We get people from all over the world asking about the biker
culture and/or motorcycle ministries. With the help of other Dallas
bikers, I will attempt to clarify one question that floats around the
most. It goes something like this:
The terms ‘outlaw’ and ‘1%er’ are not one and the same. The term 1%er is synonymous with brotherhood.
My husband, lived with 1%ers, rode with 1%ers, was kin to 1%ers, partied with 1%ers and did business with 1%ers for over 30 years but never pached with them. He had a profitable drug business that he was unwilling to ‘share’. He was too much of a rebel. He wanted to live by his own rules and by his own code. He was a law unto himself and did not fit in; nor did he want to fit in with this so called civilized society – or for that fact, THE 1%er lifestyle either. This made him an ‘outlaw’ biker, but didn’t make him a 1%er.
To be a 1%er, one must commit to a unit (club) and live his entire life for the good of the unit.
When the 1%er term was coined, they wrote the phrases you quoted but it only scratched the surface of its true meaning. It was much too small an explanation. When those phrases were written, they were implying ‘The Club’ lived by THEIR own rules and by THEIR own code. THEY were a law unto themselves and did not fit in; nor did THEY want to fit in with this so called civilized society. Even law enforcement began calling them “The Outlaw Nation” – “The Bandido Nation” etc., because they live, move and have their being as their own culture and set of laws.
To be a true 1%er, one must be willing to be totally sold out to the collective. He must protect anyone in the club at the cost of his own blood or life. It’s the closest thing our modern society has to ancient ‘blood covenants’. It’s a true brotherhood.
I believe this is why so many military vets gravitate to this lifestyle. It’s the mindset they lived with when in the middle of a blood and guts battle – as in Marines swearing their “No man left behind” oath.
Even if a club evolves due to a group of people riding together, they cannot independently decide they are 1%ers and wear the mark (as was the case in the beginning). Nowdays, the status of 1%er must be bestowed on a club by another 1%er club, which could take years.
It’s kind of like being a Doctor. A hundred years ago, someone with medical knowledge might be a self appointed Doctor in a remote area when there was no other sorse of medical help. Someone might feel like they’ve been learning a great deal medical information and may have done some serious studying on their own for many years. He might genuinely possess a myriad of medical knowledge, however, nowdays, if he presents himself to be a Doctor, he will be in big trouble.
The same is true with the 1% patch. You must not only earn it but it must be bestowed on you by a 1%er club. 1%ers are extremely disciplined into the betterment of the club. It’s his first thought in the morning and his last thought at the end of the day. His thoughts are constantly looking for ways to fulfill the needs of the brotherhood.
Hi...I have a question for you and after reading some of your work; I feel you may be able to answer this as nobody else has.My answer:
I have been riding for the past 33 years. I ride a Harley and have never patched or prospected with any MC. I ride independent...always will; but I consider myself a 1%er. Recently during a rally, a patched (club name) one percenter (minus his colors) embraced me calling me brother thinking I was a (same club name) myself after seeing a 1%er pinky ring that I always wear. I corrected him telling him that I was not patched with anyone. He got abrupt with me and asked who made me a 1%er? I told him I did.
Where is it written that to be an outlaw one must belong to an MC? The very notion that a 1%er MUST do this or that contradicts the meaning of the term. A real outlaw...a true 1%er lives by his own rules and by his own code. He is law unto himself and does not fit in nor does he want to fit in with this so called civilized society. And that is me.
Am I wrong in my definition? I wear a 1%er diamond on my vest and as I said I wear my 1%er pinky ring with pride. What is your opinion?
The terms ‘outlaw’ and ‘1%er’ are not one and the same. The term 1%er is synonymous with brotherhood.
My husband, lived with 1%ers, rode with 1%ers, was kin to 1%ers, partied with 1%ers and did business with 1%ers for over 30 years but never pached with them. He had a profitable drug business that he was unwilling to ‘share’. He was too much of a rebel. He wanted to live by his own rules and by his own code. He was a law unto himself and did not fit in; nor did he want to fit in with this so called civilized society – or for that fact, THE 1%er lifestyle either. This made him an ‘outlaw’ biker, but didn’t make him a 1%er.
To be a 1%er, one must commit to a unit (club) and live his entire life for the good of the unit.
When the 1%er term was coined, they wrote the phrases you quoted but it only scratched the surface of its true meaning. It was much too small an explanation. When those phrases were written, they were implying ‘The Club’ lived by THEIR own rules and by THEIR own code. THEY were a law unto themselves and did not fit in; nor did THEY want to fit in with this so called civilized society. Even law enforcement began calling them “The Outlaw Nation” – “The Bandido Nation” etc., because they live, move and have their being as their own culture and set of laws.
To be a true 1%er, one must be willing to be totally sold out to the collective. He must protect anyone in the club at the cost of his own blood or life. It’s the closest thing our modern society has to ancient ‘blood covenants’. It’s a true brotherhood.
I believe this is why so many military vets gravitate to this lifestyle. It’s the mindset they lived with when in the middle of a blood and guts battle – as in Marines swearing their “No man left behind” oath.
Even if a club evolves due to a group of people riding together, they cannot independently decide they are 1%ers and wear the mark (as was the case in the beginning). Nowdays, the status of 1%er must be bestowed on a club by another 1%er club, which could take years.
It’s kind of like being a Doctor. A hundred years ago, someone with medical knowledge might be a self appointed Doctor in a remote area when there was no other sorse of medical help. Someone might feel like they’ve been learning a great deal medical information and may have done some serious studying on their own for many years. He might genuinely possess a myriad of medical knowledge, however, nowdays, if he presents himself to be a Doctor, he will be in big trouble.
The same is true with the 1% patch. You must not only earn it but it must be bestowed on you by a 1%er club. 1%ers are extremely disciplined into the betterment of the club. It’s his first thought in the morning and his last thought at the end of the day. His thoughts are constantly looking for ways to fulfill the needs of the brotherhood.