Chasing Rainbows

Recently a friend and fellow activist sent me something interesting to read. It was an explanation of why helmet laws are technically unenforceable. It came from a group called "Bikers of Lesser Tolerance," also known as BOLT. Their explanation was simple, logical, and to the point. It was also fairly easy to understand.

But it was also the centerpiece of a futile pursuit. As long as I've been fighting helmet laws, I've heard and read dozens of similar arguments. Everything from the US Constitution to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration accident data. Slam-dunk stuff.

The problem is that it's all talk. No action, just talk. Talking to the media, talking to legislators, talking to other bikers. Talking to yourself. Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk ...

Now BOLT has always been about more than talk. They are well known for taking action, and deservedly so. They fight back by taking off their helmets, and by taking on the system. Whether it's a helmet law protest run, or individual acts of civil disobedience, they back up their talk ... with action.

There's just one problem. Their action is ineffective. Fighting the helmet law in court is like playing the lottery. Sure, they could win. A judge could throw out the ticket, based on flaws in the statutes. Or they could appeal a guilty verdict and get the law itself declared unenforceable ... even unconstitutional. Sure, they could win.

And I could win the powerball drawing. If I'm astonishingly lucy.

BOLT is full of activists. That's a good thing. They show up and take action, which speaks for itself. Any SMRO would do well to have members that do as much. In the world of biker activism, they are superheroes.

But only results count. Even if hundreds of bikers show up and take action, it won't matter if their action doesn't accomplish the desired result. That's ineffective, and it's why BOLT doesn't get anywhere. They are chasing rainbows, looking for that pot o' gold.

Pound for pound, man for man, hour for hour, there is only one truly effective way to get our rights back. Yes, it takes action. Yes, it takes people who show up. But unlike fighting tickets in court, it has a specific result that is certain.

With a legislative majority, there's no need to fight tickets in court. Why? Because there's no helmet law to fight anymore. Same thing for motorcycle-only police roadblocks, FMSV helmet standards, and handlebar height. With a biker-friendly legislative majority, all these problems go away.

So how do we get a biker-friendly legislative majority? Not with protest runs, court challenges, or acts of civil disobedience. Not even with our votes, since bikers are a tiny and insignificant minority.

We do it with campaign work.

Campaign work is more powerful than a vote. It creates a bond between the candidate and the biker community. It generates votes from the general public. It convinces legislators that bikers have political power ... power that's worth having on their side.

Plus it's easy. How hard is it to poke a campaign sign into the ground? To stick a flyer into a screen door jamb? To stuff some envelopes with campaign literature? Not at all. And this isn't something you have to do year in and year out. Legslative elections only occur once every two years, and even then only for two months between Labor Day and Election Day.

BOLT could get everything they want .. and more. All they have to do is focus that energy on something that's effective and gets results. Working hard isn't enough. Being right isn't enough. Putting yourself out there on the line isn't enough. Standing up to injustice isn't enough. The only thing that's a direct shot to freedom is doing campaign work.

That's worth more than dreaming of a pot o' gold. It's the real deal.