Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Events in Ferguson

Many who know me know how I feel about cops. Pretty much like I feel about everyone else, I'll treat you with respect as long as i believe you are treating me with respect. I have however had numerous contacts with law enforcement officers during my years. Many have ended up badly and some times I have said things that encouraged bad things to happen to me.

I do not know how the events in Ferguson went down. I am not sure many or any of us do. I know that it is tragic that a young man is dead. It is always tragic when someone's life is taken from them. I also know that since I am white I cannot fully understand or see prejudice at work, I try to be colorblind but sometimes I am just blind to how a word or an action might be interpreted.

I understand the community of Ferguson wanting to know what happened and wanting to insure that justice was done. Hopefully that is what we all want. The community had the moral high ground at the start of the events in Ferguson, they could have demonstrated peacefully in large numbers and gotten the attention they wanted. they knew that on college campuses in the 60s and 70s that is why you heard chants of the whole world's watching. The whole world is watching here.

However instead of seeing peaceful protests on behalf of this young man. They saw rioting and looting. Martin Luther King and many of the Civil Rights leaders of his day saw what Ghandi was able to accomplish in India utilizing passive resistance. That could have been used here, this could maybe have been a watershed moment where perhaps people like myself could have been educated slightly as to what it feels like to be a minority.

Instead we saw behavior that reinforced the worst stereotypes of a group of people. I know that many people who protested were peaceful, that is the way it always is however a vocal minority, many of whom reports say aren't even from that community came in and behaved in a way that only benefited them and harmed the businesses in that area. There are many problems that we need to face in this country and race is one of them. Things are much different now than when I was young but there is much work to be done.

But we need to quit blaming each other and events of the past for where we are now. It is time for each and everyone of us to pick up the yolk and be responsible for our actions and where we are in life.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Loyalty Respect and Brotherhood/Sisterhood

I've been riding quite a bit lately with a friend of mine who lived by this code. Just knowing he is riding with me makes the trip just that more enjoyable. There are many who speak these words but they have never truly comprehended what any of it means. Hopefully I can set the same quality example of these ideals that my friend did.

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Ferguson Riots

The rioting that is going on in Ferguson has lasted longer than the riots after the assassination of Martin Luther King. Now I am not going to speak to the merits of the legal case what I am going to point out instead is that Martin Luther King was a great man who helped a lot of people and he was truly senselessly gunned down. This situation is nothing like that The fact that people could move towards healing so much sooner in 1968 when race was a much bigger issue than it is today, says a lot one the economy does suck and when people do not have jobs and money they do feel disaffected but still destroying property and stealing is no way to commemorate anyone's life. If this young man was truly a law abiding citizen then people's behavior runs counter to what he was. If he was less than an exemplary citizen, it does not matter looting, destroying and stealing are not going to bring him back nor are they going to bring jobs to your area.

Stuff to do this weekend

Lots to do this weekend:
16 Benefit for Lumpy starts at 2 at Mudbugs in Caseyville, IL trying to raise money so he can be transported home for further treatment of his injuries

16 Donnie Bauman(sorry not sure about the spelling) with the 100 MPH Club signp at their clubhouse

16 Patches and Badges Escorted Ride to Music Festsign up at Ted's Motorcycle World from 10 AM to noon

16 FORR Rodeo at the Tattooed Lady in Moscow Mills, MO 10 to ???

16 Spassfest Bike Show sign up at Schoendienst Park Germantown, IL 10 AM to noon

16 NOCO Riders Summer Party and benefit at Su Wallers starts at 11

17 Hartbauer/McBride Poker Run sign up at Ted's Motorcycle World from 11 to 1:30

17 Ray Hutchings Benefit sign up at Lee's Package Liquors 2528 gravois Rd. kickstands up at 11:30

Thursday, March 6, 2014

I'm back

Boy I have not been here in a while. It took me a while to figure out how to post here again. I am going to restart the blog. As always we welcome your feedback. We are one month our from our annual spring TBL Motorcycle Swap Meet at the Loading Dock in Grafton, IL and the event calendar is filling up and we look forward to attending many of your events this year. See you on down the road.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Stuff to do this weekend

Looking for something to do this weekend here are some ideas:

13 Doc's 58th Anniversary Bash " A Tribute to Ralph" at the dealership live music, vendors and more. This is a rocking party.

13 Piasa Gateway ABATE Rodeo sign up at Cottage Hills VFW from 4 to 5

13 Biker Baptism check gates open at noon baptism at 2 just off Hwy 30 in Missouri 32 miles from the junction of 270 and 30

14 Red Knights 1 Axe Run sign up at Ted's Motorcycle World in Alton, IL from noon to 2

14 Car and Bike Show at the World's Fair Pavillion in St Loui, MO registration from 9 to noon judging at 2 trophy presentation at 4

Thursday, April 11, 2013

This weekend

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Here are some offerings

13 Ted's Spring Open House - sign up at Ted's Motorcycle World 10 to 4 in Alton, IL

13 Motorcycle Swap Meet - at the Morley Missouri Community Center from 9 to 3 PM

14 Bootleggers Spring Run - sign up at Ted's Motorcycle World 11 to 1 in Alton, IL

14 American Legion Poker Run - sign up at 11 to 1 at Collinsville American Legion 1022 Vandalia St

14 Pegasus Meat Shoot - American Legion Post 1255 on Eiler Road in Belleville, IL starts at noon

And no matter what you do, have fun and be safe