Posted on 07/19/2005 8:56:16 PM PDT by Brian328i
STATELINE, Idaho (AP) - Well-wishers arrived on more than 500 Harley-Davidsons and other motorcycles to empty their pockets on behalf of the biker's daughter who survived a horrific abduction.
About 1,000 people attended the six-hour benefit Sunday to aid Shasta Kay Groene, 8. Cash poured into a box at the front door of Cruiser's bar and grill, a biker hangout in this town just east of the Washington state line. Total receipts were not announced.
''I watched one guy walk up, open his wallet and dump everything but $5 into the box,'' said Prospect Bryce, who guarded the donation box for the Northwest Idaho chapter of the Vietnam Veterans Motorcycle Club. ''I've been watching people drop, not small bills but large bills, $100s, $20s.''
The girl's father, Steven V. Groene, 48, part of the north Idaho biker community, stood at the front of an impromptu receiving line under a hot sun for more than five hours.
''You say bikers and people think of gangs, but these people are the best people in the world,'' Groene said. ''These people step up for anything and everything.''
The event was held a day after more than 700 people filled the Real Life Ministries building in nearby Post Falls for a memorial to the girl's brother, Dylan Groene, whose remains were found in a remote area in western Montana.
Their mother, Brenda Kay Groene, 40; an older brother, Slade Vincent Groene, 13, and the mother's boyfriend, Mark Edward McKenzie, 37, were beaten to death late May 15 or early May 16 at the family home east of Coeur d'Alene.
Joseph Edward Duncan III, 42, a convicted sex offender, has been accused of killing the three at the home, abducting the two younger children and later killing Dylan. Authorities believe he spent time with the children at two or three remote campsites in the secluded woods around St. Regis, Mont.
Shasta and Duncan were found at a Denny's restaurant in Coeur d'Alene on July 2. Shasta told investigators Duncan sexually assaulted her and Dylan repeatedly, according to prosecutors.
While it is The Associated Press' policy not to identify alleged victims of sexual assault in most cases, the search for Shasta and her brother was so heavily publicized that their names were already widely known.
On behalf of Shasta, I could handle some biker justice for that piece of trash.
He will see earthly justice in prison, and Heavenly Justice before the Throne of God.
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I rode bikes for many years when I couldn't afford 4 wheels (both overseas and here).
I loved the freedom through traffic and the rush of grinding down footpegs on tight turns. In a sense, it was like having your own horse like the old westerns.
My body has paid the price of taking it too far a few too many times.
However, I was never a "biker". That word is anathema to me.
As far as I'm concerned any self described "biker" is a drugged-out, woman-abusing, pond-scum psychotic whackjob (and I do understand their origins from disenchanted WWII vets).
I'm a biker. Not only would I describe myself as a biker, but my wife would describe me as a biker, my children would describe me as a biker, my pastor would describe me as a biker, and if my dog could talk, he'd say I'm a biker too. You yourself could take one look at my tatted arms, shaved head, long goatee, pierced ears and instantly realize for yourself that I'm a biker. Even if you don't see the Harley-Davidson, it's a pretty easy call to make.
However, while the jury might still be out about psychosis, I don't do drugs, I don't drink to excess, I've never hit my wife of 14 years, I've never been arrested, I don't cheat on my wife, and I don't even smoke. I could say similar things about better than half of the bikers that I know. Your idea that we're all whacked-out, violent thugs is just freakin' offensive.
There is always an idiot willing to buy into the old Hollywierd image crap. If you have to explain, they won't understand...
I guess so. This bozo is almost as offensive as the jerk who said, "Kill a biker get a medal" in one of the threads.
But then, most of the folks I have ridden with, while they have their standards, have no time for some knee-jerk judgemental type who will just start problems.
Bikers might look rough and mean on theoutside, but they have a heart of gold and are willing to help anyone
Haven't had to look up the exact definition of "psychosis" lately but a few members of my family think there might be something wrong with my brain, even if it hasn't been codified into a scientific name yet.
LOL, didn't mean to get personal, was just expressing my prejudice about the kind of people I see (and hear) riding around my neighborhood (at 4am with straight pipes) and hanging out in the neighborhood taverns.
Unfortunately, my prejudice has turned into judgment after having lived in this neighborhood for a full year.
No need to get into details, but I think in your opinion it's a case of the few giving the rest of you a bad name. My experience disagrees
One thing I'd like to point out. If you dress like a regular working guy, you are perceived like a regular working guy. If you're wearing military issue, it's assumed that you're in the military. If you dress like a business man, it's assumed that you're a business man.
What do you think the general public perceives you as?
I could go on into my whole categorization of women, but I plan on working on that 'til I croak, so PISS OFF, find your own!
I was hanging out in bars overseas since Freshman Year Football, probably before you were born.
A month ago, after two back-to-back 18 hrs days, I went to one of two late night bars in my neighborhood to wrap up a job well done and try to finally get a good night's sleep.
On the way home, I got blindsided and whacked into the gutter by parties unknown. The last bar I left was a bar that's always had a lot of Harley's parked outside. 'Nuf said.
I learned my lesson, don't go back there. Ever. Prejudice becomes Judgment.
You done got bushwhacked.
Gee whiz, that's never happened to anyone before.
I doubt that you could have possibly provoked a reaction by kicking some transient's patoot at pool/darts/video/hitting on (or insulting ) his babe/intelligent conversation.
Yup, all we bikers are the scum of the earth and only want to kick some rube's butt or humiliate him in front of his kin.
PUH-LEEZ! Get a grip.
You were either the recipient of a random act, or you triggered a reaction.
Sorry about your luck. BTDT GTS.
Incidentally, I was (in my younger years) occasionally party to the type of "attitude adjustment" you claim as victimhood. I also had a couple of "attitude adjustments" aimed at me.
*I* learned much about courtesy and manners from those incidents. Have you learned anything other than judgementalism?
I like that. Can I write that in on the bill from the emergency room?
The irony is that these pukes will have to pay for it themselves, LOL. I'd let my medical insurance lapse.
You were either the recipient of a random act, or you triggered a reaction.
Got that right, after a full year of silently listening to bleeping liberal hellhole Bostonians spout, I might have accimentally mentioned that I was a Conservative Republican and the I had voted for Bush.
Stupid me. Shoulda brought backup.
Really, I'm sorry about your luck.
Sometimes life throws us a beanball. Deal with it, remember it and proceed.
Holding a grudge against a group of people just because you *think* one (or more) of "them" did you wrong is counter-productive.
When you have factual proof that a certain group wants to do you harm, then the gloves, and all civil facade SHOULD come off, and DEATH to the enemy!
But I digress.....
My sincere apologies, Brian328i, for the misdirected post . . .
benjaminjjones, please see my previous post. *HUGS*
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