Hammerin Hank,
Hank McGrath,
FreeOnePercenter.com… Home of B.A.D.
Bikers are not 2nd Class Citizens!
We start the 2012 New Year with a reflection of past year(s)…
B.A.D. spent over 5 years fighting discrimination against bikers -
sometimes in the shadows, sometimes in disguise, sometimes in the limelight…
depending on the strategy.
We watched media sources spin against a 1%ER Biker in favor of a local crack dealer – like Barabas over Jesus -(thank God there wasn’t a lynchmob and a level-headed jury found him not guilty)- B.A.D. took over the local, public media like activists and with the help of many local clubs created a positive campaign of the American Biker Culture for the public to see on tv, hear on the radio and read in the newspapers…in support of that bikers case…
Went under cover as a reporter (with Carmella Brown) to investigate and document the discrimination ofa town against the Sons of SAM MC (vets and supporters of vets, being compelled into a restriction zone for their club…COULD ONLY BE outside of the town line…based upon the town people’s own general words: “you know how those bikers are…” and “it scares me to know they just come back from serving in the war. Can you imagine if one has a flashback”!).
B.A.D. proposed the town hold “sensitivity training” for staff and public regarding the American Biker Culture, the 1%ER culture, the patch wearer and supporter – Ya know,like the kind most agencies and groups had to experience in the 1970′s and 80′s to teach them to assimilate the african american into their society without further discrimination…or in the late 1800′s to accept the Irish as equal citizens…
We publically spoke out on the issue of bias and discrimination against Hells Angels by NYS State Fair Security and NYS State Police in a complete, out-of-the-manual Martial Law -”police state” fashion…in absolute violation of the bikers civil & constitutional rights…to be compelled to shed their colors and deny their honor, integrity, culture, brotherhood and family – WHICH THEY HONORABLY REFUSED TO DO! Think about it – who wouldnt enjoy approaching a cop in public and tell him he has to TAKE OFF his colors, shed his patch,lets even frisk him to make sure he is not carrying something that would endanger the public! And if he refuses, take him out of the public’s eye and start grilling him as to whether he is a ”known associate” of the commissioner, Governor or half a dozen other power action figures who manipulate and control our lives and extort from the citizens…Be real, how many citizens from all walks of life stiffen up in a vehicle when they see a cop car?! Every body in every car at the same time thinks the same cop is looking at them! And how about the way we watch them at that moment… seemingly without being seen as the cops pass…our eyes slowly watching thru the back of our heads…Now, that kind of effect on people is truly unhealthy, unjust intimidation. You only feel good or relieved when they stop somebody else…It buys every citizen a chance to get the hell outta the area! To me, its all about being the ultimate patch wearer. Its that simple. The State Police simply want to be the only ones wearing patches. I mean, if the boy scouts came out with a real decent, bad-assed looking patch they might start feeling the heat,too! Thats how stupid and silly this form of strategically targeted bias and discrimination IS being performed by the NYS Police against citizen-taxpaying-bikers within the American Biker Culture.
We witnessed unjust traffic stops and convictions acrossed the state based solely upon the “behind the door” harassment initiatives propagated by hidden officials with no balls, just hidden agendas against IN YOUR FACE 1%ER bikers and supporters who live and work and pay their fair share and raise a family in this greedy state of affairs.
We witnessed unjust and even criminal motorcycle confiscations by NYS DMV – one of which is a B.A.D. member, Mike Willig, who later fought them and kicked their asses back to their confiscation caves in the capital.
We witnessed a well-to-do Port Jefferson,NY attempt to ban motorcycles and “unsightly motorcylists” from their town and village and within 24 hours with the help of Long Island ABATE, Biker Low Down, Chuck DeCost, Hermis Yanis Jr., Carmella Brown of NY Rider and a host of others – B.A.D. shut down the legal proceedings that would have passed the law and they permanently discarded the proposition!
We witnessed establishments, courts and police jurisdictions lie, fabricate and unjustly manipulate a conviction of two innocent brothers, Tyler & Peeps, of the Highwaymen MC NY. B.A.D., with the help of former NY attorney Warren Redlich and Steve, Pres. of Highwaymen MC NY, obtained a donation of a complete set of new law books to the cause of Tyler & Peeps and bikers acrossed the state – creating the first American BIKER LAW LIBRARY (soon to be announced) in New York State. Lets face it, you usually only get that kind of access when you get arrested or convicted…and even then its only for a half hour or so…Then its “LOCK IN”…Imagine what you could do with YOUR OWN FREE ACCESS TO LAW RESOURCES!!??!! I used to use pages to roll joints…
We witnessed public discrimination and bias against the 1%ER biker culture and supporters BY THE OWNERSHIP OF THE AMERICADE (directly against NY Rider mag owner Carmella Brown & Lisa Petrocelli who were not allowed in as press or media because that kind of rag and that part of the culture the rag reflects is not to the Americades liking). B.A.D. sent a letter ordering that they cease and desist such discriminatory treatment of those in the American Biker Culture.
