Rolling Thunder/non-political???

it is supposed to be about the pow;s/mia's and accountabilty. but like all things --people show up n ride to show off or say they did it , and politicians will always use what is popular to further thier endeavours. we -must be the ones who stay focused n  keep true .

I KNOW JOE PERSOANLLY N HE AND HIS WIFE WAS ONE'S WHO WHOLE HEARTIDLY SUPPORTED US. 

A question. I didn't se any RFTW patches or vests on rolling thunder. What gives?

UNFORTUNATELY -I THINK ROLLING THUNDER MAY HAVE LOST SOME OF ITS THUNDER THRU THE YEARS. MANY RIDE JUST SO THEY CAN SAY THEY DID , SHOW OFFS . IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SLOWER ORDERLY DEMONSTRATION RIDE. AND SOME USE IT FOR THIER OWN POLITICAL GAIN. BUT RFTW MAINTAINS ITS DIGNITY BY WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT.

I did the same OZ, the park police, and the Officers on the street keeping spectators out of the street.

RFTW was there, in the Pentagon parking lot and on the protest route. We escorted about 100 riders from the host hotel to Pentagon North lot. Oh yeah RFTW was there

From all that I have read, Rolling Thunder parade is a protest ride. Definitely political in nature. As for more politicians getting involved...they may want to stay at arms-length because it is a protest. The idea is to get the message across to all politicians and the general public. Not to point fingers at those in the Capitol for not joining in the protest.

The purpose of Rolling Thunder is to make sure that our Government does not forget those that were left behind.  Yes it is loud, and yes there are a lot of different groups there, but all of them are there to support POW MIA awareness.  For some it is a ride to honor the fallen and sometimes forgotten.  For others it is a protest.  It is not recognized as a protest, maybe if it was we would get a little more public notice.  The people that do and support RFTW are on a mission and we do support Rolling Thunder.  It is now and has always been political, because we have to make sure the politicians do not forget that they sent people to war and have not done enough to bring them home.  In 2005 my first RFTW and first Rolling Thunder, the press stated on all networks, and Fox News Channel, and CNN that there were several thousand motorcycles and riders in DC that year. The actual count was well over 500,000.  I wrote all of them and complained, Fox News was the only one that responded, and the corrected the numbers on Tuesday.  Of course Tony Snow was a friend of mine.  When he went to work for President Bush, not only did  Bush welcome the leadership of Rolling Thunder to the White House two years in a row, every one of the news reports had the numbers right, and they have been getting it right since then.  As for Governor Palin being at Rolling Thunder this year, she was there as a Blue Star Mother, and spoke as one, not as a politician seeking votes, and she did thank all of us for what we had done and have been doing for 24 years.  Next year is the 25th Rolling Thunder.  Never forget, and if we ever stop showing up our Government will forget those that have been left behind.  At 500,000 bikes there are really only 5 motorcycles for every 1 person that has been left behind since World War I.
Climbing off the soap box now.  Thanks everyone for riding, and joining the family.

Bounce

Well said Bounce.

GREAT POINT--AS IN RFTW --WE NEED TO BRING YOUNGER BLOOD AND PASS THE TORCH--TO MAKE SURE THIS MISSION CONTINUES -AS IT WAS ENVISIONED. STAYING TRUE TO THE MISSION STATEMENT. WE ARE LOOSING SO MANY --. THE YEARS ARE CATCHING UP.  HOPEFULLY MY SON AND GRANDSONS WILL FOLLOW ME.