Author: Steve Briscoe

The Object of my Dejection Part 2

If you read “The Object of My Dejection” posted a few days ago you discovered it was a two part narrative. I have been told that, as a way to bring readers back, to leave the audience hanging. Not sure who said it and not sure if it works.   Regardless, here is part 2.

I purchased my ’46 Dodge from my cousin this past summer and transported it to my house. My brother helped me with the move and I will mention here he put himself out while doing it because he was pressed for time; so was I for that matter. In effect we moved the truck from one garage to another. I do not regret making the purchase nor will I regret any amount of money or time expended on the project. However, the fact is I have little to no room in my garage to do this project any justice.

I have about 18 inches of available space on either side while in the garage

To do this right requires the body to be removed from the frame; essentially stripping this truck down to the bones and then some. Several scenarios went through my mind in an attempt to plan this out using a methodical approach.

I am mechanically inclined to a point. I am not, however, so mechanically inclined to do this right but I could not let the opportunity pass to rekindle the life of this precious truck. So, after a couple of months of thinking I came up with what I thought to be the perfect plan. So long as the truck stays in the family and is rebuilt to showroom condition I will have met my goal. So I decided to give the truck to my younger brother as I knew he would give the project the attention it deserved; plus he had the room and the tools to make it happen. Along with this I would be willing to expend most of the funds needed throughout the project.

Within a few days of purchase Tim was tearing into his Dodge.

I decided I would call him the next day and work a plan to get the truck to his place in Virginia. Alas, within an hour of making this decision I got a text message from him stating he had just purchased a ’46 (or maybe it was a ’47) Dodge truck as a project. I was floored. Had I made the decision the instant the thought came to mind all would have been well; but I waiting too long. Story of my life.

I still do not regret buying this truck and I still plan to bring it back to life. But I am saddened by the fact that it will set for an unknown amount of time before I do anything with it. I will never sell this truck. One way or another, this truck will always be in this family in honor of my Grandfather who, by his actions, taught me much.

At present I have no plans set in stone to start this project. I refuse to start until I am assured I can complete it. My initial goal is to get the truck running. I do not see that as a major accomplishment because the engine was re-built about a year or so before it went into storage at my cousin’s house. It will require a bit I’m sure, but do not, at present, see a need to tear the engine apart. The problem is the wiring and the body.

The engine was rebuilt a couple years before going into storage in my cousin’s garage; about 20 years ago.

The body is in very excellent shape considering the life it led. Back in the day all county roads were tarred and rocked each year so every car that drive those roads had a thick undercoating of tar which kept corrosion to a minimum.   My first step, which I hope to accomplish this winter, is to replace tires, brakes, wheel and master cylinders, brake lines and brake linings; might also replace the drums if needed. As mentioned the body is solid but the rust around the windshield is extensive and will need some serious attention to reinstate some functionality—a body man I’m not.

The wring is the real problem. By that I mean I am not an electrical guy. The electrical components on a ’46 Dodge are not particularly complicated but all will certainly need to be replaced. Have yet to decide if I will convert to a 12 volt system or maintain the 6 volt configuration. I’m not wise enough to outline the pros and cons of 12 volt verses 6 volt.

Virtually every part is present, but not all work. All gauges need replaced and the floorboard will need replaced.

So, back to my original premise of, “The Object of My Dejection.” I have a classic truck to rebuild; plus #1. I have my grandfather’s truck; plus (major plus) #2. I have a place to store the truck without too much inconvenience; plus #3. I do not have sufficient space to work on the truck; minus #1. Most tools needed to accomplish my tasks are on hand; plus #4. I really do not have the time to give this project the dedicated time it deserves; minus #2. The original parts for this truck may be hard to find and very expensive; minus #3.

Of all of these plus and minus comments we can actually remove a couple from the list. For example I can remove the expense comment because I have always known a project like this would be expensive. I have also always known this would be a time consuming project so that one can go away as well.   This leaves me with 4 pluses and 1 minus; so where is the dejection?

Maybe there’s not one. By definition “dejection” means sadness, and lack of hope due to great disappointment. If we use that as a foundation then I am good to go because I am not sad, nor do I lack hope. I am disappointed that I missed an opportunity to pass this truck to someone who would give it the attention needed, but in the grand scheme of things there are more significant acts from my past that are truly disappointing.

