So, will the fair be canceled too?

I just wanted to thank Mayor Perry and the Lake County sheriff for being so concerned about our well-being.

The decision to cancel the Ironhorse Roundup was just the tip of the iceberg. I fully expect with the concern over residents' safety and, of course, the attendees to the canceled much-anticipated event at the Lake County Fairgrounds, that the 2008 Lake County Fair will also have the permit revoked based on the same reasons. Mr. Gordon, in his May 9 column ("History proves Grayslake had good reason for canceling bike show") , did a great job implying that all of us "bikers" belong to notorious groups.

Unfortunate, he failed to mention the active gang war currently taking place in Chicago. He failed to mention the statistics of just the past month, something like 24 dead? With members of these associations from the adjoining towns, Waukegan, Milwaukee, Kenosha in attendance, surely the mayor and sheriff will be there to protect the other decent folk. The potential for gang war is a distinct possibility.

But seriously, I and many of my best friends have attended motorcycle rallies in Sturgis, Daytona Beach, Kentucky and Laconia, with hundreds of thousands of others and have never had a single problem with those who so choose to ride with "members of motorcycle gangs", such as HOG, ABATE, Blue Knights, Viet Nam Vets, and various Christian bikers groups the really hard-core guys).

To be honest, speaking for myself only, I would rather be at an event with members of those referenced associations than an event with some gang-banger wannabes, whose sole purpose it to achieve notoriety at any expense. Yep, it's sure gonna be a slow year for the county when the fair gets canceled -- for our well being.

Joseph Vassau

Grayslake

Member of HOG (Harley Davidson Owners Group), Northern Illinois ABATE Chapter