In Costco today I spotted a man with a ponytail. He was wearing a Harley Davidson biker jacket with the slogan “No Child Deserves to Be Afraid,” across the back and I knew he had to be one of them. For some reason this made me giddy. I was standing behind him in line at the pizza counter trying to keep myself from tapping him on the shoulder to say, “Hi. I know who you are.”
Eventually he got his order and turned around to walk by me, his Bikers Against Child Abuse logo displayed proudly on the front of his jacket. It happened so quickly but I pulled myself together enough to say the first thing that popped into my head, “You guys are awesome.” With this statement, I instinctually raised my fist towards the logo. I’m not sure what I was expecting, a fist bump, a salute, but I only got one word.
“Yeah,” he agreed, almost smiled and swaggered off, leaving me hanging.
I dorkishly let my fist drop but my grin did not fade. I really do love those guys. I like that they take their big scary biker gangness and use it to protect kids. They befriend abused kids and tell them they’re not alone and then make sure that they are NOT. ALONE. They hang around the kid, intimidating the POOP out of the abuser. Who’s gonna abuse a kid whose best friends are a giant group of burly bikers? I ask you, “Who?”
(From the BACAUSA.com)
Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) exists with the intent to create a safer environment for abused children. We exist as a body of Bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live. We stand ready to lend support to our wounded friends by involving them with an established, united organization. We work in conjunction with local and state officials who are already in place to protect children. We desire to send a clear message to all involved with the abused child that this child is part of our organization, and that we are prepared to lend our physical and emotional support to them by affiliation, and our physical presence. We stand at the ready to shield these children from further abuse. We do not condone the use of violence or physical force in any manner, however, if circumstances arise such that we are the only obstacle preventing a child from further abuse, we stand ready to be that obstacle.
Rock on, my friends.
That made me happy!
Went to a car/bike show at our local expo center last weekend and BACA had a booth there, they put temporary tattoos on the kids, they thought it was pretty awesome, and I think these guys are pretty awesome too!
Wow, I’ve never heard of that organization. They totally deserve your dorky fist pump. 🙂
I love that last line of their mission statement. They stand ready to BE that obstacle. It brings to mind the point in a drama/action movie when the line of chosen warriors/protectors all suited up in their battle gear walk in slow motion towards the camera with threatening scowls on their stoic faces. Like they’re ready to deliver the fatal butt-punch 😀
I am a member of BACA and very proud of it. We are not heroes, viglanties, gangsters or saints. We love children and all of us believe that a child has the right to be exactly that, A CHILD. We believe that no child deserves to live in fear, we are willing to take a bullet to protect a child. That is what we do, nothing more or nothing less….
You should be proud of it. I think BACA is a wonderful organization and that’s why I was star-struck when I met this particular member in Costco. You may not seek to be heroes but I think you are. My wording was not the best in this post. I do not want to insinuate that you are gangsters or vigilantes. Keep up the good work.
Oh that’s cool! I’d never heard of them before. What a great mission statement!
I raise my hand to your fist bump and say ” ditto man ditto!”
they rock!