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Compiled and Edited by Bill Bish, National Coalition of Motorcyclists NCOM CONVENTION...A TESTAMENT TO UNITY Tensions were running high within the motorcycle community in the waning weeks prior to the 17th annual NCOM Convention, May 9-11, but despite the cancellations or over-patrolling of numerous biker events around the country in the wake of recent bloodshed, patch holders and motorcycle rights activists descended on the Radisson Hotel in New Orleans in near-record numbers for a weekend of learning, sharing, networking and unity.
"This shit has got to stop," exclaimed one Confederation of Clubs chairman about the outbreak of violence, drawing a standing ovation from the crowded Patch Holders Meeting.
J.W. Rock of the Bandidos M/C and chairman of the Confederation of Clubs of Central Texas read a prepared statement during the meeting: "We the Confederations of Clubs, now organized for patch holders in 39 States and two Canadian Provinces, do hereby reaffirm our support for the principles of NCOM and the motorcyclists' rights movement. As members of the National Coalition of Motorcyclists, the many autonomous Confederations of Clubs support NCOM's efforts to have all motorcyclists become more involved in our government, more active in the preservation of our Liberties, and more dedicated to the Unity of all motorcycle organizations." Although law enforcement was abundant, it was not oppressive, and the only violence reported was about 10,000 crawdads that got their tails shucked and their heads sucked in a local park at the Freedom Fighters' Crawfish Boil hosted by ABATE of Louisiana on Friday night. Many problems are solved and friendships forged during the social activities at the NCOM Convention, but the weekend is structured around Seminars such as Computer Privacy & the Internet, Women in Motorcycling, Is Your Bike Headed to the Scrap Heap?, and the ever-popular Mock Legislative Session; and Meetings like the NCOM Board of Directors Meeting, the NCOM Legislative Task Force Meeting, the A.I.M. Attorneys Conference and other Regional and special interest meetings; where centuries of combined knowledge are freely accessible.
This year's Convention was dedicated to the memory of Bruce Johnson, long time lobbyist for ABATE of Pennsylvania, who died of cancer earlier this year. In a moving tribute to Brothers & Sisters Lost, "Doc" Reichenbach, Chairman of the NCOM Board and President of ABATE of Florida, Inc., read a list of names of recently deceased Freedom Fighters submitted by motorcycle clubs and organizations for this special dedication. ABATE of Florida donated a brass bell to NCOM which was rung once for each name on the 18-page list, which took eight minutes to read. But that somber note aside, the Convention seminars were thought-provoking, the meetings stimulating and the enthusiasm electrifying!
The Silver Spoke Awards Banquet topped off the weekend's festivities by honoring those amongst us who have distinguished themselves within the motorcycling community. This year's honorees were: West Virginia State Delegate Greg Butcher - Government; Ohio A.I.M. Attorney Ralph C. Buss - Legal; John Paliwoda, Director of the California Motorcycle Dealers' Association - Commerce; Keith Ball, former editor of Easyriders and founder of BikerNet.com - Media; Special Awards were presented to "Gunny," Oregon A.I.M. Chief of Staff; Curtis Clements of the Christian Motorcycle Association; And posthumously to John Randolph, A.I.M. Chief of Staff with the Law Offices of Richard M. Lester. The Ron Roloff Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded to Bill Bish, former NCOM Executive Director, Fred Hill International Award was given to Lloyd "Animal" Rector, founder of the Organization of Responsible Bikers of Nova Scotia.
The local Louisiana newspaper, the Times-Picayune, wrapped up the weekend under the headline, "Convention Puts Police on Alert - But Bikers In New Orleans to Learn Their Rights," and had this to say about the conference; "While police and federal authorities stepped up patrols for a gathering of motorcyclists in New Orleans this weekend, the bikers themselves spent much of their time attending workshops such as 'How a Bill Becomes Law.' Legal talk was in high gear at the convention, where seminars included 'The New Terrorists Laws and Their Effect on Your Group' and 'How to Form a Political Action Committee.'...By late Saturday, authorities said the weekend was running smoothly." Next year's NCOM Convention will be held May 8-10, 2003, at the Four Points Sheraton in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Call the NCOM office at (800) 525-5355 for further details. "JAPANESE BAN BIKER GANGS" screamed the headline in the May 4th issue of The Daily Telegraph, which went on to report that the larger Japanese cities are passing laws to outlaw motorcycle "gang" membership, even to the extent of calling for jail time for motorcyclists who wear clothes identifying "biker gang membership." Read on for the complete story, by Colin Joyce in Tokyo... Japan is cracking down on biker gangs in the latest sign of growing national impatience with youth crime. Some of the country's biggest cities have introduced laws allowing officials to ban biker gatherings or face fines but Hiroshima has now taken the extraordinary step of introducing jail sentences of up to six months on gang members "spreading fear" in the city. Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba hit the streets Saturday night to tell biker gangs why the city has outlawed them. Akiba visits biker gangs in parks and entertainment districts throughout the "Peace City" to talk to bikers about a Hiroshima ordinance that targets them. "I want you to realize that you?re causing problems for everybody," Akiba said to one biker, explaining that it is already illegal to wear clothes identifying biker gang membership in the city. Hiroshima outlawed biker gangs and biker gang membership in an ordinance that came into effect on April 1 following violent clashes between motorcycle enthusiasts and police in recent years. Punishments for those who violate the ordinance will not be handed out until May. Offenders of the draconian ordinance - simply wearing the uniform of a motorcycle gang is illegal - face a prison sentence of up to six months or maximum fine of 100,000 yen. Bosozoku, or "violent running tribes" as the gangs are called in Japanese, are a haven for disaffected young men. They are a common sight in Japan, ignoring red lights as they roar through cities or blocking major roads by driving very slowly en masse. Their powerful bikes are adapted to make the maximum amount of noise. Anyone protesting is likely to have his vehicle attacked with baseball bats or be assaulted himself. The bosozoku, perhaps best known outside Japan from the famous animated film Akira, were believed to be dying out in the early 1990s. Japanese tended to view them as little more than a noisy nuisance and gangs were allowed to run regularly along the same routes unchallenged by police. However, tolerance has worn thin in recent years as a result of a series of violent crimes involving the gangs. In Tokyo last year a teenager was beaten to death after being mistaken for a member of a rival gang. In Nagano, central Japan, eight gang members were imprisoned last week for abducting and battering a rival to death.
