| Brothers and Sisters, you may not know it, but we receive a lot of response from the website articles we publish, and from the email information letters that we send out on a regular basis. We decided that, rather than read your responses and wallow in our pride (or anguish, as the case may be), we would start a page to display them. We really appreciate your feedback to everything we do, and encourage you to let us know your opinions! So, from this date on (10-20-99), if you have an opinion or idea you would like to share with the rest of the group electronically, feel free to send it to the Webmaster (click on the word to generate an email), or to the Coordinator. By the way, if you're not currently getting our email updates and want to be added, click on either of the links above and send a blank email with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. Thanks, Duke |
| Here's a response via our feedback form that comes from a new
ABATE member. She attended her first meeting in Region 5 on March 5th at Hamilton County,
where Rick Hartigan is doing a fine job for his membership. Rick was gracious enough to
give myself and Gary Mink the floor for a few minutes to speak to the group about
important issues coming up in the next few months. The following is what she submitted to
us: |
| SubjectOther: Abate Meeting on 2-5-00 UserEmail: GoofyT40@aol.com MessageType: OPINION Username: Tammy Comments: It was the first meeting I had ever been at.
I really wasn't sure what to expect but when I heard Duke speak and the way he
presented it I was very impressed the way he presented it. I thought it was
very nice he touched on the things we needed to know and never wasted a
moment. |
| Well, folks, it looks as if the dread "Y2K" bug was
just an overblown bit of media hype. Life goes on as usual. The electricity is still on,
the water still flows from the tap, toilets flush, and, as you can tell by reading this
column, computers, for the most part, have not crashed in the numbers predicted. It would
be interesting to do research into the companies who sold millions of dollars in the Y2K
bug "fixes", and see how many of them are owned by media networks such as ABC,
NBC, CNN, CBS, TNN, FOX, etc. I suspect that the people who bought into the Y2K frenzy
further lined the pockets of one or more of the mega-corporations listed above. We received an email composition from one of our members on New Year's Day which describes the outrage felt by most folks upon realizing that they had been duped again by the media. The transcript follows below. |
| Well...it's January 1st, 2000. My computer is still running...I never checked to see if it was compliant..The toilet in the other room is still running so I guess that means the water supply hasn't been cut off. I didn't even experience a power surge. Christ almighty- I think the only Y2K bug going around is those viscious cases of the flu all my friends have.Does anyone else out there feel as if that our wonderful news media crafted an elaborate scheme that generated millions of dollars in spending? -Profiting themselves and a whole wealth of folks who actually couldn't give a rat's ass about what happens to you. I'm sure they will argue that our "awareness" settled many issues before they became a problem. Well here comes my opinion...... If we as Freedom Fighting Americans, fighting to maintain our rights in the motorcycling community and beyond only received half of the attention as the Y2K dilemma our ranks would be multiplied, our voices heard to the tune of screaming front page headlines....Whole issues of TIME magazine devoted to our causes, public awareness of the rights people are trying to strip from you...etc...etc...etc. Simply mind boggling. Let's get out there and get vocal everyone! I heard a sayng the other day....."The best way to predict the Future is to Create it" ................. How true how true! Let's pull together and create something we can all be proud of! 'Jewels" Julie A.Kinney |
| The following letter is a response to an article which was
published in the Dayton Daily News on November 28th, 1999. The article highlighted the
trend toward a more responsible and educated motorcyling community, and featured Warren
County ABATE, as well os other groups in the area. The letter, written by ABATE member
Julie Kinney, appeared in the letters to the editor section of the DDN.