I think I will re -title this from “The Object of My Dejection” to “The Object of My Optimism.”

Considering the life of the truck it is in very good shape. We can only guess as to why one turn signal is higher than the other.

I’m also thinking this is part 2 of a very long series on my blog. I’ll need to give the series a new title. I like “The Object of My Optimism” but I don’t ring. I’ll need to work on that. Any suggestions for a title that is befitting the refurbishment of my Grandfather’s ’46 Dodge would be most appreciated.What do you think?

2014-12-20
The Object of My Dejection

For whatever the reason, I think most guys want to rebuild a classic car. Whether that project results in a hotrod or a refurbishment into an original rendition is irrelevant. I’m no different. I have always wanted to rebuild a classic. Obvious obstacles to this desire are the cost and to a lesser degree the time involved. I say lesser because if you are going to do it right then the time needed is not the burden. The cost can be metered over time so that too can be controlled.

My 1970 El Camino

Sadly I’ve had classic cars in the past but did not know they were classic when I had them. I had a 1972 GTO as well as a 1970 El Camino. I would love to have either of these cars again; especially the El Camino. I purchased it for $1,000 and sold it three years later for $1,200 so, at the time, I thought I did well. Almost every day I think of that El Camino and regret my decision to sell it.

About a year ago I was speaking to one of my cousins and he asked if I knew of anyone who wanted to buy a Dodge truck. I’m not a Dodge fan so knew I was not interested but asked a few questions about the truck in the event I came across someone who might be in need of it. When he told me what year it was he got my full attention; it was a 1946. And, after he told me this was the truck my Grandfather purchased in 1947 my interest peaked and before he even mentioned a price I told him I would take it off his hands.

The ’46 Dodge when we pulled it from my cousin’s garage.

I remembered riding in this truck with my uncle when I was a child; my Grandfather did not drive anything other than a tractor. I sat in the middle with my uncle to the left and my Grandfather to my right.

My 1946 Dodge – Picture taken, we think, in 1948. Left to right: My Uncle Ed, My Mom and My Dad.

The truck has a colorful past spending the vast majority of its life as a farm truck and more often than not did not have a valid license plate. From the day my Grandfather purchased it the truck was bought and sold a number of times, but always stayed within the immediate family. For the past 20+ years it sat in my cousin’s garage waiting on his intent to rebuild it. The truck is 100% complete (and original) and considering its age and the life it led in very good condition. The price was better than right. After curiosity got the best of me I did some looking and found a number of ’46 Dodge trucks for sale. The cheapest I found on line had a price tag twice the amount I paid and had no engine or transmission and the frame was from a Chevy S10 variant.

OK, so thus far life is good. I have a classic in hand, paid very little for it and it is 100% complete and original. And to top that, this truck was my Grandfather’s truck. So, other than the fact that I sold the perfect classic car for $1,200, where does the dejection come in?

Well, you’ll have to wait for part 2 get that information.

2014-12-17
Is There a Point Here?

Not sure where I’m going with this so I guess you’ll have to read along while I write and see; we’ll both discover the end of this journey together.

Slavery and the results thereof are a continual topic of discussion. The tension it causes is often times best measured as off the charts and I must wonder sometimes what the value is. It’s not like we can change history. The race most associated with slavery is the African American. It is inadvertently suggested that the Africans were the only ones sold into slavery and there can be nothing farther from the truth. History states otherwise. And by history I mean true history, not the re-written version. Africans sold Africans into slavery, the English sold the Irish into slavery, Greeks sold the Turks, Turks sold the Greeks, Europeans sold the Africans, Africans sold Arabs, Arabs sold Africans, Africans sold Asians, Asians sold Asians, Vikings sold anyone they could get their hands on—the list can go on and on. You can start the phrase with any race or nationality and end the phrase with any race or nationality. If you have the courage to drill down you will discover it seldom had anything to do with race or nationality but everything to do with who was weak and who was strong. The real truth here is that human trafficking is still prevalent today but more emphasis is placed on ancient history than the plight of present day atrocities—how sad is that?

Short side note here: Little is mentioned about the slavery, herding and extermination of the Native American. In a very real sense that practice—or at least a portion thereof—is still practiced today. If you don’t believe that then go visit Pine Ridge.

