American Biker X Editorial Columns
The American Biker X Editorial I wrote an article a while back called "Why speak to the Motorcycle Clubs in your area before starting a new MC?" It was about why those wishing to start new Motorcycle Clubs should go and speak to those who have come before them. If you have not read the article look it up on my March 2009 archive page on NY-Biker.com
Since then, I've begun seeing and hearing some things that worry me. I have seen many groups popping up. Some of these groups have names like Lone Wolf or Independent Riders. While I suppose the names are meant to distance these groups from real Motorcycle Clubs, they still resemble legitimate clubs in the way they dress, and to a certain degree, the way they act.
Now I am sure some of you are saying "hey LJ these guys just want to do their own thing back off a bit, what really is the harm in what these guys are doing?" Well that's the Million dollar Question! Exactly what is the real harm? Let me see if I can explain how I see it.
If you put on a uniform, pinned on a badge and hung out at Dunkin Donuts you may look like and act like a cop but you would not be a real cop. When a real cop saw you, You would probaly be in a lot of trouble!
Now due to High Gas Prices, The Economy, and people waking up to the fact that riding a Motorcycle is one of the Greatest things in the world, the ranks of motorcycle riders have exploded. Many of these new riders see shows like Sons Of Anarchy, Gangland or movies like Hell Ride and think, "This is cool, I'm going to start a Club" even though they know nothing about Motorcycle Clubs or the Biker lifestyle.
Shows like Sons of Anarchy are a fictional dramatization of what a group of television writers think a Motorcycle Club is. Programs like Gangland claim to investigate 1%er Clubs. Their "investigation consists of looking up every little Crime members of a 30 year old Motorcycle Club have ever been accused of and then Squeeze all the Negative info about the MC into about 45 Minutes of air time.
The concern is that you have new and independent riders forming "Clubs" with no real knowledge of what it means to be a member of a Motorcycle Club. Some of these clubs are forming with only shows like SOA and Gangland as the model for what a Motorcycle Club should be.
Being a member of a Motorcycle Club is about Brotherhood, Loyalty, Respect, Freedom, and Honor. It's not about Drugs, Guns, and Biker Wars.
In the Motorcycle Club world you start off as either a prospect for an established Motorcycle Club or your new MC starts off as a Supporter of a established MC and they help to teach you what it truly means to be a Member of a Motorcycle Club.
It's like an artist taking on an apprentice and passing on what he has learned. The knowledge he passes on has been passed on down to him for Hundreds of Generations.
Now where the danger lies is the art being taught can be thousands of years old but, It only takes one generation of not passing the right information down and the art is lost forever!
With the creation of so many pseudo MC's, We risk a danger a lot worse than losing the art of what a Motorcycle Club is all about , We risk watching the Mutation of the World We all Love turned into something as ugly as the negative, hyped up TV Shows and movies we've all seen.
If your thinking about starting a Motorcycle Club or want to join one, start by talking to local Club members you see at events or contact established Clubs directly. Every MC has its own set of rules, etc, but if you're serious about becoming an MC or MC Member, you'll have no problem finding the situation that is right for you. As I said in the beginning, I have no problem with people starting their own Clubs. It's just that starting a Motorcycle Club is something that should be done the right way and not be taken lightly. Let us work together to Preserve the Heritage of the Motorcycle Club world and make it stronger, not destroy it.
I am Your Bro LJ James
AmericanBikerX.com
