And so begins the destruction of another wonderful summer - UGH

Why did I make the headline sound so gloom and doom?

Because folks, this is my 16th riding season covering the kind of crap that has come up in the newsfeeds again, it's depressing, demoralizing and discouraging that after 15 years of writing, talking, sharing, no one has gotten off their butt to unite and actually fight for the rights of motorcyclists.

Somewhere in this country there has to be someone with the gift, the ability to unite people and get them working together to remove the discrimination and disdain that riders experience constantly.

I am the executive director and founder of the Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association.

Do you know how many times and how often I am forced to explain why a motorcycle tourism association is spearheading the building of Veterans Memorial Gardens or why I pushed to build the Afghanistan War Monument? It's disgusting that people's minds automatically go to the bad places, the places that sadly, the RCMP and other police services seem to lead them through the bastardization of terminologies that are commonly used in our community and a main stream media that can't seem, or doesn't want to, actually do journalism. It seems that so much of what they do is sensationalized into stuff that it isn't.

In the last 36 hours or so, three articles have hit the news that should be disturbing for all motorcyclists.

Because of the way sound reverberates in the mountains, the retirees of the Kootenay's are getting tired of all of the noise that motorcycles generate, and we now have a zero tolerance on after market pipes in the Kootenay's.

"Police throughout the East and West Kootenay will be stepping up enforcement and adopting a zero tolerance policy with respect to motorcycles that have altered their exhaust pipes or installed after market equipment to make the motorcycle louder."  Read the rest of the article HERE.

If louder was the only reason for the upgraded pipes that many have installed - ok, but truth is many dealerships sell these pipes so that the engine will breath and perform better.

Dr. Jeckill and Hyde Mufflers are what should be stock on every motorcycle sold. PERIOD.  
Quiet mode in town, louder mode when you are on the highway looking for fuel efficiency and performance.

Loud Pipes do not save lives, they piss people off and make all motorcyclists into villains.

The average citizen doesn't look at me and say, she's running stock pipes, she's a good motorcyclist but look at him, he's got illegal exhaust, he's a bad motorcyclist.  

And even if they did say that, they'd still be wrong cause buddy with a louder exhaust can control the sound, it's all in the wrist.

They just look at all of us and tar us all with the same noisy, disrespectful brush. 

And so, the us against them, the Loud Pipes Saves Lives group against Riding like everyone is blind Group, the I want to sit on the deck and have a conversation, not scream above the loud pipes groups VS, the OH LOOK AT ME crowd...

Respect - our community touts it all the time - but seriously there is nothing respectful about a set of pipes that sets off car alarms for three blocks.

A Fire Fighters Club

Then there's the whole Three Piece Patch World and how cops have this idea that three piece patches are all property of people who do bad things.

Not all three piece patches are created equally.

On Whyte Ave in Edmonton a member of the Veterans MC Canada was asked to leave a dining establishment because he was wearing his cut while on a date night with his spouse.

Now we have people concerned about firefighters who have been seen at motorcycle functions with members of the Hells Angels. Read the article: Florian's Knights

The police do not understand the culture of the three piece patch clubs (or they act very obtuse about it) there is a dominant club in every region and if you want to wear a set of patches then you need approval so as not to cause a male dominated piss fight.  



The dominant wants to know that you are not there to start trouble or interfere in the community and that you are not there to try to challenge their dominance.

The Florian Knights out of the Lower Mainland did what every respectful club does, they said - Hey Motorcycle Community - do you have a problem with us flying these colours and riding together to raise money for charity while being brothers who help each other? The dominant - the Hells Angels said no, you aren't going to cause problems in our community, we have no problem with you.  The other clubs said hey, welcome to the community. 

End of. 

BUT....

The cops use/interpret that to mean, oh, you are in bed with the Hells Angels cause you asked their permission to fly your colours.

And because you get seen at motorcycle events and the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club has members present, well, now you really must be in their hip pocket or somehow associated. 

Or god forbid, you were childhood friends with someone who became a Hells Angels Member...

OMG that is horrible and against the law that a Hells Angels member could have a friend.

NOT ALL HELLS ANGELS MEMBERS ARE CRIMINALS.