Virtually every race has sold others into slavery and virtually every race has purchased and used slaves. This fact is irrefutable but not the topic of discussion. I believe the topic goes deeper.

It is good to know and understand history—both good and bad. If we ignore it, or as others attempt to do, re-write it, then we are doomed to relive it. What I see as a problem is when we let history, especially the bad history, define who we are. Our own personal history will define who we are but perhaps should not, unless we let it, define who we can be. If you had a horrible childhood then that history can make you an angry person but there is no requirement that states you must remain angry. Lingering anger is a personal choice. History that happened generations ago should have no quarter in defining who we are. If you fail at everything you do and you claim the fact that your ancestors 150 years ago were slaves then I would submit you would fail at everything regardless of what happened 150 years ago. You have failed yourself.

If we read the history of slavery and grow angry over it then I do not see that as a bad thing. If we read the history of slavery and feel that knowledge should empower us to be indigent then we are wrong and are perpetrating our own status in society—again, you failed yourself.

Some will take history and use it as a crutch. Others will acknowledge history and use that insight to make things better.

You are solely responsible for who you are and what you do. Whether you accept that fact or not is irrelevant. It’s still a fact.

I’ll let the reader decide if I made a point here.

Short note here: Every paragraph above can be elaborated on and go from a 100 word paragraph to a 5000 word article; but I didn’t go there. Why, because very few will read a 5000 word article that challenges them and requires a through process. See “Bumper Sticker Epidemic”

2014-12-11
Role Models

Ask any youth who their role model is and more often than not they will name a prominent sports figure. I’ll not delve into the world of steroids or doping or cheating. We can name hundreds of sports figures who were caught and convicted of these and other crimes. Sadly, even after the conviction many still hold these people in high regard-not sure why.

The question is why are even the honest sports figures claimed as a role model? They do not play this sport because of personal convictions nor do they participate to empower others. They do it for the money.

Let’s make a comparison to prove a point. For the past many years the media has focused on the 0.1 percent of police officers who do not “serve and protect.” They will even go so far as to generate a media lynching of police officers who are given no choice but to initiate lethal force in a confrontation. Seldom will you hear of a police officer held up as a role model. But I submit they are the perfect example. I will also submit, unless you have looked at death in the face, you have no business crucifying a police officer who was forced to make a split-second decision. Granted, there are times when, using hind-sight, lethal force was not required. However, there are more cases where a police officer, or innocent by-stander, lost their life because lethal force was not used. If a perpetrator places themselves, by their own actions, into a position where there is a potential for lethal force then they are the ones who must lay claim to the results. As a needed side comment, a gun in the hands of a bad-guy is not needed to constitute a need for deadly force.

A police officers do not patrol the streets or rush toward danger for the money. They do it because they have an inner desire to serve the public. When shots are fired everyone will run the other direction; everyone except a police officer. They will run towards the shooter and put their lives on the line to calm the hostilities. If lethal force is required to calm the hostilities then they have done their duty.

Would a prominent football player run a ball to the goal if there were even the slightest possibility they might get shot? Of course they wouldn’t. Why would they? Getting the ball to the goal is not a life or death situation. A police officer putting themselves in harm’s way is a life or death situation. You can replace the word police officer with solider, fireman, and these days you can add teacher to the list.

The police officer, the soldier, the fireman, and yes the teacher do their jobs not because of the money, but rather because of who they are.

So, I ask you again. Why are sports figures held up as role models while these others are not?

2014-12-10
Democracy vs. Republic

The United States of America is continually (and incorrectly) referred to as a Democracy. Even our politicians refer to us as a Democracy. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Well, sadly, I think maybe we have become a Democracy through years of corruption and greed. The Founding Fathers fought for and assembled the foundation and framework for a Republic. This is fact and cannot be disputed. If you think this in error then take some time to read The Federalist Papers. Yea, I know, most of you have no clue what The Federalist Papers are. I don’t think I will waste my time explaining what they are here; if curious you can look them up. It’s not hard. Very few have taken the time to actually read the Constitution let alone any of the Federalist Papers.

