Lisa Petrocelli
examiner.com
http://www.examiner.com/article/post-a-1-er-at-every-school-entrance
I am very aware that this hypothetical proposal would never be accepted but
in the interest of the biker culture and as a parent who cannot stop thinking
about the children in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, including the ones who
have to live with the memories, I feel compelled to pen my thoughts.
My oldest brother, who is a Marine, told me that NYS Troopers used to be posted at every school. Why was this practice eliminated? Answer: Budget cuts. Yet, there are at least three armed guards at every entrance to the Capitol building in downtown Albany, New York. Barring the possibility of members of the military, preferably a U.S. Marine, being ordered to guard the schools (surely there would be arguments that the soldier's time would be better served in a foreign country), my proposal would be to post a member of a 1%er motorcycle club at every entrance to every school.
Justification: The biker culture consists of many men and women from different backgrounds and lifestyles. Contrary to what many people think about long-haired, tattoo-covered guys and girls who ride motorcycles, most are highly intelligent members of society and probably make more money than most of the people reading this. However, 1%ers are just a little different. They are all male, a little tougher, maybe a little bolder, and much wiser. Why? Because they are TRAINED to be. While prospecting for a club, they are required to “stand guard” at every event their club may host, whether that be a public or private event. These 1%ers are looking for trouble – not to START trouble, but to STOP it. They look left, they look right, up, down, over and about, their eyes bore into you as you approach the venue, in fact, I’m sure that once I passed him, a prospect would know quite a few details about me, from what I was wearing to what color my eyes are. They are constantly, constantly, scanning their field of vision. I have witnessed this several times. Nothing gets past a 1%er. Are police officers as eagle-eyed? Debatable (since they seem to stop bikers for things like the weight of their saddlebags, inexplicably determining those weights from the distance of their police cruiser). Keep this in mind, for therein lies the crux of my unorthodox proposal.
It is common knowledge that 1%ers are known for being fiercely protective of their brothers, their family, and of children. I am not making light of this situation when I suggest that if there were 1%ers posted at that school in Connecticut, armed or unarmed, the shooter would not have gotten as far as the window that he smashed. My tears flowed uncontrollably for these children, as they have whenever I hear of the death of a child. There are no words that could ever possibly make any difference in this absolute horror that we all now must live with.
Whether these bikers would welcome this opportunity is something we may never know. I believe they would. And I believe they would do their job well. It may also be a way to finally show the anti-biker population that bikers are not the bad guys. WE are – for not allowing them to do what they do best. I welcome your thoughts.
Thanks for reading. Try to find some Peace this Christmas. I’m hoping I can.
My oldest brother, who is a Marine, told me that NYS Troopers used to be posted at every school. Why was this practice eliminated? Answer: Budget cuts. Yet, there are at least three armed guards at every entrance to the Capitol building in downtown Albany, New York. Barring the possibility of members of the military, preferably a U.S. Marine, being ordered to guard the schools (surely there would be arguments that the soldier's time would be better served in a foreign country), my proposal would be to post a member of a 1%er motorcycle club at every entrance to every school.
Justification: The biker culture consists of many men and women from different backgrounds and lifestyles. Contrary to what many people think about long-haired, tattoo-covered guys and girls who ride motorcycles, most are highly intelligent members of society and probably make more money than most of the people reading this. However, 1%ers are just a little different. They are all male, a little tougher, maybe a little bolder, and much wiser. Why? Because they are TRAINED to be. While prospecting for a club, they are required to “stand guard” at every event their club may host, whether that be a public or private event. These 1%ers are looking for trouble – not to START trouble, but to STOP it. They look left, they look right, up, down, over and about, their eyes bore into you as you approach the venue, in fact, I’m sure that once I passed him, a prospect would know quite a few details about me, from what I was wearing to what color my eyes are. They are constantly, constantly, scanning their field of vision. I have witnessed this several times. Nothing gets past a 1%er. Are police officers as eagle-eyed? Debatable (since they seem to stop bikers for things like the weight of their saddlebags, inexplicably determining those weights from the distance of their police cruiser). Keep this in mind, for therein lies the crux of my unorthodox proposal.
It is common knowledge that 1%ers are known for being fiercely protective of their brothers, their family, and of children. I am not making light of this situation when I suggest that if there were 1%ers posted at that school in Connecticut, armed or unarmed, the shooter would not have gotten as far as the window that he smashed. My tears flowed uncontrollably for these children, as they have whenever I hear of the death of a child. There are no words that could ever possibly make any difference in this absolute horror that we all now must live with.
Whether these bikers would welcome this opportunity is something we may never know. I believe they would. And I believe they would do their job well. It may also be a way to finally show the anti-biker population that bikers are not the bad guys. WE are – for not allowing them to do what they do best. I welcome your thoughts.
Thanks for reading. Try to find some Peace this Christmas. I’m hoping I can.