Patriot Guard Riders

Do you care about what happens to our fallen military persons' families?

Do you ever wish there was something you could do for these families to show your support and respect?

If you answered "Yes" to these questions, read on. If you answered "No", you probably need to pick another site to read!

Have you heard about the Patriot Guard Riders? If not, you may be missing out on something absolutely incredible. A lot of people have heard on the news about the groups of protestors that have shown up at fallen soldiers' funerals, especially Fred Phelps and his "church" holding up hate signs and anti-war signs and chanting such hideous statements as "Soldiers are Fags/God hates fags" and disgracing the American flag, etc. Now I am not going to get into the political run-around of arguing against their right to protest, but I am one of many people who are appalled at their behavior, and who feels deeply empathetic for the families and loved ones of soldiers who are trying to get through a very difficult time. In my opinion, the last thing on Earth that they need is for a bunch of protestors showing up and upsetting them and causing interruptions at funerals and harrassing the surviving loved ones of our nation's heroes.

The Patriot Guard Riders are not a protest or counter-protest group. They are a diverse group of people whose mission statement is this:

"The Patriot Guard Riders is a diverse amalgamation of riders from across the nation. We have one thing in common besides motorcycles. We have an unwavering respect for those who risk their very lives for America’s freedom and security. If you share this respect, please join us.

We don’t care what you ride, what your political views are, or whether you’re a "hawk" or a "dove". It is not a requirement that you be a veteran. It doesn't matter where you’re from or what your income is. You don’t even have to ride. The only prerequisite is Respect.

Our main mission is to attend the funeral services of fallen American heroes as invited guests of the family. Each mission we undertake has two basic objectives.

1. Show our sincere respect for our fallen heroes, their families, and their communities.

2. Shield the mourning family and friends from interruptions created by any protestor or group of protestors.

We accomplish the latter through strictly legal and non-violent means."

(Taken from their website at http://www.patriotguard.org/)

Take a moment and check out their website!