What is the difference between a Democracy and a Republic? Well I’m glad you asked. A democracy can be boiled down to a single statement, “majority rules.” Meaning, the attitude toward law is that the will of the majority shall regulate, whether it is based on deliberation or governed by passion, prejudice or impulse, without restraint or regard to consequences. The majority rule of democracy is destructive of liberty because there is no law to prevent the majority from trampling on the rights of the individual. Whatever the majority says is law and there is no recourse. A perfect example of majority rule is a lynch mob, pure democracy in action. There is only one dissenting vote, and that is cast by the person at the end of the rope. A democracy leads to mobocracy and the communistic negating of property and individual rights. It leads to demagoguism, agitation, discontent and anarchy. Before you ask… “Yes” I had to look up the word demagoguism to ensure I was using the word correctly.

A Republic is derived through the election by the people of public servants best suited to represent the voting body. The attitude toward property and individual rights is based on respect for laws and a sensible economic procedure. Law is administered through justice in accordance with fixed principles and established evidence with a strict regard to consequences. The establishment of a Republic avoids the dangerous extremes of tyranny and/or mob rule. It results in statesmanship, liberty, reason, justice, contentment and progress.

A Republic is a form of government under a constitution which provides for the election of: 1) an executive and a 2) legislative body, working together with 3) a judiciary that, when combined, acts on and enforces recognition of 4) certain inherent individual rights. Take away any one of these four requirements of a Republic and you will start to drift in an autocracy; add more to this and you will drift into a democracy. The thing to take from this is, “A republic is a government of law under a Constitution.” The application here is it is the Constitution that holds the government in check and prevents the majority from violating the rights of the individual. With a republic a lynch mob is illegal and the criminal cannot be denied the right to a fair trial even if the majority of the citizenry demands otherwise; can you say Ferguson?

I’ve seen the following attributed to several people from history, so much so that I will assume whoever I indicate as the author there are those who will dispute it. So, I will just say that someone smarter than most of us said it a long time ago and I will go out on a limb here and say this individual probably lived through this transformation prior to assisting with the creation of our republic. “A Democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of Government. It can only exist until the voters discover they can vote themselves largess out of public treasury. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that Democracy always collapses over a loose fiscal policy, always to be followed by a dictatorship.” Does this scenario sound familiar? We portray this trend with every election. Meaning, if you have one hundred people with 10% paying out 50% of their income in taxes and the other 90% paying 20% of their income in taxes any vote to raise taxes on the high earners will win and the 10% already footing most of the bill will pay more.

This great nation started as a Republic. Those that formed it were well aware of the destruction a democracy is capable of. They fought hard to build it and for 200+ years others have fought hard (and died) to preserve it. Sadly, it is safe to say we are now more of a democracy than a republic. Individual rights are trampled on repeatedly under the veil of progressive advancement.

We are losing our Republic and we cannot blame the politicians. We, the people, are to blame due to ignorance, blind apathy, laziness and selfish greed. Shame on us.

In case you are curious: demagoguism (dem-a-gog-ism) – the art and practice of gaining power and popularity by arousing the emotions, passions, and prejudices of the people. Now if that does not sound familiar than you paid no attention during that last election.

Give credit where credit is due – much of the information here came from Google searches I gathered together for my own edification of the difference between a democracy and a republic.

Edification (ed-i-fi-ca-tion) – instruction or enlightenment, especially when it is morally or spiritually uplifting.

OK, now let’s see how many tolerant, non-hating liberals call me an intolerant hater and a racist because I had the audacity to do the research and gather the facts on my own thereby setting aside the accepted method of taking someone’s undocumented understanding of it.

Very few who even started reading this little snippet made it to the end. If you are reading this last sentence then I thank you and you can be proud of yourself because you want more than can be said on a bumper sticker.

PS: Democracy vs. Republic has nothing to do with being Democrat or Republican.

2014-12-02
Give Thanks??? FOR WHAT!!!!

This week we celebrate Thanksgiving. We live in one of the richest and most prosperous countries in the world. However, there are some who do not understand just how well they have it. A few years ago I was in Iraq and I was talking with a man who was born and raised in a little town on the western end of Iraq not far from the Syrian border. He had never traveled more than 20 miles from his place of birth. In fact during this conversation he was only a few blocks from the house he was born in.

