“Like the Tea Party organizers, our MRO leaders must learn how to energize a diverse political base”
Truer words have not been spoken when it comes to “Bikers Rights.” And what I will continue to contend, “by extension, individual rights!” For what are “Bikers” if not individuals? Or so “Bikers” would like us to believe.
The quote comes from the “must read” post below which is a mail out from Bruce Arnold. Bruce is Bikers Rights advocate who has pissed off many a biker rights advocate. And though I will not compare Bruce to “Quig” (there are no comparisons to “Quig”), the late Richard Quigly was known to do the same. It doesn't matter how the truth is told, if you violate somebody's false belief system they will get pissed. So you have choices, challenge the delusional mindset of those who profess to speak for you and make enemies. Or regurgitate the pabulum shoved down your throat by false deities and have all kinds of friends and supporters. Some prefer not to puke.
The references to the “Tea Parties” is especially pertinent as unfortunately the same weaknesses that have rendered MRO (Motorcycle Rights Organization) increasingly impotent will likely render tea parties less effective than they might be. Unless of course US citizens make a conscious decision to abandon reality altogether and totally disregard the US constitution. Wait a second, has that not already happened?
My initial optimistic attendance at Tea Parties has since been tempered by the realization that for the most part it is smoke and mirrors for different factions and organizations that given the opportunity would violate your rights in a heart beat.
One news organization (I wish I had bookmarked it) asked participants who were holding signs protesting against socialism to define “socialism”. Most could not.
This is analogous to asking a motorcycle rights advocate, why are you against helmets? Then receiving the answer, “because I like the feel of the wind in my hair.”
When I see a child to young to understand the word “abortion” holding up an anti-abortion sign the legitimacy of the movement, for me anyway, has lost credibility. To me it is no different than Islamic extremist terrorist training children to become “suicide bombers.”
It would appear that a large segment of the population that claims to worship at the alter of the father, the son and the holy ghost has now chosen to redefine the holy trinity. It has been replaced by altar of Rush, Hannity and O'Reily. People who have made careers, not by being correct, but by tapping into the emotions of hate and blame. In short, the bullshit they spew is profitable and insures that the bullshit will increase. Witch will insure I will continue to attend and observe.
Do not get me wrong please. I find no solace or solution in the paper back liberals that secure in their Ivory towers have lost touch with the man on the street and left him vulnerable to the hawks.
The Motorcycle Rights Movement has operated similarly and as such has been diminished in numbers,
clarity, and focus. It is however a safe haven for people of similar political beliefs and emotional desires of such magnitude that, as is the case of ABATE of Florida, one man has been elevated to God like status on a platform of lies and deceit. Yet even the membership that recognizes it (and we do hear from those that do) tremble at the thought of standing up for what they profess to represent.
However the Tea Party organizations and MRO's are only microcosms of a society that has been taught:
“Political Correctness” = keep your mouth shut, “Respect for the law”= fear the law, the lawmakers and the law enforcers, “Dissent” = throw a tea party and go home, “Revolution to restore rights gained through “revolution”=treason and “Civil Disobedience”=having your mouth shut for you.
The difference between conservatism and liberalism is only dictated by who is holding their hand out for what.
It continues to hold true that the wrongs a set right are not done so by masses bonded by ignorance. But by a few individuals of tenacity and cojones.
Take the current financial crises as an example. All know that their pocket books have taken a hit. All would like to blame Obama (democrat) who inherited the mess from Bush (republican). Were it only that simple. Because the games that have been played continue to be played while the workingman becomes poorer yet easily satiated by “money for a clunkers”.
Consider this:
The government gave Goldman Saks 10 billion dollars of your money. Goldman Saks doesn't need it or want it but YOU gave it to them anyway.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/business/24sorkin.html?_r=3&partner=rss&emc=rss
Goldman Saks (and others) reward you by using your money to rip you off via Wall Street and a vehicle known as flash trading (see: http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/07/flash-tradings-dark-volumes/ ).
From: Options Trader: Flash Ban Friday?
http://seekingalpha.com/article/162260-options-trader-flash-ban-friday?source=article_lb_articles
Democratic Senators Charles Schumer and Ted Kaufman urged the commission to halt the practice, arguing frequent traders use technology to profit from access to information not available to retail investors. “The SEC has done what we asked for,” Schumer said in a statement today. “This proposal will once and for all get rid of flash trading, which, if left untouched, could seriously undermine the fairness and transparency of our markets.” High-frequency trading strategies may now account for 70 percent of share volume in the U.S., according to Patrick O’Shaughnessy, an analyst at Raymond James & Associates. (We suggest the whole article as it paints a fairly accurate economic picture)
http://seekingalpha.com/article/162260-options-trader-flash-ban-friday?source=article_lb_articles
Now though not “technically” yet banned (hopefully today) a case could be made that “technically”
this practice is illegal. It would seem akin to taking insider trading to it's “nth” degree of impropriety.
Yet if you are a Joe Blow investor you have been making investment decisions based on information you do not have. Hell your broker doesn't even have. But YOU helped the people that do have it and are using it to screw YOU! Who will be arrested for this scheme that makes Madoff look like a piker?
It was a blooger who focused attention on flash trading (http://www.zerohedge.com/article/open-market-operations-and-statistics) and the investment community quickly became mobilized to stop the practice. The government listened. But then we are talking about people concerned about money not necessarily yours. Nor were they much concerned about freedom, other than the freedom to make more money.
Money trumps ideology every-time as evidenced by the numbers of conservatives who took advantage of “cash for clunkers” program or the primarily conservative base that avails themselves of the state of Florida's “Bright Scholarships” handouts:
Ultimately, they concluded that the program was “tantamount to an income redistribution program from non-white, low-income, uneducated households to white, rich, well-educated households.”
( http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/ssfad/bf/ and http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/26/does-floridas-bright-futures-program-have-bright-f/ )
So how does all of the above relate to Bikers rights and bikers rights advocates. Simple. By whatever
tag any one wants to apply to themselves, we are all getting screwed. We are getting screwed because with one hand we scream about the government then with the other hand we submit to and take from it. In other words we keep screwing ourselves and blaming others.
Through ignorance, apathy, prejudice and ideological differences we have weakened every hand we hold leaving the corporate/government alliance all the high cards.
The independent take no shit biker has been reduced to a television show and Harley Davidson is a regular advertiser on CNBC. We my friends could have been the difference. Through doggie runs and runs that benefit those that would take our cash yet not invite us to dinner we have shown ourselves to be no different than the other “sheeple” that inhabit the land. The only difference is we ride on two wheels and thus are easier to kill.
Our grassroots movements have few teeth because who among will commit, much less take the time to learn the truth of the movements we adopt. Evidenced by the amount of money we give to charities with administrative costs that outweigh charitable action.
I will will end this by relating a story. On Patriot Guard run I attended a large contingent of riders pulled out. They did so because they were entering a town that would not block red lights for them and they knew that the red lights would be run. In other words commitment to honor one who had died or may die for their freedom stopped at the fear of getting a ticket or possibly getting killed themselves.
In other words, I'm all for the cause as long as it does not involve risk. Give me a fucking break!
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