The curious timing of the release, two months before the study's publication, was revealed on 22 June, with the release of The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee’s report, "Motorcycle Injuries and Fatalities since the 2003 Repeal of the Mandatory Helmet Law." The official government report found that the fatality rate has remained IDENTICAL and major and moderate injuries, along with the crash rate, have actually DECLINED! The state report also addressed the Pitt study, noting that "it did not determine incidences of helmet usage in motorcycle head injury deaths and hospitalizations," even though that data is available.
Disregarding the findings of the state report, Allegheny County Councilman Matt Drozd (who, not coincidentally, requested the Pitt study) introduced a resolution calling on the state to re-enact a mandatory helmet law. Meeting vocal opposition from motorcyclists, Drozd amended his resolution to maintain freedom of choice, but deny public health care funding to any motorcyclist involved in a crash resulting in head trauma which could have been prevented by wearing an approved helmet. The Drozd resolution was referred to the Public Safety Committee, which will meet to discuss the measure on 31 July.
Committee Chair Jim Burn (one of the good guys) has gone above and beyond to encourage bikers' participation in the Committee’s deliberations, scheduling the meeting to make sure it does not conflict with the Sturgis rally in August, and we plan to turn out in force. (Although these committee meetings are generally not open to public comment, he invited "as many as we care to bring" to speak in support of our position.) In the meantime, Council--and especially Councilman Drozd--needs to hear from the broadest possible spectrum of motorcyclists. We request your assistance by letting Council know your thoughts on discriminatory government actions that penalize motorcyclists in the name of public safety while completely ignoring the widely recognized hazards which actually cause m otorcycle crashes and kill bikers every day.
You can contact Councilman Drozd at mdrozd@alleghenycounty.us
In addition to Drozd, members of the Public Safety Committee include:
James Burn, Jr. (Chair)
jburnjr@alleghenycounty.us
John DeFazio
jdefazio@alleghenycounty.us
James Ellenbogen
jellenbogen@alleghenycounty.us
Vince Gastgeb
vgastgeb@alleghenycounty.us
Dr. Charles Martoni
cmartoni@alleghenycounty.us
William Russell Robinson
wrobinson@alleghenycounty.us
Other members of Council are:
Rich Fitzgerald (President)
rfitzgerald@alleghenycounty.us
Joan Cleary
jcleary@alleghenycounty.us
Michael J. Finnerty
mfinnerty@alleghenycounty.us
Nicholas Futules
nfutules@alleghenycounty.us
Amanda Green
agreen@alleghenycounty.us
Robert J. Macey
rmacey@alleghenycounty.us
Chuck McCullough
cmccullough@alleghenycounty.us
Jan Rea
jrea@alleghenycounty.us
The general email address for County Council is:
council@alleghenycounty.us
Council's phone number is (412) 350-6490, and faxes can be sent to (412) 350-6499.
Thanks in advance for you help, and
Live to be Free!
Lynn M. Wesley
Assistant State Legislative Coordinator, ABATE of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania State Representative, Motorcycle Riders' Foundation
Our Response:
Sent this date:
Allegheny County Councilman Matt Drozd,
To say I was taken aback after reading the resolution you wrote to withhold health care from people who do not wear helmets is an understatement. Discounting the fact you are apparently using faulty data on which to base your recommendations. Were you to have any idea what you were talking about you would know that there is no such thing as "approved" helmets.
However as concerning as that may be, it is not near as concerning as somebody actually got elected that would withhold health care from anybody for any reason. Much less from people who are injured through no fault of their own other than exercising there freedom of choice. Since you apparently feel that you intellectually comprehend what not even NHTSA has been able to defend and have the moral superiority to determine who should live or die then it is apparent that you do not understand the principles on which this country was founded. May I call your attention to the following Mr. Drozd:
"But most men of the American Enlightenment shared John Adam's way of thinking. In the critical period of 1776 and 1777, leaders of both the Continental army and the Congress adopted the policy of humanity. That choice was reinforced when they learned that some British leaders decided to act differently. Every report of wounded soldiers refused quarter, of starving captives mistreated in the prison hulks at New York, and of the plunder and rapine in New Jersey persuaded leaders in Congress and the army to go a different way, as an act of principle and enlightened self-interest. "
"After the Battle of Princeton, Washington put a trusted officer in charge of the 211 captured privates with these instructions: "Treat them with humanity, and Let them have no reason to Complain of our Copying the brutal example of the British army in their Treatment of our unfortunate brethren. ... Provide everything necessary for them on the road." Hessian prisoners were so well treated that, once they had got over the shock of it, they could be sent from one holding place to the next without an armed escort".
In other words sir, the individuals who paid in blood for your right to be a pompous ass did not do so out of concerns of economy. They did so out of principle. They would provide the comfort and care to an enemy you would refuse a citizen because his idea of liberty does not align itself with yours.
Considering the above sir, I would consider you not only a traitor to your country, but to human kind as a whole. The right thing for you to do would be to relinquish any representative position you may hold as it is obvious that you do not represent the "principles" of those who died for YOUR insignificant little ass councilman.
rc
B.O.L.T.
Let Freedom Reign
http://
The battle for Liberty never ends!Add to Technorati Favorites
TEst
ReplyDeletetesting
ReplyDelete