This conversation took place around Thanksgiving of 2005. I was explaining to him our concept of the Thanksgiving Holiday. He found it odd that we would isolate a date to be thankful each year and wondered if we were not thankful at other times of the year. Contrary to popular believe “Thanksgiving” is not a holiday celebrated around the world. I tried to explain the concept to him and told him it was just not this single day that we were thankful. He laughed at my explanation and said from what he had seen most Americans were the most unthankful people he had ever met.

I found his actions odd and asked him to explain them to me. This is a paraphrased rendition of what he said.

“Americans expect things to be given to them and if they are not given then they feel violated. Americans make a thousand dollars a week and still consider themselves as poor. Their arrogance blinds them to what they have because they are never satisfied with what they have; they always deserve more.” This man made the equivalent of about $1000 a year; he could not image making $1000 a week.

His explanation was much more elaborate than what I just put here, but virtually everything he said was true. We do “expect” things and often feel no need to work for it; if we want it then obviously we deserve it.

If you make $10K a year you make more than 84% of the world’s population. If you make $50K a year you make from than 99% of the world’s population. I know the first thing someone out there is thinking is, “Yea, I make money but things here cost way more than other places.” Sorry, not true. Some things are more expensive for sure, but most items are not in other developed (or for that matter un-developed) countries. I could make comparison to some of these items, but I suspect if you are the type of person who has read this bit to this point then you probably already have a web-link open to make your own comparison; you can start with the price of gas if you like.

This Iraq man I was talking to was the same man who believed the pictures he saw of grocery stores in the US were nothing more than propaganda. There is no conceivable way there could be that much food in one location, let alone in several locations in a single town. And if it were true then truly Americans were the richest people in the world. From his perspective of life that is something that is just not possible. Most of you will never be able to see things from his perspective.

I’ve been fortunate enough to see with my own eyes what poor is. No social programs to pay you money if you refuse to work. In many countries, if you do not work, your only recourse is to be a beggar on the streets.

Be thankful this Thanksgiving Holiday. And be thankful for something more than just a day off from work. Put your outlook in perspective and you will see we have so very much to be thankful for. Try to imagine you existence from the perspective of someone who is really poor, but I suspect you will not be able to do that because we cannot imagine what poor really is. If you are thankful for the “things” you have then you have missed the point. It’s not about possession of things, but rather a possession of an understanding of just how things are in other places and an appreciation for how things are here when compared.

2014-11-25
Push Your Boundaries

When was the last time you pushed your boundaries? What can we claim as a victory if there was no risk to the endeavor? Many are content to spend their days in a routine; get up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, watch TV, go to sleep… day after day after day, week after week, year after year. I think many of us do not even realize we are in a rut.

Try something daring and see what happens. Yea, you might fail and that’s OK. Fail with a smile on your face knowing you got out of the rut for just a little while. You might be amazed at just how fulfilling that failure can be.

I recommend you start small; maybe try a new way to make brownies (box mix not allowed) or take a different way to work. Turn the TV off for just one night and read a book. The right book will stir your soul and create in you a desire to step out of your comfort zone. Great accomplishments come with great risk.

I refuse to live in a rut… even something as simple as taking a different way home from work will brighten your day because you will see things that will be missed if you stay in the rut.

2014-11-24
The Inevitable Crash

As we ride we know calamity is just a matter of time. Murphy’s Law says, “If you ride you will crash.” It is not a matter of if, but a matter of when and how bad. We can take available Motorcycle Safety Foundation courses and we can ride with the right attitude. We can also keep watch for obstacles and hazards and evade as needed, but all that will, at some point, fail us when we meet that distracted driver or the deer that wants to cross the highway.

So, how can we ensure we will never crash? Well… you can’t. But you can prepare for that inevitable day and act accordingly. There is an organization out there called “Road Guardians” and their intent is to prepare riders for that day. Ask yourself, “What will you do if your lifelong friend has an accident?” How will you react? What do you have on hand that could be used to render aid to your friend? Do you know how to render aid?

There is a term used by medical practitioners, “The Golden Hour.” The Golden Hour is the amount of time that it should take to get from the accident to the hospital. Short of a catastrophic event, what happens within the first few minutes can mean the difference between life and death. Ask yourself one more question. How would you feel if your loved one crashed and you stood there and watched them die… not able to prevent it but knowing someone with the proper training and proper equipment could have saved them? The answer is obvious.