And then there is the Royal Canadian Legion and their new edict about barring 3 piece patches from their club houses while also stating that it is disrespectful for a motorcyclist to wear his medals on his riding vest....talk to the good folks who attend  and ride in the Ride to Remember at Beechwood Cemetery, then come tell me about disrespect.   Tell that to any member of theVeterans Paratroopers MC, of the Veterans MC Canada. I bet you'll get an ear full.

They want to court riders, they have their own "Club" The Legion Riders, they play a part in the promotion and running of the National Memorial Ride:
http://www.legion.ca/remembrance/promoting-remembrance/national-memorial-ride

Can you say HYPOCRITES?

Read the article: Legions' ban club colours.

It is obvious to me that there is another riding season disinformation campaign going on and yet again, many are falling into the trap.

"All who wear a three piece patch are trouble, you need to use the petty trespass act to get rid of them out of your club house or establishment or you are going to loose your liquor license." says the nice police officer.

There is a problem with that disinformation campaign....not all Three Piece Patches are worn by those who commit crimes.

Now, I have preached this over and over and over until I am sick of having to say it.

Not all who wear the 3 piece patch of the Hells Angels are criminal.
Not all who wear a three piece patch are criminal.
Not all who wear a three piece patch are connected to the Hells Angels.

Just Like:
Not all priests are pedophiles 
Not all cops are drunks who mow motorcyclists down and flee the scene like Monty Robinson.


Generalizations SUCK. 

PROFILING is WRONG, ILLEGAL AND IMMORAL.

Know your Charter Rights and USE THEM PEOPLE.

Please sign my petition. HERE

What say you?

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Just a few of the photos from around the Internet that expose the Hypocrisy, Lies and Lunacy of it all:

                   At Beechwood Cemetery

Upcoming Long Weekend means a higher potential for death and carnage in the motorcycle community

The Long Weekend

When you hear "Long Weekend" what is the first thing you think of? Perhaps you're looking forward to weekend motorcycle trips, an extra sleep in day, bond fires, bbq's, friends, family, camping, just an all around good time. If you are planning to be on the roads this coming long weekend there are few things that you should consider.  More traffic being one for sure, the potential for death and carnage on the highways on a long weekend is elevated as is the number of vehicles, trailers and motorcycles.  People can be inpatient, I don't understand why, it's the long weekend, time to relax, and enjoy the ride/drive to where ever it is you are going.  It's a beautiful country, with much to see. 

Orillia, ON OPP are gearing up for their Provincial National Traffic Safety Campaigns-May 15, 2018
Large numbers of motorcycles and off-road vehicles are expectded to be out Victoria Day Long Weekend.  The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are raising red flags about the potential dangers of long weekend travel, and off road activities.

As the long weekend rolls in, the OPP are reminding on and off road users about the tragic deaths of 48 riders last year. 22 of that number were not at fault. Of the 22 killed 9 of them were riding off road vehicles, and the riders were not wearing helmets, 6 were impaired, 6 were improper turns, 5 were speeding excessively, and 5 failed to yield. The death toll for off roaders not wearing a helmet repeated itself in 2016. The leading primary cause was loss of control, with 15 of the fatalities being attributed to this cause over the two-year period. 
No one wants this kind of reminder, nor do we want these images in our heads,  but sometimes it's necessary to drag stuff out to keep us in check. We are not invincible, or Iron Man even though we may think we are.

Last year alone OPP saw the highest number of fatalities in five years totaling 343 deaths, which is 343 too many in anyone's book.

Regardless of where your travels take you this week and weekend, please know that driving safely means driving the number of road deaths way down. The OPP, our policing partners and the thousands of families travelling on Ontario roads this week are counting on you to help make that happen."

- Commissioner J.V.N. (Vince) HAWKES, Ontario Provincial Police 

Ahead of its long weekend motorcycle and off-road vehicle safety initiatives, the OPP is also taking part in the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police-led Canada Road Safety Week. From May 15 to 21, 2018. The OPP and its Canadian policing partners will conduct an education and enforcement campaign aimed at the Big Four causal factors in road deaths (impaired, distracted and aggressive driving, lack of occupant restraint).

opp.ca TWITTER: @OPP_NEWS SOURCE Ontario Provincial Police. CONTACT: Contacts by Region: Highway Safety Division: Sgt. Kerry Schmidt, Ph: (416) 460-4701; Central Region: Sgt. Peter Leon, Ph: (705) 330-3713; East Region: A/Sgt. Tina Hunt, Ph: (613) 296-4516; North West Region: Sgt. Shelley Garr, Ph: (807) 473-2734; North East Region: Sgt. Carlo Berardi, Ph: (705) 845-2738; West Region: Const. Kevin Marti, Ph: (519) 385-0605 Web Site: http://www.opp.ca

The good, the bad and the very ugly

Our military is in the headlines this week and it is not a pretty thing.

