When Mike, who rants more intellligently than I, fired of the following "Leave Me The Fuck Alone"
ideaology. His contention is that then we wouldn't need all these Bikers Rights/Safety groups. My contention, no then we would need "Leave me the Fuck Alone" groups. So here is his rant which is really good.
One would think that they are separate programs, initially. What has
happened, over the years, is the funding for both programs has become
blended on a federal and a state level. This seeming phenomenon is
nothing more than a bureaucratic money shuffle creating an illusion of
social responsibility. Now, however, the game has tangible stakes within
it for personal and corporate gains.
At one time, there were no funds available for any motorcycle programs.
Then, motorcycles started becoming taxed. Soon to follow were
requirements and regulations for motorcycles and motorcyclists. Then
came the mystification and the demystification of motorcycles and
motorcyclists. Funds allocated through state and federal programs were
commonly used to balance the budget and for other purposes.
Prioritizing anything about motorcycles or motorcyclists by any
government at any level has helped kill and maim motorcyclists in
addition to extracting extra money from those that choose a motorcycle
for transportation or recreation.
Basic rights and freedoms have been trampled and relinquished in the
name of safety for motorcyclists. Media saturation of slogans "creating"
awareness for the operator, passenger, or the public are a dismal
failure. The "I didn't see 'em" defense flourishes today in courtrooms
across the land and has been used forever. The issue of anybody seeing a
motorcycle or any other vehicle should be maintained equally rather than
specifically to motorcycles and motorcyclists.
"Leave me the fuck alone" needs no special funding, taxation nor
consideration from the government. The funds need not be promised and
relinquished nor do they need to be diverted or fought over. There are
no special courses nor profiteering available to take this course of
action. Possibly, this type of thinking will come across as contrary to
the benevolence of many people out there. Do not isolate me for
education, taxes, a source of funding, or as a profile of a group for
any entity to look at, profile or ridicule. I do not want my freedoms
and rights defined nor denied nor supplemented because of my mode of
transportation.
Accountants of all sorts have given us facts and figures. Take the facts
and figures and devise a statement/problem that best benefits your
interests financially and you can play the motorcycle game with the
government. These are nothing more than the blame game. Quite frankly,
the entire gamut of motorcycle and motorcyclist conspicuity is nothing
more than target fixation by the government and industry (including the
charity industry) to isolate and target a sector of society for extra
taxation and donation to a fabricated cause. Mike GreenwaldAdd to Technorati Favorites
