How the 1% lost its way

    Once upon a time, bikers related to one another based on a mutual appreciation for a motorcycle, a beer, reliability, and dependability. A club cut was a statement meaning nothing more than "this is my family", and all were proud to call it their own. There was no rivalry, no discrimination, no hatred towards one another simply because a certain "color" wasn't shared. Where did it go bad?

    I'm not some old timer, as I've been accused of speaking as one of experience. I'd like to think that I don't speak as some wise old timer because I've "been there and done that", but rather I speak this way because I possess the intellectual capacity to learn from those who've come before me. Having sat and shared coffee and beer with old timers over the years who'd shared dozens of stories each regarding their lives and experiences. I absorbed their knowledge and perspectives, most of which now float in sorrow of times changed; and not for the better.

    If you're ever blessed with the opportunity to sit down with an old timer and hear him speak of times past, you'll hear the joy in his voice as he reminisces in his memories of parties, road trips, camping under the skies and their bikes leaving them stranded in the middle of a Wyoming desert; yet

as his memories become more current, his voice turns to sadness. You'll see a softness come over his eyes as he speaks in shame of the way things have become. A brother lost by the trigger finger of a "rival" club, who's only motive truly boiled down to being simple greed. Money & Business.

    Business & Territory, the source of all our divide and conquer. Chapters all over the globe mistook their constitutional rights as Anarchist Americans (1%) to partake in their substance of  choice as a business opportunity. It could be something as simple as the grass trade, or something as destructive as the meth trade, both equally meaning only one thing to these individuals. Profit.

    Once profit is obtained, territory is developed and determined by presence. The presence of one clubs chapter running business declares it their geographical domain, and greed fuels a willingness to defend their territorial exclusive at any cost. And illegal business has enough of its own risk, so allowing competition seemingly only invites more risk. In reality, as a former pot dealer, it was always good business to have competition because it relieved some of the heat from my own doorstep and dispersed it evenly across the board, but this isn't a concept commonly acknowledged by those in business with harder substances. Where there's big money, there's big greed, and they want it all.

    Then you have dominant clubs who still support the days of old. They police their own and dissolve erratic behaviors by placing fair judgement according to their own bylaws generally founded on the Anarchist mindset the founders of the United States Constitution possessed. Rivalry is also born of the classic "Good VS Evil" concept when the biggest dog in town does not condone destructive trades such as meth or cocaine and moves in to clean up the neighborhood. They fight in defense of noble cause, but unfortunately bare the bad PR caused by those in said shady trades because of the obvious similarities shared with any 3 piece cut. Their 3 piece cut automatically associates them with bad business, and their willingness to exterminate said bad business makes them look like criminals. Robin Hood was actually the hero.

   In association with business came status. Somehow in turn, being a 1%er meant you had to possess an attitude of intimidation to better ensure a path of least resistance. All of the sudden it wasn't enough to possess quality characteristics as an individual, if you didn't "earn" your cut with their club, you'd

no longer get any sort of respect regardless of having never done wrong by the club or its members. When it used to be that two clubs, two individuals could respect each others mutual interests and mutual life struggles, poor attitude now ruled our worlds. Being a 1%er originally represented an individual willing to stand up for what you believe in, and nothing more.

    I've been disrespected on occasion because of my ability to express or explain things in an articulate manner, as though some how being able to think before speaking, and being slow to anger and slow to react on emotion makes me a weaker, "fake" individual. If that's the way it is, then so be it. But true strength comes not from an individual who's only strength is operating through intimidation and image. Having the ability to acknowledge and prioritize what's worth fighting for and what isn't is a sign of true understanding. Because truth is, sometimes its not worth fighting for just because something offends you, something that happens regularly in our biker culture. Rival clubs beating the shit out of each other or worse all because they couldn't see past their political and business differences in order to return to their foundations of mutual interest and respect.

   A few hate me because I don't recognize club rivalries. I have clubs that I favor over others, but I don't accept any club as a whole, not even my favorite club. Just because one may be a member of my favorite club, and sports its cut daily, doesn't mean that I respect him based on his association. If a member of my favored clubs disrespects me, I don't just let it go and accept them as a brother regardless. Instead of starting shit, I choose to disassociate with that individual. I don't cut off the club, I cut off the person.

    In a perfect world it is in this manner that I would determine my respect for a club. I'd first respect the deserving individual, if all individuals are respectable, I'd respect the chapter; if the all the chapters are respectable I'd respect the club. But unfortunately the world does not operate this way, and you cannot just offer a blanket of respect over the entirety of an association. In the real world, respect can

only be given on an individual by individual basis. Because not every member, of every chapter, of every club is going to be worthy of respect as not all will acknowledge respects true meaning. The club cut does not entitle you to respect; integrity and conduct are what determine the level of respect you receive from others, and the cut just represents your chosen family.

   We lost our way because business distorted the perceptions of respect. And in quoting a brother I'll say this, "its the man that makes the patch, not the patch that makes the man". So in a world of cyber bad-asses, take a moment to remind yourself that you cannot disrespect an individual based on club association or lack there of; nor are you excluded from this standard. Instead, remind yourself that respect is earned solely by the way an individual treats another, and cannot be determined by third person perspectives or hearsay. Rejection of this truth makes you the very poser you claim to despise. Because the only posers are those who have forgotten what it means to truly respect.

If you would like to hear my take on what it really means to be a 1%er, be sure to check out the topics dedicated blog here (Born Free Americans the 1%).

MLH&R
Ziptie