ABATE of Florida member speaks out.

OFF THE WIRE
To All,
Please find my letter below this message.
Whether you agree with this letter below or not please share with you members and other Board Members. If you are concerned for this organization then it needs to be brought up and discussed. Enough is enough and it is time for ABATE of FLORIDA to remove the source of conflict and bring this group back to a positive direction and make us effective.
Nothing substantial in legislative issues in 4 years and lot's of negative vibes and conflict. WHY? ABATE has very little respect in the motorcycle community and we are of NO concern to any elected official as they do not believe we can influence their political career.
As many have I have given much time and money in the past to this organization. If you sit and be honest do you really believe that ABATE has been all it could be?
GOD willing and if I can squeeze the extra coins I am going to try and make the state meeting and if you would like to have a reasonable, calm discussion about this and many other issues I am open to listen. Just don't bring any attitudes, it is after all a concern for all that this group rise up and be a force as one. To really make things happen and bring all riders into the fold.
Ride Free Ride Safe Ride United
GatorDon
Lifetime Member
From: GatorDon
Subject: Cease your actions now
Don Hylland
Melbourne FL
Harleyrider247@hotmail.com
Date: 9/30/11
ABATE OF Florida, Inc.
PO Box 2520, Deland, FL 32721-2520
Phone: (386) 943-9610 Fax: same
Email: stateoffice@abateflorida.com
Attn: Board of Directors
Re: Termination of John "Rogue" Herlihy's Lifetime Membership
State Board Members,
I am a lifetime member of ABATE of FLORIDA Inc. and a member of Independence Chapter.
I have been informed that you acting on behalf of the membership have made a decision to terminate the above mentioned members life membership. As a member in good standing I call for you to immediately stop your actions and bring this matter before the members of the organization. You have overstepped you authority and abused your positions.
This is exactly why a longstanding member like myself has not been involved in the day to day activities of ABATE! I have given (as many have) years of service, money and personal sacrifice for the cause of freedom as have many. Not just in the MRO agenda but in the political arena also. After several years of service and observing what the current ABATE President's agenda was and the fact that he had use this venue as a means of making a living I decided to stop my everyday involvement. The very fact that when questioned he lashes out and attacks members are absurd and very unprofessional! The State Board has been complicit in his actions which is also absurd! This is after all the member's organization and not Mr. Reichenbach's, nor yours.
I continue to support Biker's rights organizations and Bikers. I do not support ABATE of Florida in my daily life nor serve anymore because of your tactics and the current agenda of DENY and HIDE the truth. When there is a different ABATE President I will be happy to re-associate myself and serve with the organization. I believe when this happens we will be able to advance and create the fire this grassroots organization once had!
In order for this SMRO to advance and succeed a change must be made NOW! No more empty rhetoric from a supposed leader who has BS'd his way along for far too long. At this point he does more harm than good. You that have supported him need to also step aside for the good of all. Your complicity in this is extreme and has made you an accomplice and also not valid or credible at this point.
Now back to this issue at hand! Rouge is one of the original Freedom Fighters and members of ABATE! He has been there before many of you even heard of ABATE. Rogue is the face of Biker's rights and MRO'S. He has done more for biker's rights than many that sit in judgment of him. He has dedicated his life to furthering biker's rights. Now you have made false statements and called the man's integrity in question! This shows more of the same pattern of Mr. Reichenbach's screaming insults and calling everyone who questions him or what is being done with ABATE liars! We as an organization in the past have been lucky to not be sued from such antics!
On what authority do you take your actions? Where in the By-Laws does it say you have the right? I have been around when more than once this has happened. It was brought before the membership for a vote then and it should now. You have made yourself accuser, jury and judge with no authority to do so.
Do you really realize that you are setting up an opportunity to air our dirty laundry in public and a possible lawsuit? This airing of "dirty laundry" doesn't bode well for our organization because people all over the country know this man what he has stood for and continues to stand for to this very day. That he is a man of integrity. I know many more who say the opposite of Mr. Reichenbach. A major reason they do not belong or participate anymore.
I believe he has not told any untruths and within his right asked for answer to questions. If you believe he has then let's have the membership listen to both sides and see where the hammer drops! You may not like what he has to say but it might be possible what he is saying is true. Why do you hide from proving anything not true! Again, typical of Mr. Recihenbach and yourselves to duck and cover rather than prove him wrong. The fact that you do not address the words and you just try to ostracize him tells me there's something going on that you don't want to surface. It tells me you could have dirty business at hand. It does not have a good taste to it. It also tells me there's a reason why you won't show the books! I still question when at a critical time ( I believe there may have been an audit coming?) our offices all of a sudden burn and records destroyed. In today's world of scanners and disk and thumb drives we had no back up of records? Whose head rolled for that one? If no one then it should have been Doc's as the leader at the time! I call for Mr. Reichenbach to be removed for dereliction of duty
I now once again demand that you cease and desist all actions in regards to the termination of John "Rogue" Herlihy's lifetime membership award until this matter is brought before all members of ABATE of FLORIDA Inc. chapter members and Mr. Herlihy has a chance to address you accusations!
Sincerely,
Don "GatorDon" Hylland
Lifetime Member
ABATE of Florida Inc.