Plaudits

ABATE Legal Services/Motorcycle Safety Division has awarded Kent Hawkins, Sheriff of Lawrence County, the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award. Congratulations, Sheriff Hawkins!

When Big Chuck Speaks…

Charles “Big Chuck” Williams is a good friend of mine. I’ve known him for over two decades. He has been everything you can be in motorcycling, from the MRF to ABATE. He is a good and kind man and could kick my ass and just about everybody else’s in 2 nano-seconds. The point of my telling you all of this is the following: As most of us know, “Big Chuck” stutters. Some would say “Big Chuck” has a speech impediment. I say he has a speech enhancement for when “Big Chuck” rises to speak everyone listens to every word. I cannot tell you how much I admire him when he rises to speak to a group of people. In that special moment I believe he has the courage of ten Davy Crocketts.

On Saturday at an ABATE meeting, we all rose to pledge allegiance. I stood near Big Chuck. He pledged his allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America in perfect prose - perfect iambic pentameter and never missed a beat. I had never heard “Big Chuck” speak so perfectly but he did so on Saturday. On the eve of our going to war he did it poetically ,and patriotically, for our country. It was remarkable and inspiring. Many of us just go through the motions, but not “Big Chuck”. He did not look at me, but if he had he would have noticed some extra moisture in my eyes. When he and his Bride got on their motorcycles to ride home, I gave “Big Chuck” an extra hug. He may have wondered what I was thinking - now he knows.