Here is the link to the Maclean's article preview: http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/our-militarys-disgrace-a-preview-of-our-latest-cover-story/

Rape and violence, these are among the topics of the investigation by L’actuality and their sister publication Maclean's.

Our military has reportedly had these problems for a lot of years.
And sadly, so has our R.C.M.P.

But it's not just about what happens at work.

In the US, this article from the Free Thought Project states that 1 in 4 women is a victim of domestic abuse but that number is 1 in 2 for police officers spouses.

The Canadian Dimension article from October 2015 suggests that domestic abuse in Canada by police officers is handled very badly by the police services:

Begin Quote:
As bad as things are in the U.S., by comparison Canada and other countries are in the Stone Age in taking action or acknowledging the problem. In the Montreal and Halifax police departments, less than one percent of male officers who commit domestic violence may face a criminal charge, according to calculations based on discipline records. The situation is even worse at the RCMP—even after Jocelyn Hotte’s shooting rampage. The RCMP disciplines Mounties more harshly if they steal or make a false statement than if they attack an intimate partner. A male Mountie who assaults his wife or girlfriend may have as little as a one-in-6,500 chance of ever facing a judge for his crime. End Quote

Not surprisingly, the Canadian Military also has it's issues with spousal abuse.
The CBC reported on the issue in 2011.

Police Officers and Combat Military Personnel and Veterans all become broken human beings at some point in their careers.  Some become far more broken than others.

My personal belief is that there are a number of factors at play here.

The very nature of the jobs these people sign up for is centered around violence and dealing with the worst of the worst in humanity.

Some of the people who come to these jobs already have ego issues or anger/aggression issues but are successful at hiding their true nature for a long time, until one day they loose their grip. Others have superiors who turn a blind eye or ship the bad apple out to another detachment or unit to get rid of the administration headaches.

Others are good people who over time become jaded by the filth they have to deal with on a day to day basis, who slowly begin to loose a handle on their own sense of morality and decency.
Their moral compass shifts.

Yet others are plunged into the depths of darkness over a single horrific incident that haunts them.

The darkness and pain has to have somewhere to go and if it is not being dealt with in a constructive way like counselling, things can go off the rails.

From everything I have read, it appears that most of the "offenders" in these rape and violence cases are male. And that does not surprise me.

"Weakness" in the military is frowned upon, the same in the R.C.M.P.  and other police services.
You have to be mentally tough to deal with a lot of the situations these people face.
You have to have your "brother/sister's" back. They need to be able to rely on you and so a sign of cracking under pressure could be a death nell to your job when it comes to your trustworthiness in a crisis situation. Hence showing any humanness means your livelihood becomes jeopardized.

You truly are a cog in the wheel, a piece of machinery and when you break down, when you are going sideways, you run the risk of being discharged and worse.

The stigma attached with "weakness" is a largely a male "issue".
Many men see "weakness" as a flaw.
The system sees "weakness" as a flaw.
And so, they become good at covering up the misery they are in.

Too often no one notices and so no interventions take place.
Due to the fear levels the victims have, often times many are hurt before the "situation" ever comes to light.

The violent, grotesque and often cruel world these people live in while on the job, takes a huge toll on their psyche. The military and police services in particular, are very good at making people into "soldiers", into order followers, into people who turn off the pain, the degradation while on the job, but as the horrors come to them through their mind's eye, in a crowded room or in their dreams, many crack.

Eventually some of them totally crumble. Without help, many become lost.

Many times, the victim becomes a victimizer.

The problem is not with the majority of these human beings, but rather with a system that does little to address the mental health needs of it's people.

If the "management" caught the warning signs and got these people the support, help and tools they need, things wouldn't have to degenerate the way they often seem to.

That is the SHAME GAME.

If they only knew that it's NOT WEAKNESS at all but HUMANNESS.

I don't care how tough you are, how strong you think you are.  If shown enough horror, enough cruelty, at least one of three things will happen, if not all three:

1) You will become so angry, so filled with a sense of impotency that the rage damned near consumes you and you take it out on everyone around you especially your spouse.

