PolitiChicks Exclusive: Belinda Bee, Organizer of 2 Million-Man Biker Rally
Think One Person Can’t Make a Difference? Think Again. Given all the large, complex problems in the world today, it often seems almost impossible that any one person can make a difference anymore.
Just don’t tell that to Belinda Bee, an unlikely hero in the midst of an extraordinary event. Bee is an American biker on a mission and was the co-organizer of the 2 Million-Man Biker Rally held on 9/11 in Washington DC. Nearly 1.3 million bikers descended on the nation’s capital in an unprecedented show of patriotism and support for those killed and injured as a result of the events on 9/11/2001.
But before you’re tempted to think Bee must be a pro at this kind of thing with years of experience and a sterling past, you might be surprised to learn that until just a few short weeks ago, Bee’s only qualifications for this role were as a part-time employee at an auto parts store, a part-time caregiver for a sick relative, and a part-time biker. By her own admission, she is also a recovering alcoholic who credits both God and Alcoholics Anonymous with changing her life for the better.
On top of all that, Bee had never organized anything in her life, let alone a 2-million man biker rally.
Recently I had the chance to chat via phone with Bee, and suffice it to say she has been a very ‘busy bee’ indeed, both in the weeks leading up to, and since the Biker Rally. Nonetheless, Bee was able to find time to share with me some of her thoughts about this momentous event, and where it will go from here.
Like many Americans, I too was captivated at the thought of doing something positive to commemorate the tragedies in our nation and in other parts of the world, surrounding the infamous date of 9/11. As I watched this Biker Rally grass roots effort unfold across our nation and the internet, my heart was strengthened and my spirits lifted at the thought of so many citizens coming together to make a statement at our nations’ Capitol – Make no mistake, We are here, We will be heard, We love our Country and We will never forget.
So that day in mid-August when Belinda was spending a little time surfing her Facebook page and came across an event post, ‘Two Million Man Biker Rally To DC To Protest The Million Man Muslim March’, it immediately caught her eye. Being the Freedom-Loving, Biker Patriot that she is, the thought of actually getting up, getting out and doing something positive in wake of the 9/11 terror attacks in conjunction with one of her favorite things to do, riding motorcycles, made this idea very appealing. Little did she know that by clicking on that Facebook link, just how much it would rock her world and take her on one of the wildest rides of her life!
Belinda’s first stop on this odyssey took her to the personal Facebook page of Bill Williamson. The idea of the 2 Million Man Biker Rally to DC had indeed originated with Bill but he was finding he had underestimated the Rally’s magnetic appeal to so many. With responses quickly approaching 3000 in a very short period of time Williamson enthusiastically welcomed Bee’s offer to help organize the event.
The two of them quickly collaborated on some major issues and then Belinda said they each took it to the Lord in prayer. From that point it on the decision was made to make the Ride centered more on honoring the memory of those who lost their lives in the 9/11 terror attacks. The protest aspect would still be there, but it would now become more of a silent one. Thus the ‘2 Million Bikers to DC’ event was born. According to the 2 Million Bikers to DC Facebook page its’ purpose is: “TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO WERE KILLED ON 9/11, AND HONOR OUR ARMED FORCES WHO FOUGHT THOSE WHO PRECIPITATED THIS ATTACK!”
Now with a solid track on which to move forward, the popularity of the event soared even more!
But with the rise enthusiasm from some of the recent changes, also came the rise in critics and vicious attacks. These attacks were aimed not only at the event itself but also against Bill and Belinda personally.
Belinda found herself constantly ‘cleaning house’ on the events Facebook page from infiltrators. Many of these were affiliated with the Million Man Muslim March. A number of them saw the Biker Ride as an attack somehow on their civil rights, while others wanted Bill and Belinda to join forces with them in DC on 9/11. Given the events original intent Bill and Belinda said the thought of them joining forces with the MMMM was inconceivable!
Other attacks came internally from within the organization when some disgruntled members were replaced for various reasons, ranging from alternate agendas to ego issues. The amount of disinformation, personal attacks and out-right lies being circulated about the 2 Million Biker Ride and its organizers was nothing short of shocking, related Bee. Belinda laughed as she told me one of her favorite rumors was that she was operating from an account out of Australia! She went on to say that over the course of the past 4 weeks, between their State pages and home page, their accounts have been hacked more than 70 times!
