Now we are all for free speech. We are not supportive of persons ripping off the public in the name of disabled veterans. Yet this is happing all over the country. And for the most part, unabated, unchallenged and not being held accountable by the very states that license them and the IRS that monitors them. So needless to say, since we had le trusty camera with us we had to ask a few questions.
Of course the response we got from them eventually was, "if you want information you have to check our website." Which of course is worthless. So not wanting to give in to total impotence we hunted down Starke Bike fest staffer, which was hard to do by the way.
We finally found the lady we were told we needed to talk to emptying trash. We advised her of the situation. We offered to show her video evidence of their questionable activities and put her on the phone with someone in Tallahassee who could give her the whole skinny.
HER RESPONSE, "I'm sorry, I don't have time to deal with that right now. I'm to busy"???????? TO BUSY????? Emptying trash????? Emptying trash takes precedence overinsuring the people attending your event are not being ripped of in the name of Veterans????? WTF???????? WTF kind of answer is that. TRASH OVER VETERANS??? TRASH OVER YOUR ATTENDEES BEING RIPPED OFF.
For a moment we were shocked into speechlessness as she went running off into the distance with her trash in tow.
So option #2 there were various Veterans Motorcycle groups around. We approached one and advised them of the situation. They did get on the phone with our contact in Tallahassee. If anything came of it we are not aware as nothing had occurred prior to our leaving a few hours later.
Now the person who was with me is a staunch supporter of veterans and wondered why nothing was being done, as she was certain some sort of action would be taken. In fact she had a damn good idea, a few vets could line up in front of the booth and politely tell people that the group was a scam. But again, as far as we know, nada, nothing.
Now this writer, having documented over the years numerous occasions/instances of people talking the talk but not walking the walk was not surprised. After all, it was a pretty day, there were pretty ladies around, music to be listened to and beer to be consumed. Apparently it just wasn't a good day to stand on principle. We mean like after all, so many of us have spent so long actively avoiding and ignoring principle why start taking a stand now. Again, there are alcoholic beverages to be consumed and artery clogging fest food to be eaten.
But heres the gig o.k. every dollar those folk get in their bucket is a buck that does not get to a real disabled vet somewhere who really needs a dollar or two. And who is going to yell the loudest and complain the most over the abuses veterans suffer?
Ironically the Disabled American Veterans booth was almost directly across from the ABATE of Florida booth. So if chose not to get ripped at one booth you could cross the road and get fed a song and dance by the other group that has been actively engaged in ripping off taxpayers in the name of Motorcycle safety while motorcyclists sat on their thumbs going, "ABATE who?"
Now, if you really want to see and here activism at it's finest, just belly up to your favorite barstool at your favorite Biker watering hole and listen as the experts opine on what needs to be done to fix this world. Just as soon as the game is over, the Keg is emptied and my ol lady gets of my ass cause the grass ain't cut!
Besides, it's all O'bamas fault. And then it will be Romneys fault. It will always be someones fault besides our own for laying down and taking it.
As the saying goes, give me a freaking break!Add to Technorati Favorites
Jean Luc Veraguas, who set the foundation up, recently pled guilty to his role in a $200 million dollar medicare fraud scheme that was ran out of Miami. This guy is a dirtbag and I find it amazing that the foundation is still running.
ReplyDeleteWhat is equally amazing is the number of people who line up to give these folk money w/o asking question one.
ReplyDelete