2) You commit suicide either physically or career wise. By that I mean, you drink and drive (Self Medicate), you pick fights, you become overtly aggressive - a bully...you become a problem child in other words.

3) You find the right help and support and begin living a better, healthier and more balanced life.

Our soldiers, veterans and police have more than a hurdle or two to overcome.

The New Veterans Charter  still does not provide for them adequately, in spite of the Equitas agreement, for if it did, the bureaucracy would have changed hugely, especially with the high profile cases mentioned below, but it has not.

From my personal experience talking with veterans, it hasn't improved for a lot of them.
Their case managers are burnt out and overworked thanks to so many VAC offices closing, which means the bureaucracy is worse than ever.

Some of the policies and procedures are border line cruel when it comes to benefits and supports.

Case in point - Eric Magill - when you read his story in the Trenton Trentonian Newspaper, you will shake your head at the lunacy.

He lives in Trenton Ontario and has been given a wheelchair with California wheels on it, the wrong wheels for his terrain and the brakes don't work. His house is not wheel chair accessible, neither is his vehicle and why? Paperwork issues. Bureaucracy. 14 YEARS WORTH.

And how about the case of veteran Paul Franklin- his legs were left behind in Afghanistan, taken by an suicide bomber and yet every year he is asked if they have grown back.

The degradation of needing support and being treated like an unworthy/manipulative human being is cruel.

If prisoners were treated in this manner, the John Howard Society or someone would be advocating loudly for them.

The Equitas Society was formed to combat the inadequacies in the New Veteran Charter and while an agreement was reached in May of 2015, nothing much has changed.

Psychological supports are even tougher to get than the physical supports like a wheelchair and sadly, I personally know of stories where spouse's of soldiers with PTSD and other mental challenges are told to run far away, take half of everything and go.

No family counselling, no real help. Instead - destroy a family.

I have lost military friends to suicide. The devastation to their families is enormous.

Sadly, I get why these people blow a head gasket and why so much abuse and suicide exists.

The combination of the rigours of the job, the sometimes inhumane treatment at the hands of superiors and bureaucrats becomes too much and voila, the perfect storm.

I admit I am no psychiatrist or psychologist, but I have heard these heart wrenching stories enough to know that I am not too far off in my interpretation of what takes place. At least for some.

It's tragic. But, we can do something to help end some of the degradation of suffering for one man...

I hope those of you who can will join us in Nisku at Blackjack's Roadhouse on May 28th for our Wheels for Our Wounded Poker Run - this year we will be riding to help Eric Magill.

This poker run will be the kick off our national Crowdfunding Campaign that we are launching for him.

With Branch #389 of ANAVETS as our new partner, we are going to be able to provide those who need or wish to have a charitable donation receipt when you donate online or mail cheques.

We are just waiting for the new bank accounts to be opened and the PayPal account for ANAVETS to be set up!

We intend to raise funds through the crowdfunding platform until we have raised all of the money we need to fund the scooter conversion project for Eric.


If you are blessed to be riding these days, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you and please consider dressing for the slide and not the ride.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

A Vancouver Island Rider & Community Pillar under attack

For those from Vancouver Island, the Cumberland area in particular, Jean Cameron is an icon, a pillar of their community.

This hard working barber/hairdresser was the brawn behind the 7 year old Cumberland Motorcycle Round-Up.

Cameron had cancelled the event for 2016 due to issues with the local police force and now finds herself in the most bizarre of situations.

You see, last week, a mountie on bicycle patrol took down a 14 year old who was riding without a helmet and on the sidewalk. From what I have learned talking to the locals there, this young person had just gotten his bike out of the bicycle repair shop. Apparently the 14 year old would not give the officer who tried to stop him his name and he was rude. That's when the officer decided to take him down.

Watch the video here: 

See another news article here:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/arrest-of-youth-on-vancouver-island-sparks-controversy-1.3425366

Instead of following the young man home when he refused to stop or answer the officer in a civil manner, this officer decided to tackle the young man who, remember, was helmetless, risking this young man hitting his head on the pavement. 

It is unclear as to why the officer chose this type of take down, instead of, as I said, just following the young man home OR going to the repair shop to find out who he was and addressing the 14 year old's parents.