BIKERS "DOWN UNDER" FACE BANS ON CLUBHOUSES Australia is bracing to prohibit biker clubhouses in suburbs under a State Government plan to insert a "character clause" in planning laws, says Political Reporter Susie O'Brien in the April 23 issue of "The Advertiser": The bikie gang laws - an Australian first - would empower councils to refuse bikie clubs permission to build headquarters in suburban areas, Attorney-General Michael Atkinson said yesterday. Under the legislation, any outlaw gang involved in illegal activities would come under a legal definition of bad character. A special clause banning building approval to those of bad character would enable councils to reject applications. Councils at present must accept all valid building applications, irrespective of the applicants' character. At least four bikie gang clubrooms have been established in Adelaide. "Under planning laws we can't make a distinction between social clubs or outlaw bikie fortresses," Mr. Atkinson said. "We want to take into account the fact they are bikie gangs operating outside the law," he said. "The laws will allow us to demolish headquarters erected unlawfully." The new laws will be introduced this year, but will not apply retrospectively. Monash University criminologist Arthur Veno said a more collaborative approach was required between police and gangs rather than more laws. John Bennett, president of the Australian Civil Liberties Union, said any character-based laws would be discriminatory unless they applied to all people, not just bikie gangs. DIVERSE GROUP DECRIES "SPY FILES" KEPT BY POLICE "Political activists, bikers and masked demonstrators converged outside the state Capitol on Sunday to protest the Denver Police Department's collection of secret intelligence files on more than 3,400 protesters," wrote Nick Groke in a Special Report to The Denver Post on Monday, April 22, 2002. The rally, organized by the Tyranny Response Team, a pro gun-rights group, drew about 100 participants, including members of the Colorado Libertarian Party, the Colorado Green Party and several local motorcycle clubs. "The whole idea behind the files is to intimidate," said Robert Teesdale of the Tyranny Response Team. "This issue affects all of us the same way." Denver police are allowed under law to keep intelligence files on groups and people involved in violent crime or property destruction, but they also have been maintaining documents on peaceful protesters. "This isn't a resurgence of what they did in the '60s and '70s - it's a continuation," said Latino activist Ernesto Vigil of the police files. "They never stopped." The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit last month against the Police Department over the so-called secret spy files. The ACLU is seeking access to the files for people whose names are in the documents. They also want the files destroyed. "Unfortunately, I'm not sure even a successful lawsuit will solve the problem," said Ralph Shnelvar, who spoke at the rally. Organizers sent invitations to more than 40 local activist groups to attend the rally. Many of the motorcycle club members left after organizers warned them that two police officers were writing down the license plate numbers of nearby motorcycles. "I support the Denver Police Department, but we know we've been targets, and it's just stupid," said Bill Jones, a member of a local motorcycle club.  MISSOURI BIKERS DEMAND RETURN OF PROPERTY>-- A.I.M. Attorneys around the country not only provide legal assistance to injured motorcyclists, but they also contribute "pro bono" legal work for the motorcycle community, and often serve as Legal Counsel for their local Motorcycle Rights Organization and for all the Confederations of Clubs. Missouri A.I.M. attorney Jeffrey Lang recently represented two motorcycle clubs in lawsuits against law enforcement to return property seized in a raid on their clubhouse. The Jackson County Drug Enforcement Task Force executed two search warrants. The first was at the club house shared by the Galloping Goose MC and El Forastero MC. While no drugs, drug precursors, drug making apparatus or paraphernalia was located, the Task Force assisted by the FBI and ATF confiscated club property including, but not limited to, club pictures, plaques, flags, anything with the club colors or 1% information on it, antique slot machines and the clubs' minute books. Another search warrant was executed at the residence of a Galloping Goose club member. While no drugs or drug making apparatus was found, various personal items of the member was confiscated including but not limited to, pictures, club jackets, motorcycle parts and other pictures or clothing containing club colors or 1% information. The club and member fought for years trying to regain possession of their property. About a year ago, out of frustration, they asked if Missouri A.I.M. attorney Jeff Lang could do anything to help. Jeff filed two lawsuits against the Task Force. One in the name of the two clubs and the other in the name of the member. "Both suits sounded in Tort and asserted causes of action in Replevin," explains Jeff in legalese. "Later, after additional discovery, both Petitions were amended to include a count for Conversion, which, in addition to actual damages prayed for punitive damages." Early in the litigation, the Task Force returned most of the member's property. "We were able to serve the Task Force detective who was in charge of executing both search warrants, with a subpoena duces tecum to appear for his deposition. Just prior to the taking of his deposition, the Task Force agreed to return the bulk of property taken from the club house of the Gooses and El Forasteros," according to attorney Lang. "We proceeded with the deposition of the detective to determine the reliability of the Confidential Informants who provided information for the search warrants and any other facts the detective relied upon in requesting the search warrant," Lang said. "As of yet, we do not have a trial date, but my clients are ecstatic to get their property back. There are still issues to resolve regarding firearms, ammunition and the slot machines that are still being held." QUOTABLE QUOTE: "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."
Helen Keller
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