to us before the conference started, that this is about "everyone", including other motorists, but the official statements made by her, and by the Tallahassee Police Chief, and the FHP were all about motorcyclists taking the responsiblity and making ourselves even more visible so we don't have to die.

Both LEO's stated that enforcement of dangerous driving would be increased. My first thought was, "and they weren't enforcing all of it before?", then I thought, well that's nice, but what are you going to do about a deterent? What about stiffer penalties for killing someone in a ROWV? Enforcement will merely increase the number of citations paid.

There were other things that just fried my ass at this hearing. Most notably the eight, count 'em, eight motorcycle cops attending to lend a pretty picture with their bikes all lined up by the podium. Why does that piss me off? Because last Saturday the Patriot Guard escorted a fallen soldier through Tallahassee to his final resting place, and the county Sheriff and Police chief refused to give an escort. PG riders blocked roads for the procession, and risked being run over by angry Tallahassee citizens who couldn't wait five minutes for an honored soldier to pass. In the state capitol!

Another thing that came to my attention was the money paid to hire a marketing firm to advertise this campaign, which came out of state motorcycle safety funds. Yet, the state of Florida saw fit to pass an increase in endorsement fees to help pay for rider education, a portion of which is pocketed by the M$F, who will be delivering rider courses we are forced to pay $200 for! Gosh, do I "feel good" yet?

Now back to why 'when I grow up I want to be like RC'.

When the state officials were all done with their flowery speeches, one of the reporters asked if questions would be accepted. No sooner than they accepted this, RC stepped up to the plate. This may not be accurate word for word, as it is quoted from memory, but he asked very clearly, "What specific measures are you going to implement to assure that distracted drivers who kill us are punished?". And true to all politicians and most state officials, they danced around the question and merely repeated the "extra enforcement" comments. So, RC again repeated his question. And for a second round, they repeated their comments. The main thing is, everyone heard his questions. You could have heard a pin drop. And all the reporters were watching, and paying attention.

The officials then stepped down and disbanded, but every one of those reporters and cameramen clustered around RC like moths to a flame. He gave statements and answered questions. Sadly, the reporter that the Tallahassee Democrat sent to the press conference cared little for printing the truth. It most definitely didn't go down with "a roar of approval and motorcycle engines". See that story here.

I tell you here and now, the government will not tell me what to wear when I ride. I've stayed alive this long by treating every other driver as though they would run me down if they had the chance. If you can't see me or hear me coming, YOU DIDN'T LOOK!

And MY campaign will always be "Ride Proud, RIDE Loud". I'll leave the dressing loud for the FSU student body and the bike night drunks. My pipes are loud enough, thank you very much.

And RC? Well, when the chips are down, my vote stays with his. Watch out Florida politicians, he's got your number. Read RC's rendition of this press conference here.

Ride proud, ride loud, ride long, ride free. Freedom isn't free, especially if you're wearing neon pink.

(Note: As of this writing, the Tallahassee Police Chief and the Leon County Sheriff's department are [allegedly] negotiating a policy change to provide police escorts for fallen soldiers returning home to Florida. See the story here.)