The 29 year veteran of the RCMP involved in this take down is a corporal, which has me questioning what his conduct record looks like that after 29 years in the force he's still a constable. But that's just me - I question everything.  

Now back to the situation at hand...Jean was called out of her salon by a bystander telling her that a child was being beaten by a man. Jean came outside and saw a man in a neon vest with a choke hold on this young man as is evidenced in the video below.

By all accounts, from the bystanders who have spoken out, they say the officer went too far.

He was dealing with a minor, who although he is 14, is small for his age and looks more like 12 or so I am told and Cumberland is after all a very small town of only 3,400 people.

Ms. Cameron has been handed an order to appear in court and a judge will decide if she should be charged for obstruction of justice/interfering with a police officer.

I spoke briefly with Ms. Cameron who was reluctant to talk about the issue for fear of further reprisal. All she could tell me was that this man had this slight youngster, in a choke hold when she came out of her salon. She felt that the child was scared and that is why he was struggling against the officer.  Jean tried to calm him down so the officer wouldn't hurt him anymore and she admits that her language was at times colourful as she berated the man for taking down a minor in this fashion.

I have met Jean Cameron a few times and I have seen how the kids in this community look up to her and turn to her for advice and guidance, she really is the aunty to every kid in the community.

Based on the video, the comments from most locals and what I know of Jean I would say she felt she was doing what was right, protecting a child in her community.  The police see it differently.

I have called the RCMP, but as of this moment, the official statement that is in the video is all they are offering.

Jean can not afford the legal fees and so the folks in the village of Cumberland have started a defence fund for Jean.

If Jean is charged, she will need a lot of financial support. 

If she is not charged, any funds raised in excess of the legal bill will be donated to YANA for sick kids.

If you can afford to help Jean fight what is viewed as an injustice please send your donations to:

1st Credit Union 

Box 138, 

Cumberland BC  V0R 1S0 

The cheque should be made out to Cresslyn FAY & Terry Morrison and in the memo, Jean Cameron Defence Fund

OR you can donate by Electronic Mail Transfer to:

cumberlandhotel123@gmail.com That's cumberlandhotel ONE TWO THREE @ gmail.com

Perhaps body cameras should become part of an officers uniform?

If you are blessed enough to be where you can ride today, PLEASE remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you and please consider dressing for the slide and not the ride.

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider

Your Invitation....

Our event, Wheels for Our Wounded takes place at Blackjack's Roadhouse in Nisku AB, this weekend - Saturday May 30th and if you live within a day's ride, you are INVITED....

Wheels for Our Wounded is all about helping veterans, soldiers and first responders who need help to have a vehicle modified to accommodate their new normal, be it putting a side car on a motorcycle so that a service dog can go with that person, all the way to buying or assisting with modifying a vehicle to make it wheelchair accessible.

The Federal and Provincial governments look at vehicles as a luxury. If you can't take public transit, then you need a prescription to get help and even then, the help offered to make a vehicle wheelchair accessible is only $5K from the Federal Government.

There is NO help to covert a motorcycle to accommodate a side car or  make it into a trike.

You and I, we who ride, know that a motorcycle or trike can be a sanity line for many. Just look how many veterans, solders and first responders ride - they will all tell you that wind therapy is a valid therapy - yet no one in "power" sees it.

We also know that wheels mean a certain freedom and independence.

Our first recipient for this very special, newly founded event is a veteran.  This veteran will get their motorcycle in BC during Wounded Warriors Weekend Week. This veteran by all accounts, is one of the most giving and compassionate people out there and would never ask for help for themselves.

It's hard to raise funds for an anonymous face....it's hard for people to wrap their head around supporting someone who is incognito but I promise you this much, when this veteran gets their new wheels, you are going to see someone with a grin from ear to ear who is then going to be pissed because "I don't need your charity" is this person's mindset.
And then that grin will return.

You will get to "MEET" this veteran through photos and videos of them getting their bike - I PROMISE.


We need to keep this person anonymous until they get their bike, we have to for their sake. If they found out what we were doing for them, well let's just say pride goeth before a fall and so, until its a done deal, we are keeping a lid on the recipient's name.

I promised that the help I got last year from this community, I would find a way to pay forward ten fold....and because of the support of great volunteers and supporters the intent now is to pay that kindness, that help forward a hundred fold.

