Last weekend, one of the largest planned biker rallies in the mid west was abruptly cancelled by town officials two days before the event was scheduled.
The village of Grayslake Illinois pulled the permit for the 4th annual Ironhorse Motorcycle Roundup after being warned by some state cops and some feds that rival motorcycle “gangstas”, the Outlaws and Hells Lovers (affiliates of the bad boy Angels), were planning to have a little brew-ha-ha.
The event was expected to attract from 20,000 to 40,000 bikers from around the country. Over 120 vendors were expecting to participate. Many people lost a lot of money, and/or the opportunity to make some.
Because the town was afraid a fight might break out at a biker rally? Gimme a break!
According to the Grayslake Review website, organizers are considering launching a class action suit against the Village of Grayslake to recover some of the profits lost and money spent, calling the cancellation of the event discrimination against bikers.
Local Biker “Gangs” point out their willingness and ability to mobilize events throughout the area, and indeed the country in general which raise proceeds to benefit a multitude of charities and just causes.
The last three biker rallies at Grayslake were totally free of incident, proving that a rowdy group of biker types must not necessarily end in mayhem and carnage.
Beyond the obvious dissing of the biker community, a dangerous group of thugs consisting of doctors and lawyers and business people, the move also points out to what lengths our governments will go through to avoid the embarrassment of anything going wrong anywhere near the confines of their jurisdictions.
With new bureaucracies like the Dept. of Homeland Security and the Illinois State Police Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center sprouting up all over the country, we should be able to rest assured that through their diligent covert listening activities, every one of us will be able to have a long and prosperous life and die peacefully of old age.
Have we as a society come to expect to be protected from life by our parents, teachers, and our local, state, and federal governments?
Youngsters today can’t jump on a skateboard without first donning the appropriately approved headgear, kneepads and back brace, can’t even ride a bicycle without a helmet. God forbid somebody would get a scrape.
Dogs can’t go outside without being tethered to a human following diligently behind, scooping up poop to ensure that nobody’s rights are treaded on.
People who smoke are banished to the outer limits so that non smokers don’t become smokers by proxy, some legislators wanting to arrest mothers who smoke in a car with a child.
An eighteen year old sleeps with a seventeen year old and is branded a sex offender for life, and shoot, even a polygamist can’t catch a break anymore.
It’s only natural that mothers want to protect their children from any and everything. It’s hard to cut loose the apron strings. But it’s a little freaky to me when federal, state and local governments want to legislate the reality out of life. Or pull the plug on a major event cause they’re ascaird of a little biker fight, leaving the participants with no more than a “sorry, we did it for your own good. Better to be safe than sorry.”
Jeesh!
Related Resources:
Ironhorse cancellation may bring lawsuit
Raising hell over Harleys
Ironhorse cancellation deserves explanation