She and Bill faced the smear campaigns head-on by making appearances on and doing interviews with FOX, Conservative Refocus Blog Radio, the Examiner and other alternative media sites. They issued verbal and written statements denying the false accusations and doing their best to set the record straight.
As the day of the big event drew near, controversy again erupted surrounding the DC Park Service permit for the participants to ‘ride through’ DC on 9/11. When the first permit was initially denied for being the wrong one, a second permit was quickly applied for and over-nighted to the Park Service. In an odd plot twist The Blaze, who was also following the unfolding story of the Biker rally, was told by the DC Parks Service that the Million Biker Ride to DC organizers had never applied for a permit. Belinda said, “that was crazy because I have the permit request number right here in front of me, along with the name of the person at the Park Service who signed for it!” After setting that record straight, Belinda was informed via phone call from the DC Park Service that a ride through permit was not going to be issued to them, period. This was due to the fact that ride was happening on a weekday and that it would interrupt traffic flow.
“Then what”? I asked. I couldn’t wait to hear her response.
“So we told the Park Service that we were coming anyway; That our First Amendment rights and our Constitutional rights guaranteed our freedom to be there even without a permit,” stated Bee .
“And the Park Service response was?” I grinned.
“They didn’t have any,” said Bee.
Then in a final temporary road block, just two days before the event, information was relayed that all the roads leading up to and around the 9/11 memorial would be shut down that day.
“We found it interesting that when we had submitted our request for a ride through permit with the Park Service, we had also included the road routes we were planning on using. These were the same roads that we were informed were going to be closed,” said Bee.
The Biker Event Routes were then quickly switched to the two outer belt highways circling around DC.
I asked Belinda if she saw much in the way of the other events taking place that day in DC. She said yes, that there were definitely other events going on there that day but she did not see much in the way of a large Muslim following at what ended up being (believe it or not) “The Americans Against Drones” event.
I also asked Bee if she thought people had crossed ‘party lines’, to take part in the Biker rally. She gave me a resounding, “Yes!” Being a former Democrat herself and now active Tea Party supporter, Belinda said Americans are concerned for their country and are looking for a ways to show it. “I think anyone who still supports this president is part of the movement trying to fundamentally transform this nation into something other than its’ original intent, or they are racist and are supporting him just because he’s black. He may have had an American mother but his father was no American, and he certainly wasn’t raised American.”
Final Numbers –
Belinda said that while there were approximately 100,000 motorcycles at the event “staging area”, the final number of motorcycles counted by the DC police by the end of that day was 1.289 million. Not all the bikers in DC that day came to the event, which took place at the Harley Davidson Dealership of Washington DC, in Fort Washington. The event included guest speakers, prayer and the official line up. Many other bikers just showed up in the heart of DC in support of the Ride.
“Given these kinds of numbers would you then consider the event a success even though the mainstream media all but ignored you?” I asked.
“Oh, we know we definitely had an impact BECAUSE the media ignored us. You know, it seems like some people get better coverage these days than Americans,” Bee fired back. “Or rather let me make that Christian, Patriot Americans. We are now considered the enemy by this administration.”
As far as the future of the 2 Million Bikers to DC on 9/11, next years’ ride is already in the works. Bee said she has learned her lesson and will not be planning it on FB again. Belinda was also quick to say that by no means was this able to get done with just her and Bill. There were so many folks, too numerous to name, who helped out with every aspect of the planning and already volunteers have come forward to offer help for the future events. She also said she looks to God for her strength and direction and said she gives all glory to Him for the events success.
The finishing touches on a new website being created just for the event in the works. According to Bee, “There is a $5.00 donation membership fee to join but no one will have to join to participate in the Ride. This is an American event and will be open to all patriotic Americans.”
Belinda’s final thoughts on the Biker rally were, “We are about to lose our Country! If you won’t save our Republic we are going to fall, and we don’t have that much time left. Our children and grandchildren will grow up in a Country transformed from a free society to an enslaved society. Americans need to get up and stand up for America!”
I for one am thankful for Belinda, Bill, and the more than 1 million other Americans who stood up with them on 9/11/13.