Rob Truscott, JM McKinney, Les Shandruk and the gang from the Northern Gateway Motorcycle Association, 1st, 2nd, 3rd C.A.V. and C.A.V. National, Cindy Irvine, Rob Himmelspach, Blackjack's Roadhouse, Edmonton Harley-Davidson, Mountainview Harley-Davidson, JP Cormier and Tim Isberg, Cori from Steel Horses Photography, IOMC, RCL Legion Riders, all of the volunteers who will be running booths and helping with registrations etc,  (some 70 of them), the 40 or so sponsors we have, the team at Belt Drive Betty Media, Pat Varga, Cindy Murphy, all of these good people and SOOOO many more are the reason I/WE can host this event - without the aforementioned team  - I AM all but powerless....but as a community we are SOOOO powerful and everyone has worked so hard to get us here...

Our special guest is Kate MacEachern, the gal who has been walking with a 45 lbs rucksack on her back to create awareness of PTSD, to create discussion, healing and raise funds for service dogs and Wounded Warriors Weekend...

As a team, our intent is to show this woman the best in hospitality, generosity and compassion and create the best fund and awareness raising opportunity that we can.

We intend to give her voice the audience it deserves, because she speaks for so many who can't speak for themselves...

Folks, on Saturday, she and the NASH Project will be 30 days into their journey of healing! They still have many miles to traverse - let's give them the support and send off they need to keep putting one boot, one hoof infant of the other.

PLEASE, join us, RAIN OR SHINE - we won't make fun of you for showing up in a cage (much)...we NEED your support, so we can support those who need it.

It costs on average, $5,000 to put a service dog into the care and control of a soldier, veteran or first responder that needs one.

It's going to cost $12,000 to give a veteran their sanity line back in the way of a motorcycle...

Without YOU - all of the work of our volunteers, all of the support of our sponsors, will be for naught.  So PLEASE, come out, meet our team, ride/drive the poker run route, come eat some BBQ, listen to some great tunes , see what the vendors offer and most of all support those who rush in when everyone pulls back...

Fire Fighters in Grande Prairie doing their job last weekend

Our Fire Fighters (God Love them, the wildfire situation is desperate), our EMS who deal with the trauma and aftermath of some of the most horrific events you can imagine, the same for the police services, I may not always like some of their members, damned they do a job I couldn't...

Our soldiers and veterans - their jobs are critical to our well being as a nation...

Your support means everything and not just to us, the Wheels for Our Wounded team, but to Kate Mac & The Long Way Home Team, the NASH Project , Alpha K9, Paws Fur Thought, Valour Place & the Mattradd fundraiser as well as Wounded Warriors Weekend - in all your donations, your participation in the poker run, the silent auctions and 50/50 draws, the pledge challenge - will be helping 7 organizations provide outreach.

Visit www.wheelsforourwounded.ca  visit the sponsors page, the supporters page, read about Kate Mac and TLWH 2015, the NASH Project, Wounded Warriors Weekend...and then please, be motivated enough that no matter WHAT MOTHER NATURE throws our way this weekend...please come out.

On Sunday May 31st join us for a Bikers Breakfast at Blackjacks from 8am to 9:30 AM and help us send Kate of in Grande style...she will leave while we are eating breakfast and we will then catch up to her at the Royal Canadian Legion in Leduc where we will share one final hug, one final thank you and send her and the NASH Project on their way to Chilliwak - over the Coquihalla...for Kate and the Trans Canada trail for the horse team.

Our soldiers, our veterans and our first responders don't back out of doing their jobs if it rains, snows, hails, floods...please don't let them down if Mother Nature decides to be a bag...

DRIVE, RIDE or DOG SLED in - but please, come out and support these important causes...

Thanks folks and if you are blessed to be riding today, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Mongols MC Trademark Case & Waco - a conspiracy theory

June 2nd, 2015 will be the beginning of the end for motorcycle clubs in the US of A if the ATF and other police services along with Federal prosecutors have their way.

The Mongols MC have been fighting with the feds over their collective association membership mark since 2008.

At a recent fundraiser held by the Mongols MC in South Gate California (the fundraiser was unrelated to the collective membership mark case), a woman who was filming the police, who were reportedly stopping and detaining people attending the Mongols MC fundraiser, had her camera taken out of her hands and destroyed.

