I’M BACK – And what a trip it was. But before I continue, thank you all who wished me well, and who sent emails of concern for my riding safety and encouragement for the reason of the trip.
I read what you sent on my Smart Phone during the evening. And I even responded to many of them as best I could under the circumstances.
The purpose of the R2R (Ride to Remember) to Virginia Beach, at least for me, was to get together with a group of like-minded people to remember and perpetuate the history of the Holocaust.
TO FORGET HISTORY IS A CURSE TO REPEAT IT:
The ride from Williamstown Ontario Canada, where I live, took 10 hours the first day, by crossing into the USA at Massena NY, following through to Watertown NY, to Syracuse NY, through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Pennsylvania, along to Maryland and Delaware, where I finally called it a day just after darkness fell.
The second and last leg of my ride to Virginia and ultimately to Virginia Beach took about 3 hours.
Along the way, there were many GREAT – GREAT things to see, including several military bases and the incredible Chesapeake Bay Tunnel Bridge, which I’ve crossed before, but never on a motorcycle.
The ride couldn’t be better. The weather was as perfect as it could be, to be sitting on a bike traveling just under 70 miles per hour for most of the journey.
For me, it was a chance to get away from my daily routine, including writing and doing my LIVE On-Line Radio Broadcast. It was a time to clear my mind by focusing on the road and the roar of the bike. It was a chance to recharge my inner-self evaluating where I came from, where I am, and where I hope to be.
I had very high expectations for this R2R, because of the incredible success of the R2R last year at Skokie Illinois (Chicago suburb), where we all got to experience the true reason for never forgetting the Holocaust.
But not this time – This R2R was far more about a group of bikers, mostly getting together for the purpose of getting together, which I guess is OK, but not reason enough for me to travel a total of almost 2,000 miles.
THE TRIP LEFT ME MORE DISTRAUGHT THAN SOMEWHAT:
Even though the real purpose of the ride was not in my opinion met, it was still an experience that gave me plenty of reason to think, and to find myself coming away more distraught than just somewhat.
There were almost 200 Bikes from the USA and Canada. I think about 40 were Canadian.
I’VE COME TO TERMS WITH BEING THE PERPETUAL OUTSIDER LOOKING IN:
I really knew very few people at the event, especially amongst the Americans. And I sort of knew a few of the Canadians. But, believe it or not, that’s the way I like it.
I like being alone in a crowd; just as I like being on the outside looking in, which has been much of the way of my entire life, which gives me an incredible opportunity to watch, listen and learn.
I like to see and know what other people are doing and saying . . . to watch body language and discern who is really behind the mask. This way, I can build opinions and come to conclusions.
During an evening stroll with the ocean as background, I struck-up a conversation with a New Yorker, who was interested in how things worked in Canada, wanting to know about socialized medicine and more.
And during this conversation, it took just seconds for this New Yorker to let me know how wonderful he thought Obama was. How Obama had inherited this horrible situation from George W Bush. And how the political RIGHT is eviscerating this man because they are racists, and don’t give a damn about the poor and downtrodden.
I listened to this horror as the words spilled out of his mouth like verbal diarrhea. And when I put facts to him, REAL FACTS, he simply discarded them as being nothing more than RIGHT-WING propaganda.
To say that he didn’t have a clue as to what was real, and what was Liberal spin, is an understatement out of all proportion.
So I tried a different tact:
I reminded him as to the purpose for which we were all meeting at Virginia Beach, and went-on to tell him that Israel, a nation of approximately SIX MILLION Jews, the same number of Jews who perished in the Holocaust, was facing the most serious threat to it’s existence, and that Barack Hussein Obama is the single GREATEST enemy Israel has ever faced.
To that, he went ballistic.
As far as he was concerned, Obama was indeed Israel’s best friend. And if Israel had any real political enemies, they were amongst the RIGHT-WING Conservatives within Israel and the USA. And if Israel were to be saved, it would be through Obama’s White House, by FORCING Israel to come to her senses and be more open to the needs of the Palestinians.
I shook my head and walked away.
I later found out that one of my Canadian brethren, who is also a Conservative, had an even more contentious debate with another American who gave his unconditional support to Obama and the Democrats.
AFTER HEARING ALL OF THIS – I JUST WANTED TO GO HOME.
I didn’t travel a total of almost 2000 miles to Remember The Holocaust, to be with Jews who think punishing Israel to make more concessions to thugs and murderers through a Jew and Israel Hating President, is what is best for Israel and the Jewish people.
I’m sure there were many of the American Bikers amongst us who were Conservatives, who shared none of this pro-Obama crapola. But, knowing that there were many who supported the most anti-Jewish and anti-Israel President in my knowledge of American history, just put it over the top for me.
As beautiful as the ride to Virginia Beach from Williamstown was, that’s how dreadful was the ride back. I rode through non-stop frigid rains, heavy winds, and thick fog in the darkness of night going through the Blue Ridge Mountains. This ride suited my mood.
I rode for 10 hours the first day, and 7 hours on the second day, giving me much time to think. If I had real fears for the future of America before this R2R event . . . as a result of this trip, I now have much greater fears for America and the rest of the world today.
If Jewish BIKERS riding to Remember the Holocaust can’t see Obama for what and who he is. Where’s the hope?
There is no Audio Editorial associated with this Commentary.
Best Regards . . . Howard Galganov.
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One Comment
Howard, I have confidence that you are right and I hope you are spectacularly right. One note about the timeline, it was 8 years ago Democrats took over control of the house and senate in 2006. That was the beginning of a period of misery and downfall where policies, rules and regulations were enacted that caused the financial collapse we began experiencing in 2007/2008. Here’s to patching the holes and beginning to right our ship.
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