|
| From: Julie Kinney Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 1999 10:09 AM To: 'LARRY_BUDD@COXOHIO.COM' Subject: DAYTON DAILY NEWS 11-28-99 Dear Mr. Budd: Sincerely, Julie A. Kinney |
Posted via email 10-19-99 by Gary, was the following letter, the subject of which was covered in our regular meeting on 10-17-99: Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 1999 12:15 PM Subject: Gang Clothes Hello Freedom Hungry People, If you were at our meeting Sunday.you heard me speak of the gang law. Well, here is a little something else they are trying. When will it end? When we're all clones? Think about it! read this and let me know what you think. Gary Mink Warren Co. Abate GORE PROPOSES BAN ON GANG CLOTHING The Vice President of the United States has proposed (this is a direct
quote) ''A BAN ON The Responses: From: Meyer & Brown To: gmink Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 1999 11:05 PM Subject: Re: Gang Clothes So does this mean that our local police will be classified as a gang not to mention Boy Scouts, Brownies, ROTC, Military, Private Schools with dress codes????? Dickie From: <Boaterman9@aol.com> Steve From: Something Special Cycles To: gmink Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 1999 3:41 PM Subject: RE: Gang Clothes Gore... duh... and this guy is a "wanna be president".. sure.. heaven help us if the American public elects him! Theresa - Customer Service From: Hogel, Jonnie <HogelJ@cintasmail.com> From: Linda Doll <DollL@Healthall.com> From: Garry J. Noble To: gmink Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 1999 4:19 PM Subject: Re: Gang Clothes gmink It's getting real bad on the street. Police are supposed to "PROTECT and SERVE" but somehow it's become "HARASS and INTIMIDATE"!!! It's is amazing how many people are blindly giving away their rights. The problem is that if too many do it,... We'll ALL lose. Thanks for the Information Garry J. Noble PO Box 321 Rising Sun In. 47040 812 438-3844 garry@noble-eng.com From: Hogel, Jonnie <HogelJ@cintasmail.com> From: Oakey, James <James.Oakey@Entex.com> The same day, an email with the subject of the Ky helmet law (also covered at Sunday's meeting) was sent out by Gary. Here is the letter, and a response to it: Here is a little tid-bit I thought you might want to hear also in case you weren't at the meeting Sunday. Thanks Gary Mink KENTUCKY MOTORCYCLE DEATH TOLL INCREASES ONLY SLIGHTLY ONCE HELMETS OPTIONAL The repeal last year of Kentucky's requirement that motorcyclists wear helmets has not brought the carnage some predicted. Statistics compiled by the Kentucky State Police report 31 deaths from motorcycle accidents in the year after the helmet law was repealed. In the year before repeal, there were 29 deaths in motorcycle accidents. There have been five fatalities from July 1999 until the present. ''We haven't had the experience we expected,'' Lt. Col. John Lile said yesterday. Lile told the General Assembly's subcommittee on highways and traffic safety that the helmet law should be reinstated. He said the year-to-year comparison may be an anomaly. National statistics still show that motorcycle deaths decline with helmet laws, he said. Jay Huber, President of the Kentucky Motorcycle Association and one of the primary lobbying forces that persuaded the 1998 General Assembly to repeal the helmet law, said the warnings were always overblown. ''It just hasn't happened and we really didn't expect it to happen,'' Huber said. The law now in place requires helmets for all motorcycle drivers younger than 21 and without a year of experience. Huber said motorcyclists would like another section of the law repealed. Motorcycle license plates are supposed to have a small sticker showing that the driver has medical insurance. Some motorcyclists say the sticker requirement is merely an excuse for law enforcement personnel to harass them or pull them over. On that point, state police sort of agree. ''The law is a little bit difficult to enforce,'' Lile said. The stickers are virtually impossible to see while vehicles are moving, and officers almost have to pull over a cyclist before they can check for the insurance requirement. Lile said state police officers have written only 15 citations since the law took effect in July 1998. In the fatal accidents from July 1997 to July 1998, 22 people were wearing helmets, three were not, and in four cases helmet usage could not be determined. After the helmet requirement was repealed, 13 of the fatalities were wearing helmets and 18 were not. Lile said there should be similar concerns about serious injuries that require long and expensive hospitalization, although there are no statistics on those accidents. Huber said injuries will occur with or without helmets, so usage should remain an individual decision. ''When you're on the highway at 60 or 70 mph ... it's going to cause some damage,'' Huber said. BY MARK CHELLGREN, ASSOCIATED PRESS Now, the responses: From: Something Special Cycles To: gmink Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 1999 3:41 PM Subject: RE: Ky Helmet Law Hi Gary, Can I use this on our website? We're redesigning it and I want to have a "news & info" page. But I wouldn't publish anything without your permission. Let me know. Thanks! Theresa In response to our Veteran's Day Email reminder, we received this comment: Subject: Web or Email Article |