SONORAN NEWS Ride/Rally Review

American Freedom Riders draws hundreds
Make it fun, the people will come
By Linda Bentley

PHOENIX – Perhaps Americans aren’t entirely apathetic and just aren’t of the mob mentality.

Danny Smith and Rusty Childress may have found the key to breaking whatever apathy barrier there may be last Saturday with their American Freedom Riders Ride for Secure Borders.

About 350 bikers from all over the state showed up bright and early for the pre-ride event at Childress Auto Mall on Camelback Road just east of I-17.

KFYI Talk Radio Host Terry Gilberg emceed the event with guest speakers Rep. J.D. Hayworth, R-Ariz., Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, Gubernatorial Candidate Don Goldwater and the highly decorated Col. Al Rodriguez.

Hayworth politely ignored about a dozen protestors on Camelback Road wearing large red hands and holding signs that said: “J.D. Hayworth Caught Red Handed,” and gave an animated, passionate speech about protecting the sovereignty of our country.

Hayworth said he has told the President, both privately and publicly, that he disagrees completely with his approach to immigration reform and sponsored a bill titled “Enforcement First.”

As an analogy, he likened the immigration problem to a leak in the roof. “First you fix the roof then you do your interior repairs.”

Rodriguez became fed up watching media coverage of the mass protests in April. He said “Their leaders were saying it was a march for immigrant rights and a Latino/Hispanic movement. I thought to myself, ‘Hey, those are illegal aliens, not immigrants!’” and he started a group called “You Don't Speak for Me,” whose Web site is: dontspeakforme.org.

While American Hispanic voices were being shouted down by the hate and race-directed rhetoric of those who do not appreciate the laws of our country, Rodriguez wanted to give a voice to those without a voice and to those whose opposition to illegal immigration was being drowned out by illegal aliens and their supporters marching in the streets demanding undeserved “rights” of U.S. citizens.

Rodriguez pointed out the number of deaths to Americans at the hands of illegal aliens in this country far exceeds the 2,700 or more deaths of American soldiers in Iraq.

He said the leaders of groups that oppose illegal immigration need to have a forum, which he said they don’t have now.

That is also the goal of Rusty Childress in hosting his “Unite to Fight” nights every Thursday at his dealership.

Goldwater, who was on the air via cell phone with KFYI before the event, continued to discuss Governor Napolitano’s failure to address the issue and said, “The first words out of my mouth, once elected governor, will be to have the National Guard out here in full capacity and build a wall.”

He also said no local ordinance or law can prevent enforcement of immigration laws and that he would withhold citizens’ tax dollars from those municipalities that do.

“I need great people back in the legislature, like Russell Pearce, who was involved in this before it was cool,” said Goldwater.

Gilberg introduced Pearce as “Representative Russell ‘Rule-of-law’ Pearce, the voice of reason.”

Pearce told the crowd, “Take the handcuffs off law enforcers. Handcuffs are a great tool, but they need to be on the right people.”

He said every year 9,000 people die at the hands of illegal aliens and was incensed by Napolitano’s declaration of an emergency, while a year later she still had not placed a single Guard on the border.

“Any decision to not enforce the law is a political decision,” said Pearce, adding, “This governor vetoed every single bill – every single attempt … give me a governor who will sign these bills.”

Pearce also takes umbrage with the current administration’s policy of ignoring employers who hire illegal aliens, allowing them to compete illegally and unfairly against those who operate legally.

And, to those who say police enforcing immigration laws will take officers off the street, Pearce says “Baloney. It will free up officers by ridding our communities of illegal alien criminals and prevent those who haven’t committed crimes yet from having the opportunity.”

At 9 a.m. the bikers took off, forming a two-mile long procession north to cooler climate for what they say was a terrific ride and a great time at Jakes Corner and Sidewinders.

So, as Smith and Childress suspected, to get like-minded people together for a cause, all you have to do is make it fun and the people will come.

Sonoran News

TERRY GILBERG - KFYI Talk Show Host

Whether you like it or not, bikers have always made noise. It’s part of the excitement of owning a bike—revving up the engine, roaring into town, and then taking to the open roadways making noise against the wind. Bikes don’t go unnoticed. Bikes are big, buffed, and bold in decoration. Their riders are too--turned out in shiny black leather, snug gloves, and jeans just worn enough to polish the chrome while making a turn. Bikers are indeed, a breed of their own, and, en masse, they make a strong statement.

This is true of the American Freedom Riders of Arizona. They gathered Saturday in Phoenix to make a louder roar than the current noise that chants the rights of illegal immigrants. They decided that rallying together and then riding off together, their noise will be heard in both large and small town USA, against this increasing problem. They convened for the first time at Childress Buick Auto Mall August 26, and they weren’t alone. Part of the rally included speakers J.D. Hayworth, U.S. Congressman, Arizona’s 5th District, Russell Pearce, State Representative, Mesa, Al Rodriguez, Colonel, U.S. Army, and Don Goldwater, Gubernatorial candidate, Republican. These four men have worked tirelessly for the rule of law, legislating to enact new laws, and pushing for more law enforcement at the border to stem the flow of illegal immigration into the U.S. These four gave impassioned speeches joining their voices with the crowd of 200 riders just to kick off the event. They laid out the top priority of first things first: secure the Southern border. As Congressman Hayworth put it, “If it’s raining and you have a leaky roof, patch it first, then clean up the soggy mess inside.” In “biker” terms that translates to “if you have a flat tire, fix it first because it’s hard to ride a bike while you’re fixin’ the tire.”

Yet this is what has happened for so long in our nation. Illegal immigrants have invaded our homeland to the point where, by most estimates, they are now 15 million strong. Our elected officials pay lip-service with solutions telling us they’re fixing the tire, but in reality the tire is flat and its spokes are badly bent or broken. Yet, as a nation, we continue trying to ride along acting as if we don’t have a flat or bum wheel. The Federal Government tells us that they’ve sent more border patrol, even the National Guard to help out, and that they’ve set aside more money for lighting and sensors, but the tire’s still flat. They say they’re loading up airplanes to fly illegals back to their country of origin, but the tire’s still flat. They say they’ve worked up numerous plans to reform the present situation, but as Congress recessed for the end of summer with the House and the Senate sharply divided on this issue, the tire is still flat.

Not so with the American Freedom Riders gathered Saturday. Their tires were full, their noise was loud, their message was strong, and they were gassed up for the long haul to make an impression. Quite a symbolic example to the Government showing you can’t solve the problem until you fix the tire. This means that the machinery which keeps the illegal invasion at bay needs some good mechanics in Washington, and to heck with those who pay lip service. To be sure, most Americans have revved up the call to fix the tire as well---secure the border first, they say, for it has been porous for years. One biker put it this way, “Even if we can do nothing more than raise public awareness about the Southern sieve while having a great ride throughout our Arizona towns, we can at least say we’re part of the fixers, not lip-servers.”

And so off to Jake's Corner they went for the first of many rides, after being pumped up from the podium, too.

What a strong first-time turnout for this grassroots group, especially as the pro-illegal side has certainly gotten noticed this year with two marches in the spring, another on Labor Day, plus their May Day Boycott. It’s the bikers’ way to make lip-servers to get down to business, or for the rest of us legal citizens to elect some real good mechanics this November. If this first ride is any indication of the noise these riders will make the future, Washington will pay attention. These bikers are mad as hell and are making a hell-of-a- roar. Most Arizonians quite agree and say “Right on! Ride on!”

So, look for them coming soon to a town near you.

Ms.Terry Gilberg
Emcee: “American Freedom Riders” Kickoff Event
August 26, 2006, Phoenix