Gabrielle Giffords Is a Motorcyclist
By now everyone knows that Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot Saturday in Tucson, and that a lot of other people were killed in the incident. What many motorcyclists don’t know is that Rep. Giffords is one of us: She rides.
Giffords is chair of the United States House of Representatives Motorcycle Safety Caucus. I didn’t know that but you know the folks at the Motorcycle Riders Foundation did. As soon as they heard about the shooting they issued a statement describing her as “a true friend of the motorcyclists of this country.”
I was wondering what she rides and the best I could come up with was a photo of her with some BMW that I don’t recognize, a boxer.
What is far more significant than what she rides, however, is what I found when I went looking. I found a YouTube video she did for the Motorcycle Industry Council promoting Ride Your Motorcycle to Work Day. Not surprisingly, that video has had a lot of viewers in the last 24 hours, and a lot of comments. Some of them are incredible. Statements like, “I hope this socialist c— dies.” And apparently in response to YouTube removing some more outrageous comments, this: “What ever happened to freadom of speach? Only if you support faggots and socialist negros.” Or this: “She was a jew !” And this: “She got what she got! f–kin illuminati whore.”
What is wrong with these people!? Where do these scum breed? These self-proclaimed America-loving patriots wouldn’t understand the values of our founding fathers–or the people of this country today–if George Washington and Thomas Jefferson enunciated it for them to their faces.
I know this is getting off the topic of motorcycles but today is not an average day. If you read the blog regularly you know that for nearly three years I have been writing for Examiner.com as their National Motorcycle Examiner. In my life beyond motorcycles I have been interested in politics but turned off by the style of politics that has become so prevalent, where your opponent is not just someone you disagree with, but the devil incarnate. Someone absolutely evil.
Getting fed up with that, just three weeks ago I took on another title at Examiner, as their National Common Ground Examiner. The intent of my writing on this topic is to promote a return to civility in politics and to making reasonable compromises in order to actually fix some of the problems facing this country. To use a metaphor, there are no Republican potholes or Democratic potholes, there are just potholes and they need to be fixed. Do it! It’s fine to disagree, and work for different ends, but treat each other with civility and respect.
Little did I know that my topic would so suddenly become so relevant. But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. As the Common Ground Examiner I’ve been writing about a group called No Labels that is working for this same return to civility. I’ve been reading the comments people make about the group and it is astonishing how negative and vicious many of those comments are. The one that particularly sticks in my mind was a guy who said, “Not all who hate America are liberals, but all liberals hate America.” Is there anyone who doubts that it was this sort of sick thinking that led to the attack on Gabby Giffords?
Oh, and just for the record, I’m not a Democrat or a Republican. I’m a registered Independent. But I’m going to quote the words of the Republican Speaker of the House, John Boehner: “An attack on one who serves is an attack on all who serve. Acts and threats of violence against public officials have no place in our society. Our prayers are with Congresswoman Giffords, her staff, all who were injured, and their families. This is a sad day for our country.” Do you idiots who cheer this attack just not get the message?
Recent from National Motorcycle Examiner
Arizona motorcyclist Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords shot in head
Biker Quote for Today
Ride fast, life is short.
Tags: Gabrielle Giffords
January 9th, 2011 at 7:38 pm
It’s just sad when this kind of stuff happens. An open democracy (or republic) needs a civil base to function…
Representative Giffords has a collection of Vespas I understand. You can read more about that on Scootin’ Old Skool”
January 10th, 2011 at 8:47 pm
You cant own a firearm in Mexico,and the only one who has guns are the druglords.……
January 11th, 2011 at 11:10 pm
Representative Giffords is in our minds as our nation makes an effort to understand this reasonless and unmerited hit. It is to be hoped for that we will all transitorily put away our enlarging antagonism along republican vs democrat lines. We are all of us citizens, neighbors, and have equivalent aspirations and challenges, and are more identical than different.
January 12th, 2011 at 2:39 am
RIP. My condolences and sympathies. I too don’t understand the attitude of people. The person’s already dead, they should simmer down! It’s really surprising to learn that she’s a biker, truly, one should not judge a book by it’s cover alone because you never know what’s inside.
January 14th, 2011 at 9:18 pm
To every person who is arguing for stricter firearm bills because of the tragedy in Tucson, might I proffer this mini kindle of sanity: If guns kill persons, then pencils misspell words, cars drive under the influence, and silverware makes people pudgy ! Keep in mind: View the individual answerable for their deeds, not the mediumthey may wish to implement.