DEFINING
THE DEBATE
Rick
Gray, MRF Board Member, AMA Rep., ABATE member, BIKEPAC Esquire
So we must be the extremists. As Barry
Goldwater said, "Moderation in the pursuit of liberty is no virtue and
extremism in the defense of freedom is no vice." Let's accept our role
willingly. We are the shock troops. We must be at the forefront.
In accepting this role and our
orientation, we must recognize that our movement is a small part of many
struggling against what is increasingly becoming a conformist society with an
increasingly repressive government in' place to enforce society's conformity. We
should see that the logic of freedom of choice of which we speak in reference to
helmets also applies to the right of women to make reproductive choices without
governmental interference.'. It applies to people who choose to alter their
reality without fear of arrest or imprisonment. Our choice of a "biker
lifestyle" means, if we are serious about freedom, we must tolerate other
alternative lifestyles from yuppie to gay even though we neither like or respect
those alternatives. lf we complain of discrimination, we should not encourage or
condone racism. We must, in our differences, recognize the rights of those
inside and outside our movement to make their own choices involving themselves
and to be different from us.
We can not afford to become myopic,
believing our issues to be the only ones regarding freedom and oppression today.
In my daily life I deal with the loss of freedom. The "War on Drugs"
(better termed the "War on the bill of Rights") and politicians' other
attacks on the way people live are acts of desperation from those in office who
can not solve real problems. These politicians are dangerous because they are
desperate due to their inability to solve society's problems. Their response is
a more restrictive society and more police powers for the government.
We must see the whole picture and
understand where we, as lovers of freedom fit in. It is bigger than we as
motorcyclists. Let's recognize it and make ourselves more effective by
considering coalitions both formal and informal. Some will say this treads on
dangerous ground, but I say not to raise it, and, where beneficial, form such
coalitions, might well result in us being an ineffective vocal minority.
I am not advocating that we go out and
adopt every cause fighting against governmental and societal limitations. I am
saying that in explaining our positions to others who are not motorcyclists in
terms of their own movement helps them to better understand that we are not a
group of thug thrill seekers. It recruits them to our cause and encourages them
to attempt to recruit us to theirs. It changes their orientation.
Let's recognize what our enemies have.
This battle is not one that will be won or lost only
in Colorado, or Oregon or Pennsylvania. It will not be won "out
West" or "back East" or "out East" or "back
West." It will be won or lost in Washington, D.C., shaped by what we do in
the East and the West. Unfortunately, some states will not be able to resist the
economic pressure of the Federal Highway Act.
Still to some degree we should blame
ourselves for the federal blackmail found in that Act. How are we to blame? We
argued for state's rights and spread ourselves thin in 50 states. We divided
ourselves and they conquered. You know what I think of states' rights ... states
rights suck! You know what I think of federal government rights ... federal
government rights suck! I am for the Ninth Amendment to the Constitution. I
believe in individual rights, not the rights of any government, federal or state
to control me. In Pennsylvania we've had a helmet law since 1968, see what
state's rights have done for us. If I'm wrongfully imprisoned is it any better
that I am in a state rather than a federal prison? If my rights as an individual
are being infringed upon, do I care what level of government is doing it?
We must in view of what is happening
today, reevaluate our ideological bases and not be afraid to redirect. For
example, I think that any state that deprives an individual of his or her
right to ride, without a helmet should have federal highway funds withheld. and
I don't care whether this infringes on the state's "right" to regulate
me or not Extreme some would say, not me. Don't be afraid to be different.
Don't be afraid to think and rethink. We must always be willing to re-evaluate.
A.B.A.T.E.
of PA.
P.O. Box 15226
Harrisburg, PA 17105‑5226