Watch the videos, you will see why the police destroyed the camera.
It would appear that they did not want evidence of what they were doing to by passers recorded.

I am not generally one for conspiracy theories, however the shooting in Waco and the fact that so much of the "evidence" is surrounded by controversy got me to thinking about some of the recent articles I have read about judges in the US and their decisions that seem to contravene the US's Constitution.

I am now wondering how much the court battle between the Feds and the Mongols MC over their collective membership mark/trademark has to do with the shooting in Waco Texas...or the decision over the bar brawl at the Lounge Lizard in near Wonder Lake Illinois...

You see, the police services and federal prosecutors in the US would have one believe that if you take the patch away from motorcycle clubs, you take away their power.

In fact in the state of Illinois,  judge Sharon Prather recently decided that members of the Outlaws MC would not be getting their cuts back after a bar brawl:"A McHenry County judge ruled Friday that the items won't be returned because the motorcycle club is a "street gang" and that the vests are "contraband" worn "to facilitate street gang activity." 
Read the Chicago Tribune Article HERE

The judge on the bench for the Mongols court case over their patch (collective association membership mark) Otis Wright II is clearly prejudiced against the Mongols MC as can be seen in his statements: 
“This is a criminal enterprise, as evidenced by the admission of same by no fewer than 40 people who appeared before me,” Wright said at an October 2013 hearing, a transcript shows. “This is a dangerous enterprise.”

Last February, one of Wright’s Central District of California judicial colleagues rejected the club’s effort to disqualify him.

The Mongols similarly failed in their lawsuit against Holder, in which they claimed the asset forfeiture would “unconstitutionally infringe on the club’s First Amendment rights.” Four months after the suit was filed, Wright dismissed it.

“They are operating under the banner of the Mongols,” Wright said at the October 2013 hearing. “It is that name, that reputation, that intimidation factor which enables them to do what they do, isn’t it?” Read the full article at McClatchy DC HERE

The Mongols MC says Freedom of Speech and the right to be who they are is at stake. 

When you look at the three very different stories:
The Mongols MC and their fight for their patch and what prosecutors & judges say about the patch...
The fact the judges are stating that the patch is a tool of intimidation in places like Illinois and one of the only arguments that the US prosecutors has in the collective association membership mark case is the violence and threat the patch intimates, it makes one wonder if the shootings in Waco weren't premeditated...all part of a grand scheme to be able to point to violence as it relates to patches.

It's not that far fetched of an idea.

So many mainstream media reports and statements from the police say the same things about the Waco shootings, rival gang tensions over bottom rockers caused this.

Here is but one example:

Read the Waco Trib article HERE

Just Google it, there are many more just like it.

But when you read articles like this one from The Conservative Treehouse:

http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2015/05/19/report-of-waco-police-affidavitwarrants-inconsistent-with-initial-public-claims-by-same-police/

Or this one from Fox news that contradicts what police are saying about who was shot:

http://www.fox10phoenix.com/story/29120730/purple-heart-recipient-among-bikers-killed-in-waco-shooting

You quickly realize there is potentially a lot more to the situation in Waco than meets the eye.

Is Waco and the violence there going to be used as part of the prosecution's argument...it will be interesting to see how this plays out but KNOW THIS...

If the government is successful in confiscating the collective association membership mark of the Mongols MC, then every motorcycle club, every riding and social club is threatened.  

Truly, we are are already threatened.

I believe that the writing is on the wall, it has been for a long time. 

Motorcycle Clubs have got to go in the eyes of law enforcement and government.

Even here in Canada, MC's are not permitted to wear their cuts in most liquor establishments, in many cities there is a ban on wearing patches on city property (Grande Prairie AB has such a bylaw) and MC's and many RC's are singled out for special attention like being photographed at toy runs, both rider and license plate.

If we do not collectively defend our rights of association & free speech, the next thing you know it will become illegal to be a biker, a rider a motorcyclist. By that I mean, you will be harassed, your time will be wasted, valuable tax dollars will go to more police and police operations...

It appears to me, that we the people, have allowed the rights and freedoms that our veterans and serving members of the military have fought for be downgraded and diminished here at home by not defending our rights.

Remember folks that the legal system is no justice system and only those with very deep pockets and lots of patience seem to win.

What say you?

If you are blessed to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you. I recommend dressing for the slide and not the ride.

Belt Drive Betty 

Editor & Rider






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