Nebraska Paddling

It happens in every state, practially every year. Right now it's Nebraska.

With a repeal bill before the state legislature, bikers are paddling as fast as they can to get the repeal bill upstream.

But it doesn't have to be so frantic. With all the papers reporting on this story, I've been plugging the RIDE2REPEAL.COM approach with the following reader comment:

The sooner bikers figure out that doing campaign work is -- by far -- the most convincing argument, the sooner they will get their rights back.

As long as it's a debate in the court of public opinion, where most people don't know how to ride, don't know squat about motorcycles, and don't have to deal with helmets day in and day out, the bikers will lose.

But passive opinion can never beat organized action. As long as that action is in the form of campaign work, bikers cannot be stopped. But without it, they cannot win.

I hope the repeal bill passes. And I'm doing what's asked when the Call to Action comes out -- to respond to reader polls, write an email or two to legislators, etc. There's no excuse for doing otherwise.

Fortunately for Nebraska bikers, ABATE of Nebraska has done their homework. For years they've worked to develop a good working relationship with their legislators. Not just during the sessions, either. They have been helping biker-friendly legislators get elected -- and reelected -- for years. Other states can learn from their successes, both on the campaign trail and during the session.

It will be nice when bikers in every state can sit back and relax during the legislative sessions. But until the idea of working ahead -- with campaign work -- becomes part of our culture, we can only keep paddling madly against the current.

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com