There are a few options available to you. One is to plan your rides to always stay within a block of an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) station or Hospital. Another is never ride unless there is a fully equipped EMT riding with you. Yet another is to spend thousands of dollars on training and equipment to be an EMT yourself; shouldn’t take more than a year or two depending on your schedule.

But there is another option. This option is well within the grasp of every rider. Contact Road Guardians (www.roadguardians.org) and schedule yourself for Accident Scene Management (or you could say “A Crash Course for the Motorcyclist”). The Basic and Advance courses can be completed in a weekend. This will not make you an EMT, but it WILL prepare you and equip you with the resources needed to render aid for the most prevalent of injuries received in a motorcycle accident. Don’t get me wrong, this is not an advertisement for Road Guardians, but it is a call to action aimed at you to prepare yourself for that day. I’m not going to claim this as solid truth but am confident most deaths from motorcycle related accidents come from a lack of quickly administered aid. More often than not if an injured rider gets into the hands of an EMT they will survive. The key is to treat serious injury until the EMTs arrive. An inability to breathe and excessive bleeding will claim a life in a matter of minutes.

We travel the roads less traveled which means we are often 30 minutes (or more) from an EMT station. If you can control the breathing and bleeding of the victim there is a significant chance the rider will survive until the EMTs arrive. If you make no attempt then there is no chance. Some accidents are catastrophic and there is nothing anyone can do; death is instantaneous. Many accidents result in an injury that, if treated quickly using simple techniques, do not result in death, but if the injury is not treated quickly then death ensues.

Every responsible rider should know 1^st Aid and carry a basic aid bag and also know how to manage a motorcycle accident scene. How would you feel if you could have saved your friend, but did not because you did not take the time to learn some very simple techniques?

The next move is yours; don’t wait. Rather than sit in your house during the winter and dream of riding you can take the time to properly prepare for riding; prepare for that day when your friend will need you the most.

2014-11-21
How Can This Be…???

I sometimes wonder by what process my wife thinks.

My wife sent me a text and asked me to stop on the way home from work and pick up a few things. Like a good, caring husband I responded with an affirmative, but asked what was in it for me. It’s not like I can do something like this for free; you understand I’m sure.

She responded and said, “Whatever your heart desires…” I took that as an open door so I asked for a third motorcycle. I need a third one because I only have two and I feel a third one would come in handy from time to time; again, I’m sure you can understand my premise.

Imagine my surprise when she promptly returned a text and told me, “Has to be within reason… no greed.” See, she keeps changing the rules and that is just not right. How is it they can make an open statement then, when things don’t measure up to their pre-determined expectations, they change the rules and add delimiters to the equation.

I think I am a reasonable person and possess an above average level of intelligence and reasoning ability, but this is just beyond me.

Help me out here… am I wrong?

Signed
Confused

2014-11-19
The Cost of Commitment

We all associate ourselves with something. Call it a need to belong, a need for recognition, a self assurance, or just because we like the people in that particular arena. Some wear some type of indicator on their clothing or tattoo their body, or adorn their automobiles with emblems, symbols or decals portraying these associations. You see it at every turn; T-Shirts for Vietnam Vets, jackets for Ford Motor Company enthusiasts, baseball and football teams, a specific sports figure, your employer’s company logo or the local volunteer fire department. Many of us in the iron horse community wear a Shield and/or Banner that displays our association. The number of motorcycle clubs, associations, chapters, and groups grow daily. Some are local and never stray far from home whereas others are national and have multiple Chapters.

For the purpose of this narrative we will use the term “club” when a reference is needed. Granted there is a difference between a Motorcycle Club (MC), a Motorcycle Association (MA) and/or Riding Club (RC) but that difference is not pertinent to this discussion. So, when I say “club” I am referring to all three; take no offense.

The focus or objective and the level of dedication within these clubs and individuals within these clubs can be found on both ends of the spectrum. From the “outlaw” biker attitude (aka 1%er) to the individual whose focus is based solely on charitable and selfless accomplishments. (Now, short disclaimer here, do not read into this that 1%ers have no use for charitable efforts. I think 1%ers, or any riding club, have been labeled as undesirables when, in many cases, nothing could be farther from the truth.) Within these clubs you will find riders whose entire existence focuses around the club whereas others are hit and miss; sometimes there, sometimes not. Some join, are on fire for the club, then fade away and are never heard from again; flash in the pan scenario.

