The angriest I have ever been.

[JayOMF]

I just returned from the festivities downtown, and I have to express how downright furious I am at what I saw tonight. Apparently our Fall Ride brings out the most ignorant, closed minded *ssholes. I saw several people (maybe local, maybe not) wearing shirts with, for example, a swastica, and the words "proud member of the master race", or another that had a picture of adolf hitler and said "when i come back, no more mr. nice guy". now i'm all for free speech, but this is beyond acceptable. capitalizing on hatred and prejudism is sick and wrong. I urge everybody who reads this to NOT support any vendors who market this racist garbage. Don't buy a shirt from their stand. Don't allow them to set up on your property. Theres a point where somebody has to say enough is enough. I thought the fall ride was about enjoying motorcyling. "Colorama" should be about appreciating the outdoors and having a good time, not instigating racial bias.

<small>[ September 18, 2005, 03:09 PM: Message edited by: JayOMF ]</small>

[JayOMF]

I forgot to mention, these shirts we're being sold at the t-shirt stand in the lot in front of express video.

[Deb Richardson]

As much as we would like to think that this type of hatred doesn't exist in the beautiful northwoods or anywhere else in our great state for that matter. It does!! Just ask the good folks of Mercer.

By law these idiots have the right to sell their wares. However, by boycotting I think the message will get across or most of all if denied space in the future,(oops all spots are already filled), maybe these folks will see that their line of thinking will not be tolerated. I'm sure it won't change their way of thinking but will let them know it won't be tolerated in Tomahawk.

It would have made me very angry as well.

Missed not hosting bikers or being in Tomahawk for the festivities.

<small>[ September 18, 2005, 03:24 PM: Message edited by: Deb Richardson ]</small>

[aphephilia]

I'm just going to keep my mouth shut on this one, LOL

[Catfish]

While not being a racist or bigoted in any way, I would have to say I'm not bigoted in the OTHER direction either. Some people may be offended seeing a shirt saying that "Jesus Saves". There are racists among us as well God loving and God fearing people. Life if full of choices. Why should we believe we can be bigoted in any direction. Some people believe it's only there selves that can save them and that people who wear a Jesus Saves shirt are idiots. Different strokes for different folks. Live and Let live, fall mountains, just do't fall on me. Remember that either of those type of shirts provoke the same conclusion from certain people, "My, what a poor misinformed person".

[Dopey Dwarf]

.

[angieland]

Dear Jay,

You are not a Biker ( educated guess)......if you were you would not post such non-sense about T Shirt slogans, as tasteless shirts, stickers, ect. you may see at Rallies such as Tomahawk and others...REMEMBER our 1st Ammendment..HEY there's allot of T Shirts about Womens parts....but that isn't your gripe now is it?

Just go out of town next year to save yourself the aggravation. Peace Brother...Biker Chic Angie

[angieland]

PS...Lighten up you Jay and other ramblers...and learn how to laugh....

[JayOMF]

actually both of my parents were bikers for years. i talked to them about it and basically got the impression that the shirts were probably just for shock value, because bikers (at least the real ones) like to go against what everyone else is doing. you'll have to forgive me, i guess years of being taught equality in school made me naive enough to think that racial inequality was something other than a joke for a t-shirt.

my "educated guess", angie, is that you aren't jewish or a member of any minority group.

[nugget]

Being a biker was shock value when I started, now that everyone and their brother ride (I should say they try to) they need something else. I am impressed thuogh if that is the only complant this year. The people who stay at our home were complaining about the prices on the east end of town for beer so they just stayed on the west end of the street. Ohter wise fun was had by all.

[Dave]

I know that there are some basic differences between the two issues, but does anyone else find it amazing that we have large organized groups invoking the power of the Constitution to prevent the spread of Christian beliefs and ideals yet using the same Constitution to protect the rights Neo-Nazi bigots to get their message out to your kids?

[aphephilia]

Angieland, your posts reek of ignorance.

[Catfish]

In responce to the Dopey Dwarf message saying that government condemns hate groups but not religious expression. WRONG---- You must have heard that prayer is not allowed in public schools. Why is that??? Is the "jesus Saves" group dangerous to society??? I never thought so, but,I rest my case on the preferential bigotry towards only certain morally offensive shirts. Prayer must be morally offensive to our government control. By the way, now the "Pledge of Allegiance" is banned from being recited in school. Where do we move?

