MRF (Motorcycle RIders Foundation) Gets it Right

After numerous calls for the MRF to take a stand. They come out on the right side. Calling for support of Richard "Quig" Quigleys (in the wind) Final battle.

REQUEST TO ALL STATE MOTORCYCLE RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS AND NATIONAL RIGHTS
GROUPS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 29, 2008

Contact: ABATE of California, Inc.:
Don Blanscet, Executive Director, 530/432-1513 donb51@earthlink.net
Mike Osborn, Judicial Officer, 805/644-1617 mwosborn@mindspring.net

Biker Rights Advocates and Freedom Fighters,

Historic litigation will go to trial soon to overturn the California
helmet law. It will set important precedent that freedom fighters can use
across the nation to overturn existing state helmet laws on constitutional
grounds.

It is litigation that ABATE of California strongly supports, and we call
for the support of our brother SMROs nationwide. ABATE of California set
up a Judicial Fund to serve as the war chest for the litigation. Despite
the thousands of dollars, that ABATE of Calif. members have raised, the
demands of the litigation now require us to ask you to stand with us.
ABATE as far away as Delaware, (the first State to sign the United States
Constitution), have stepped forward and contributed to this nationally
important constitutional litigation, followed most recently by ABATE of
Michigan and ABATE of Northern Nevada. Three tiny ABATE of Delaware Locals
joined together to contribute $8,500 to the Judicial Fund, amounting to
$8.00 for each ABATE of Delaware member.

Delaware also called on all other good freedom loving bikers, and SMROs
nationally to recognize the importance of this California litigation and
to join with ABATE of California to assure that the litigation succeeds.
The helmet law that NTSB is attempting to shove down the throats of bikers
nationwide is constitutionally vulnerable, and it is precisely this
vulnerability that the California litigation will exploit.

The NTSB has recommended that all states adopt helmet laws requiring
motorcyclists to wear helmets compliant with the federal motorcycle helmet
performance standard set forth at FMVSS 218. The California helmet law is
essentially identical, unconstitutionally vague as enforced, and incapable
of being interpreted to conform to constitutional requisites thus
rendering it unconstitutionally unenforceable.

Please consider honoring this call, on behalf of ABATE of California, and
the growing number of other SMRO's nationwide, to assure that the very
best constitutional case can be presented here for the benefit of every
American rider.

You may send your check to:
"Judicial Fund," c/o ABATE of California,
10240 Seventh Avenue,
Hesperia, CA 92345.Add to Technorati Favorites

Westboro Church protestors get their due

Sent in by Girl Geek

The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Apr 6, 2008 10:04:01 EDT

A federal judge has issued liens against a fundamentalist Kansas church and ordered two of its members to post cash bonds while they appeal a $5 million judgment resulting from the church’s protest at a military funeral.

The Westboro Baptist Church has filed a motion seeking to stay last November’s verdict, in which a jury found that the Topeka-based church intentionally inflicted emotional distress upon Albert Snyder of York, Pa. Snyder’s son, Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, 20, was killed in Iraq in March 2006.

The church frequently pickets military funerals, arguing that the deaths of U.S. troops overseas are part of God’s punishment for the nation’s tolerance of homosexuality. Since the verdict, the church has protested at other high-profile funerals in the Baltimore area, claiming that “God hates Baltimore.”

U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett on Thursday placed a lien on the properties of the church and its founder, Fred W. Phelps Sr., and ordered two of Phelps’ daughters to post cash bonds of $125,000 and $100,000 within 30 days. (read more here)

The Westboro Church protesters are one of the reasons behind the formation of the Patriot Guard.Add to Technorati Favorites

Mother on a MIssion- A one woman army

We have published a couple posts about Diane Pierson and the work she has been doing for motorcycle safety after the death of her son Gene in 2005. We knew she was doing a lot but we did not know exactly how much. So I asked. Here is the response:

Since the death of my son Gene in May of 2005, I have become a Mother on a Mission for Motorcycle Awareness in Florida. I have turned a negative situation into one that will benefit others. I try to help educate the public that motorcycles deserve the same respect as other vehicles. To share the roads safely and to remember to “LOOK TWICE-SAVE A LIFE MOTORCYCLES ARE EVERYWHERE “

I have 15 Yellow Cabs (donated space) riding around with the Look Twice-Save a Life message.

14 Bus Benches (donated space) located in Pinellas, Pasco, and Hillsborough Counties have the purple/white message.

3 Billboards (donated space) by Clear Channel and CBS have been up alerting motorist to LOOK TWICE

1340AM Tan Talk Radio Station airs my Public Safety Message to LOOK TWICE-SAVE A LIFE throughout their daily programs.

A Public Safety Commercial that was produced for me and is shown 400 times a week by Knology Cable TV, can be viewed on my web site.

14 Bus Shelters (donated space) by Clear Channel and have the LOOK TWICE-SAVE A LIFE message in Pinellas County for the next 4 years on a rotation basis.

10 Buses (donated space) by Hartline Bus Company with the bumper sticker message. To be kept on indefinitely.

I give bumper stickers away free and with the help of local DMV and Tax Collector’s Offices in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties. Full Throttle magazine also distributes them state wide as they deliver their magazines. As of date 37,000 have been distributed.

In one year I have started the Gene Pearson Motorcycle Awareness Foundation, where you can view most of my motorcycle awareness items. The website is www.genepearson.org all of the above items are up and running at this time.

I am constantly looking for ways to keep motorists aware of motorcycles as they travel our roads, if you can help me in any way, I would welcome your assistance.

Respectfully,
Diane/Mother on a Mission
202 Timberview DriveSafety Harbor, Florida 34695

But here is the magic in it all. Most of this work has been done in a in a years time. Not one dime of taxpayer money has been used to accomplish this. No running back and forth to the legislature to bargain with politicians. Just one mother on a mission. A person with a cause. Many of our Bikers could learn from this ladyAdd to Technorati Favorites