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1st
and foremost I'm an American… That started riding motorcycles
in my 5th grade year, which a whole lot of kids didn't do
back in those days. I bought my first motorcycle from Baldy
Lentner, a truly dedicated Harley man. Baldy's shop seemed
like it was always open. The guys would hang out playing
poker and wrenching on their bikes, sometimes 'till 3 or
4 in the morning. I now realize his shop was the only place
that "if you could knock loud enough" you could
buy parts 24/7.
The guys formed a club called the Ottumwa Aces. They built
a track out back complete with a grandstand, and held AMA
races all summer long. Man it was great, and I was a part
of it all. The guys taught me things that have stuck with
me my whole life:
- Duty
- Honor
- Country
- Stand
Your Ground For What You Believe In
- Never
Leave A Man Behind
- The
Red, White, & Blue
- Freedom
To Ride
We
lost Wade "Baldy" Lentner in '85, but he left
behind quite a legacy. Baldy made the first commercially
produced stroker flywheels. They were based on the 4-9/16”
flywheels used in the flathead KHK’s that preceded
the Sportster. Doc Dytch, the founder of Dytch Sales, later
Axtell Sales, helped Lentner manufacture his limited-production
flywheels. That's right, strokers were born in Ottumwa,
Iowa. A WW II vet, Baldy instilled a sense of respect and
honor in everyone that knew him. He was a constant champion
for biker laws in Iowa and is greatly missed. When Baldy
fell, the torch was passed on to his son Wade Lentner II,
and it still shines brightly. The track isn't there anymore,
but the shop is, although it has underwent a major facelift.
It may not be open 24/7, but it still has that great hometown
shop atmosphere. I grew up with Wade, and we've been through
a lot together... He's a great bro' who is always willing
to help a rider in need.
In
the 70's I relocated to Arizona. Sunshine, dry desert air,
and you can putt all year 'round. Heaven... right?
In
1980 America entered into an extradition treaty with Mexico
which contains a clause exempting capital punishment cases.
In other words, if an Mexican national commits a crime punishable
by a death sentence here in the United States, then runs
back across the border, Mexico will not extradite. It was
after this that things in Arizona started getting bad.
For
years I watched Arizona slowly crumble and fall apart due
to large gangs of illegal aliens that have moved in and
taken over everything. I've seen, first hand, how they disrespect
Americans and America. I've heard, first hand, how they
plan to take back Aztlan
and bring America to it's knees. They are already using
a form of germ warfare on us, by illegally crossing our
borders medically unchecked. I've lived, first hand, through
the resurfacing of diseases that, until recently, were virtually
eradicated here in the United States. Diseases like polio,
tuberculosis, impetigo, and hepatitis,that are being exposed
to our children everyday in our schools. I've watched, first
hand, as they took over neighborhoods that were once filled
with nice homes, children playing, hard working adults having
cookouts, and block parties. Turning them into ghettos where
children are afraid to go out and play because of bullying,
drive-bys, gangs, drug dealers, prostitutes, and pedophiles.
Children afraid to wear new clothes or ride their bikes
for fear of being robed and shot.
If they can bring truckloads of illegal aliens across our
borders... what else can they bring over? Drug related offenses,
theft, home invasions, rape, and murder by illegal aliens
have become everyday commonplace in the city I live, and
I wasn't doing anything but griping about it. So, when I
saw hordes of Illegal Aliens on the news carrying their
flags with Anti-American signs, screaming demands, and burning
our flag, that did it for me… no more…
In October of 2001, the Mexican Supreme Court ruled that
life in prison is cruel and unusual punishment, thereby
giving a free pass to kidnappers, child molesters, rapists,
and drug dealers. Since the ruling, Mexico continues to
refuse the return of Mexican suspects unless the United
States guarantees a sentence of a fixed number of years.
It was after this that things in Arizona got worse.
There
is a very fine group in Arizona called Mothers Against Illegal
Aliens. I am quite impressed with Michelle, the head of
the organization, a top notch person. She is dedicated,
motivated, intelligent, speaks well, and is someone that
I would be glad to be in the same fight with. I started
going to meetings and rallies at Senator John McCain's office,
the State Capitol in Phoenix, and twice to the Phoenix Mexican
Consulate.
It
was about this time that I started noticing television and
newspaper ads practically begging Mexican immigrants to
come to Iowa to work at a pork packing plant in, of all
places, Ottumwa. I started digging and found an article
publish by Iowa State University saying that from 1999 to
2004 the Mexican immigrant population in Ottumwa had climbed
from less than 100 to over 3,500. Then, a ABC News Good
Morning America report stated that from 2001 to 2005 the
Mexican immigrant population in Ottumwa jumped over 170%,
a larger increase than any other county in the nation. Ottumwa's
Mayor Dale Uehling said, "We just call them new Iowans
because they're new to Iowa," and that the Mexican
immigrants, "are changing the face of our community,"
He went on to say, "We did not want Ottumwa to become
segregated," stating, "We did not want a trailer
ghetto with the Hispanics living isolated from the community."
So much so, that Mayor Uehling used funding, from an undisclosed
source, to start a diversity task force and a work force
center to help Mexican immigrants find English classes,
jobs, and housing. Funding that could have helped legal
American citizens in need.
After
seeing what is happening in Arizona I couldn't let it happen
in my own home town. I figure this is where I needed to
draw a line in the sand and make a stand. Who else better
to get the attention of the country than a motorcycle rider...
right? So I loaded up the softtail and headed for home.
I left Arizona with Big Red, Scrappin' Donny, Dale, Paul,
Stacey, and Saundra to get the movement down on the river
rollin'. (See you bro's at Sturgis) Mighty Ted, Mary, Nick,
Shane, and Get-ER-Done George in the mountains. Corky-n-Sam,
Dennis, Dave, Big Daddy, Nephew Robert, and JW in Phoenix.
Dusty, up in the Northern California Mountains. Keep spreading
the word... I'll see you soon.
Build
The Fence, Send Them Back!
Buck
Young
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