For the purpose of simplicity and to narrow the focus of my audience I am going to drill down and talk about riders who wear a Shield and Banner. I do not want to insult anyone’s intelligence here, but a Shield, when used in this context, is the large patch worn on the back of a jacket or vest. The Banner is the scroll below or above the Shield that identifies a specific Chapter or Region within the Club. The Banner and Shield go by many names; Cut, Vest, Chit, Patch or Colors to name a few. For the sake of simplicity we will refer to them as a “Cut.” Some believe the Cut was first displayed by an Outlaw Biker gang. I don’t know who the first one was and to be honest that fact has nothing to do with this topic.

What I want to talk about is the level of dedication and the level of commitment one has to the Cut, whether that Cut be the Hells’ Angels, Harley Owners Group, or a Christian rider’s club or group. In a very real sense the dedication is not really to the Cut, it is to the cause or idea the Cut represents; much like the Flag of the United States. The Flag is not the cause or the force that drives the cause; it represents the force, the people and the attitude that perpetuate the cause. The Cut worn by a rider is the same. The rider wears the Cut so all who see it will know what the rider stands for.

Regardless of your Cut you proclaim allegiance to that organization; why else would you display the Cut if you were not dedicated to the cause. The question is, “What is your level of dedication?”

Let’s take a side road here real quick so you can gain a little insight into where I’m coming from. Years ago an English Teacher told me, “…with everything you write you should strive to leave your personal opinion out of it…” I thought that was a dumb statement and had no qualms about telling him that. My out-spoken nature may have had something to do with the less than desired grade received, but that is a different story. Everything we do, everything we say, our every response is governed by our opinion, our past choices, lessons learned and life experiences. When writing your thoughts down on paper how can you keep your opinion out of it? In my way of thinking, or, if you will allow me the pun, in my opinion, it can’t be done. So, what follows is my opinion, take it for what it’s worth.

In 1972, when I reported to Fort Leonardwood for US Army Basic Combat Training, over half of the “company” was draftees. Their level of dedication is not hard to imagine. They were thrust into a military environment and had no say-so in the matter. Most did their time and got out as quickly as they could while staying under the radar as best they could. To say their level of commitment was less than desired is an understatement. This should not be the case with your affiliation with your club or association; nobody made you join. One can only assume it was your opinion that joining this organization was a good thing to do, something you wanted to be a part of. Now what?

Depending on your organization and the correlating philosophy of that organization the level of accomplishment enjoyed by that club is entirely up to you. Everything you do and say, both good and bad, reflects on you and the association you advertise by wearing your Cut. Some clubs require an annual payment of “dues” that help facilitate the operational needs of the club, but the actual cost is greater. I’m talking about the cost of commitment.

The club or event you willingly associate yourself with is dependent on the commitment you made when you joined. If you joined your club and verbally committed yourself to that club, but do not really commit yourself to the cause then you are disrespecting your club and yourself; you are wasting your time and theirs.

Dedication and commitment are the prices you will pay to be associated with this group. Are you a valuable part of your club or are you a “poser?”

Perception is reality. If you display your Cut then you need to respect your Cut. If you do not respect it, then how can you expect others to? The stereotype of the rider has improved over the years. Think back to the staged photograph in Hollister back in 1947.

The posed picture was taken after bottles were gathered into a single location around a bike. The man on the bike didn’t even own the bike; he was prompted to sit on it by the photographer. Rumor has it he wasn’t even a rider at all; just a local resident walking down the street admiring all the iron. From this and other events that were blown out of proportion, we got “The 1947 Hollister Motorcycle Riot” that never was. Subsequently Hollywood took this false picture and the false tails from it and produced “The Wild Bunch.” The perception from that single picture and a single movie took us years to overcome.

Do you wear your Cut on your jacket, vest or shirt? If you do, then wear it with pride and wear it knowing people are watching you. They will measure your worth and the worth of your club by what you do; or what you do not do.

If you have taken the time to read between the lines you know this attitude does not limit itself to the iron horse community. If you are not willing to commit yourself to your efforts then why bother?

Whatever you do, do it well; find something worth dying for and live for that.

2014-11-18