We witnessed malicious media propaganda by NYS Police directed against Hells Angels and other 1%ER clubs simply because they attend the Harley Rendezvous! The State Police called the bikers “criminal enterprises”. I responded with a scathing article revealing how the State Police and the Governor could be seen as a “Criminal enterprise” (with evidence technician committing suicide while being investigated for falsifying evidence for many years, or the Governor using State Police to spy on political rivals and a host of other factual tidbits investigative reporters like me have the uncanny ability to obtain…). Of course, days after that article hit the newspapers I was given my walking papers as a local Albany newspaper reporter!
Still to hip you to something, the authority use whats called the “Conflict Theory” which was created by Karl Marx. “Conflict theory deduces civilization as a fight for authority linking groups that are struggling for limited means”. Marx believed there existed two categories of people: capitalist and working class. Now, of course, we all know that the capitalists with the money can afford to make the laws which are INTENDED to limit the ability of certain power groups to elevate onto the capitalists equal level or to challenge their proceeds! Police are used to restrain, harass and unjustly hinder the natural entrepreneur growth of certain social groups and do so through propaganda, illicit procedures and unjust abuse of powers.They create a conflict that otherwise does not exist between social groups like bikers and other citizen cultures, but, instead exists between those in power(rich and political) and those who naturally have power (1%ER bikers and supporters). Look,the rich legally sell drugs,guns,prostitutes, slaves,they are even bookies and promote gambling,YOU NAME IT! They have the power to create the laws to protect themselves and make what they do legal. To perpetuate their livelihood they need to create a conflict IN SOCIETY, and thereby choose particular groups and cultures in society to defame and accuse that the rich themselves are afraid of… No complete group or culture in society is completely guilty because of the alleged acts of one or two. We all know that! But, why does that NOT apply to those in the American Biker Culture or bikers worldwide? Its simple - the bikers naturally have power that can achieve independence FROM the norms and dregs of society created by those rich and in control…the propaganda? Ah, how about a patch,colors,a loud machine…a tattoo and then accuse them of doing what YOU are actually doing! That’s the “conflict theory”.
The list goes on in cases acrossed the country that B.A.D. has worked on…from unjust shootings and killings by police of bikers to the loss of jobs because one wears a patch – much of which B.A.D. does goes unknown even to many bikers in the American Biker Culture. That’s because of our purpose for existence – the principle of B.A.D. is to NOT intertwine with the culture or be assimilated by its righteous comradery and brotherhood, but to study it deeply, accept it as an integral part of our American History, respect its reality and then to not be afraid to initiate campaigns to fight for equal balance of the law(s), defend against inequality of citizenship,bring to the sensible publics eye THE BIKERS RIGHT TO EXIST without compromise to what they believe in!
In such cases as this – it is healthy to fight. Things are NOT easy…thats whats so righteous about the fight for biker rights – They are REAL, the culture is REAL, the violations are REAL,OBVIOUS AND BLANTANTLY COMMITTED UNJUSTLY! I get a hard on when I am frustrated over rights, turns me on…when you fight for rights you have to be turned on about it all.
Like when a commissioner of Human Rights told me “well, if the biker clubs were gay or all women or black clubs maybe you could win your fight for a change in the NYS human rights laws to protect cultures”. My dick got hard!
Or when a higher up in the “No Rules Riders” told me I could not start an all biker press/reporter riding group called “McUrbanExplorers” because I am using Mc in my name. That REALLY turned me on ALLL OVER as I went on a complete email and phone campaign threatening everyone and their mother because, ya see, I am olde Irish, a celt. Mc Grath is my name, it means ”Leader(Mc) of Valley(Grath)”. My registered business in NYS is McUrbanExplorers, as well. I could see if it was Explorers MC…but, no, this idiot was telling an irishman he cant be Irish! And that was an alleged biker acting like that…To end that story, the Pres. of the riding group sided with me as did everyone else across the world (No Rules Riders is worldwide) and the individual left the riding group administration rather than be wrong…So, now I got some fool running around not liking me because I have an Irish name. Point is, discrimination comes from any angle…from society, from other bikers who pretend they are better citizens because they are not 1%ER’S, from agents of the law who take emmotional and mental issue with citizen independence and power, even my ole lady tried to use my fighting for biker rights in court as proof I am
dangerous and should be treated differently as we battled over custody of my 2 year old “breed ‘em out” daughter recently. I have to report an interesting fact to the case; The judge asked me how would I care for the baby? Besides presenting other factors (home,car,support,etc.) I took a shot in the dark and said “Your honor, I fight for these people because they have HONOR, they ARE suffering bias and discrimination and if anything ever happened to me they would help to care for my daughter, and I mean hundreds of ‘em!”…Thanx to that presentation, my motions and the research help of long time biker rights advocate and Honorary B.A.D. member, Paul Cote in MA., I won custody! Now, the point there is that no premise for discrimination is absolute, is law, is legal – as long as you are aware of your right to exist and your right as a citizen to associate with others. If you for a moment believe in your head that by exisiting within the biker culture you are doing something bad and wrong and illegal – well then, you weaken the fold, stumble the advancement in struggle, betray the truth…The American Biker Culture has been in existence for well over 50 years with several generations of members…its not going anywhere regardless what theory or conflict power-groups create to fend off competition in capitalist america!