[Brian]

My apologies to Jay for participating in the sidetracking of this thread...
Public schools are not and should not be the place for religious instruction. Why is that so hard for some people to understand? The assumption many make is that children will only be taught about 'your' religion and to worship 'your' god. They might see the error of their ways when the wee ones come home and explain that this week they have pledged allegiance to the one nation under God/Zeus/Allah/Beelzebub/Manitou or whichever deity is up on the religious instruction wheel that week. None can be given preference. If continuous religious indoctrination/reinforcement outside of your home and church is that important to you then please send your kids to a private school. There they can be instructed to worship in whatever way you want without government interference.
Back to the T-shirt thing... while I may find some of them personally offensive, I'd stick with pointing and laughing at the losers who think they are representative of some 'master race'. I have also heard of 'tagging' them with an inconspicuous squirt gun filled with bleach and diluted acid but that would be naughty and ruin a nice piece of fabric

<small>[ September 20, 2005, 02:28 PM: Message edited by: Brian ]</small>

[Deb Richardson]

Bravo, aph, I was going to say that my educated guess was that angieland wasn't educated. Sorry I couldn't help myself, bad day at work.
Brian, I think sometimes it's nice to be naughty!

<small>[ September 20, 2005, 03:06 PM: Message edited by: Deb Richardson ]</small>

[Dopey Dwarf]

.

[Catfish]

You Dopey Dwarf, you don't know how to read, or at least to process the words you see. What makes you think I'd like to thank whomever took prayer out of school. I said that someone in government must fear prayer in school AS IF it was dangerous to society. I also said that I never thought so. IF someone in government, you say in Wisconsin, banned prayer from school and now the pledge of allegiance, I'm assuming THEY would find Jesus Saves shirts morally offensive as well. So as much as WE would think a Hitler shirt was morally offensive, SOMEONE, (you say from Wisconsin) must find Jesus Saves shirts equally as offensive. What Catfishes and Dwarfs may conjure up in their minds of someone wearing a Hitler shirt might be, "What an idiot" so does some wisconsinite think of the person wearing the Jesus shirt. I, personally don't care what kind of shirt anyone wears, because anyone can be an idiot if they want to be. Life is full of choices.

[Dopey Dwarf]

.

[Catfish]

Dopey D. great, we're friends again. I'd hate to think I left an impression of not being a God fearing person. And as far as the Haulacost (sp?) I think it was unconsionable.
Do what you know and don't be slow in the path of Rita. I wish you and yours a safe experience. I rode out two hurricanes and the one was quite hairy as it picked up my house, with my family and I in it, and set it back down. Be safe....AND....may God be with you.

[StrokerAce]

Hello Everyone !

I stumbled on this strand by chance. I was actually checking to see if the people that hit the Deer were ok.

My wife and I were at the Fall Ride this year and also were there for last years event. My wife's Uncle kindly allowed us to use his Cabin for the weekend. I too saw the same T-Shirts that some people were wearing. The person wearing the shirt got exactly the response they wanted...they got a rise out of someone. It just so happened to be you and perhaps several others that elected not to say anything about it. I've seen shirts like this one before in my home county.."Door County" and they were mostly worn by Teens and some young adults. It seems that by your mentioning of these shirts that you got responses about Sex, Politics, Education & Religion...did I miss any?? You seem to be an educated person and I'm quite sure you are well read, but we stil have to remember where we live...it's America...I may not like what their shirts say or express, but I'll fight until the day I die for them to have the right to say or express it. I didn't care for some of the language used by a few of the locals we met...even when it was in front of their own children...that can happen anywhere. Our choice was to walk away and seek our fun in another part of town. I'm in the tourism business and see people from all walks of life. Not everyone has the same beliefs and will never agree on everything someone else says or does, but I still believe in the reasons that affords us the right to freedom of speech and expression.

I'll finish and get off my soap box with this...
Tomahawk...you put on a FANTASTIC event !! Don't let something like the T-Shirt thing mess with the meaning behind the Fall Ride! We met some really nice people while we were riding up there...yes...we did run into a few "Special" people, but that won't stop us from returning next year...."GOD willing!" Seize the day and embrace it !! Life is too short !

[Kerry Tobin]

Best wishes Dopey (and anyone else evacuating)...

[Dopey Dwarf]

,

[Dopey Dwarf]

.

[1sg2339]

You are so right about the shirts, let's not stop there, how about some of the tv shows and music that promotes reverse racism? If you listen to some of the music and the messages from movies and some tv shows why is it ok for minorities to display and promote racial hatred?

[aphephilia]

and why is it ok for people to display and promote smoker hatred?