Surprising
It is surprising to me that someone who seems to want to speak to motorcyclists can speak glowingly about any event that doesn't allow all motorcyclists to enter. The Riding experience is a freedom experience yet some think it is okay for others to infringe on individuals or groups freedoms. Not me that is why we quit going to and covering these events. They are not about the brotherhood of two wheels but just another money grab from bikers.
posted by Jim at 4:36 PM
12 comments
Jim, Publisher 
12 Comments:
I follow your blog when I have time. You lost me on this one. I am not sure what you are getting at...
My apologies BOB. I am kind of trying to walk a line here so bad things do not happen to me. I will answer any questions you have about this the next time I see you.
See you on the 13th.
Every so often I come here to read your outlooks and opinions. You seem to try and portray yourself as an authority on bikers and rights. Mainly our rights. Its clear most people avoid commenting here or dont bother coming here at all. You have your right to your opinion and I have the right to mine. Mine is you have no clue as to alot of what your putting here. Im a patch holder, you are not. Never have been and never will be. You talk of biker respect and have no clue what it means. You talk of biker brotherhood. You are not my brother. You talk of MC rights and have never been in an MC. If your not from my world how can you speak for it? People like you are what causes the public to see us the way they do. You stir the pot trying to speak for my rights. Buisness owners have rights too. I respect their rights to refuse entrance to anyone. I blame the image they have of me and my patch on people like you. Id ask you to educate them, but you dont have the knowledge to do that. Instead, you just tell others not to go to that buisness. The others dont bear my colors, I do. By doin what you are doing you are causing hard working buisness owners to suffer because you feel the need to be my voice. You are not my voice. We can speak for ourselves and have no problem doing so. The point is we dont go out and call attention to ourselves. We police our own and dont take kindly to the so called establishment enforcers. Yes we live by a law. It is the law of FW 1 UFWA. Simply put, YOU F&$#@ WITH ONE YOU F&$#@ WITH ALL. But as long as you live and ride in the establishment built streets as we do you have little to fear from MCs. Unless you let your mouth over ride your ass. My major point is simply this. Birds of a feather flock together. We stay in and among our own kind. Even in the areas of mutual socializing you will see the MCs together and the others together. There seems to be some kind of opinion that the motorcycle community has to give way to some kind of mysterious respect. Some are even affraid to make eye contact with us. The fact is we respect you, and other than that we dont think about you at all. Until you bring it on yourselves by passing into our world. Last month I went into a buisness and was asked to leave by the owner because of my colors. I didnt threaten to kill his family, and I didnt call my club brothers and burn the place down. I simply left. He came out and explained that it wasnt personal with him. It was his customers and he couldnt afford the chance of buisness loss. I may not like it but I respected that. Just because my colors are not allowed through the doors does not mean others who ride should not go in and support the man and the family he feeds. Whether you do or dont matters not to us anyway. As I said, others dont bear the patch.
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I also have never been a patch holder and never will be. However, I feel no motorcyclist should be discriminated against because of his club/group affiliation. When a public place actively wants to attract motorcycle riders but doesn't want to accept all riders based on some arbitrary reason, that doesn't seem right.
What is next? Will they start limiting what brands of motorcycles are accepted at their public establishment/event? If they say "No Colors", how do they define it? Does this mean the strictly defined MC's, 1%ers, 3 piece patches or any back patches at all? Where do they draw the line, HOG, CMA, GWRRA back patches? What is to keep them from moving the line to be more restrictive, maybe no vests or patches or pins of any size or kind? Should we accept that a place may limit entry because someone is wearing a T-shirt with a particular club, brand, business or magazine logo they don't like?
I certainly respect a business's right to accept who they want for customers. If a place wants to be known as biker friendly though, they should accept all bikers. The point is not to hurt the business, but to help change their policy and do away with arbitrary discrimination before it spreads any further. The only way motorcyclists are going to be able to protect our rights is by sticking together and supporting the rights of all. On the other hand, if a group wants to be banned because they think it enhances their image, then that is another issue altogether.
(The previous postings of this were deleted because certain punctuation characters did show correctly once published as they did in the preview)
Anonymous that is a good post. It is well written and demonstrates what I would like this blog to become a place where people can share their thoughts freely.
John, the same can be said of your post. as for my thoughts and opinions they are just that and as such no more valuable than anyone else's.
Anonymous I also thank you for taking the time to come out and check out the blog and the website from time to time, feel free to post anytime.
Jim, I expected you to take the high road here and you did. Thats all I have to say about your response. John you are missing my point totally. The bikeing life claims it welcomes colors to their events. Yet puts what I would call a disclaimer below the invitation. "Leave your attitudes at home". So, your saying we are welcome, but bend to your rules of conduct? Do you consider yourselves bikers, or riders? Because I know you are not in an MC. Do you know the differance between all of them? John you ask where the lines are. I would never put myself in a position of disrespect for another clubs colors. To bear those colors takes a deeper level of commitment and self discipline that any of the two of you can imagine. If motorcycles influence your lifestyle then you are part of the motorcycle community. Of all the types of organizations found in that community the TRADITIONAL MC stands apart and ranks highest in stature. The general public along with buisnesses do not draw a differance between club colors. In most cases they connot tell the difference. We are all biker scum to them. If one MC causes a problem that touches the public sector the offending clubs identity is either confused or ingnored and the heat comes down on all clubs. The general public does not make a distinction between an MC or and RC or an independent rider. Their actions reflect on all in the motorcycle community. The traditional MC tends to police themselves to avoid such.
Id like to know if any MC at all has ever asked for you to speak up for them? Have you ever seen one picket, threaten a buisness, or campain in any way against any buisness? What gives you the right to do so for one? Jim, you speak of buisnesses closeing. If a buisness closed directly do to you telling people to avoid them, would you feel good about it? The segment of society you ride in is by far larger than ours and represents a much larger market for any buisness or fundraiser. Why would you ask them to stay away from any buisness because of a misconception? Or is controversy the only way you can draw attention to your magazine.
I didnt delete anything do to punctuation or spelling. Im sure im not being graded for this anyway.
Anonymous, history shows many instances where people or groups spoke up for others rights. It is also kind of a journalistic tradition. Has any club ever asked me to speak for them? No. Have some thanked me for speaking out? Yes. It is also something that has happened since the start of this magazine. In one of the very first issues I spoke about the harassment of a club in the area. This was not based on wanting to be controversial but rather on what I believe to be right. I have strong beliefs and I have a voice. So I use it.
I understand that it takes a deep level of commitment and self-discipline to become a member of an MC. And while not an MC MM or RC member I have shown similar levels of dedication and self-discipline in other areas of my life. As for the line "Leave the Attitudes At Home" before I started holding events I talked to people who are more knowledgeable about the MC world than myself. They told me that, that line means something to them and that I might want to include it. I ask no one to bend to my rules of conduct, in fact there are no rules posted at my events. Well other than "No Weapons Allowed" which is something others have also told me I needed.
As for your question about would I feel good if someone lost their business because of something I said? No. But I would feel worse if someone who welcomed all bikers or riders lost their business. The point I try to make is to support those who support us.
As for how I categorize myself, I don't. It doesn't matter anyway people will believe what they want to belief.
When I lived in Florida I was a hang around with a club and there are some local clubs that have approached me here about becoming a member and I was honored but I think there might be the appearance of me being biased if I belonged to a specific club.
Although I also know that some already think I show bias towards some clubs. We try not to, but it is also something we can probably be better at.
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