Stop lights aren’t going to stop bikers determined to ride to DC to honor the victims of 9/11.
Although city officials denied motorcyclists permits to ride through the nation’s capital without having to obey street signs, the patriotic bikers are grabbing their helmets anyway, proving their need for speed isn’t as important as their need for honoring fallen Americans and heroes.
Motorcyclists are taking part in the "2 Million Bikers to DC" event to remember the victims of 9/11 and to honor our armed forces who fought those who precipitated this attack, according to the group’s Facebook page. Organizers introduced the idea in response to the planned “Million Muslim March” on the National Mall, which, unlike the biker event, won support from the nation’s capital.
Washington, DC officials granted permits to participants in the "Million American March Against Fear," originally titled the “Million Muslim March,” which was organized to demand social justice from the US government. AMPAC’s Chief of Operations Isa Hodge wrote that Muslims and non-Muslims alike were traumatized by the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, “but we as Muslims continue 12 years later to be victimized by being made the villains.” However, like the event’s title, organizers changed the language to a description less controversial. It now reads their goal is “to ask all individuals and organizations working for peace to attend this collective action to tell our government leaders we want transparency and policies of peace.”
If the bikers had received permits, it would have provided them a straight-through drive to travel quickly on roads that would have been blocked to cross-traffic. So, what would have been an hour ride will now be an all-day affair.
Americans should be able to recognize and honor 9/11 victims as they see fit. But, once again, our government is placing political correctness above patriotism. What are we Americans, who appreciate our freedoms, supposed to think when America-loving motorcyclists aren’t allowed to breeze through the nation’s capital on this all-important anniversary?
Despite this roadblock, Joe Saunders at BizPacReview explains that bikers are riding on full speed ahead.
Denied a permit by the nation’s capital for a special ‘non-stop’ ride through town with a waiver for red lights, stop signs and other traffic controls, organizers of the ’2 Million Bikers to DC’ ride to remember 9/11 are undeterred.
Just riding on a public street doesn’t take any special permission after all, even if you have a million people doing it. They just sought the permit to make life easier on the city’s residents and businesses.
So the ride will go on. It’s just going to take a little longer.