Title: What is the MMA, a MRO or a social/safety organization?
 
In the October Patriot an ad appeared sponsored by the GOHS. It was about safety equipment and used the "H" word, helmet. Many members of the High Country District were less than happy with this ad, me included. It reminded me of a conversation I
had last May with P.J. Janik at the Prescott Valley Safety Safari. He said "I'm glad to see you wear a helmet, but it’s too bad you can't convince most of your members to do so, too.” I told him he did not get it. As a motorcycle rights organization, we promote freedom of choice and I wore a lid because of a promise I made to my wife. I keep my promises, just like the promises I make when I sign up a new member of the MMA.  That promise is to fight for motorcyclist rights, including the phrase, “let those who ride, decide,"
 
One of the members of the HCD pointed out to me that no where in our bylaws is there anything about being a MRO. Instead it says this:

 
"(a) The specific and primary purposes for which the Corporation is formed
are to establish and operate a social-educational association dedicated to motorcycling safety."

Pardon my French, what the------- does this mean? Are we a MRO, or a MSO?
 
 
The combination of the ad that appeared in our paper and the quote made me feel like a hypocrite.
 
 
I feel it was a critical error to take that ad and at the very least, something should have been placed under the ad stating that the MMA is an organization dedicated to that phrase previously mentioned. This is crucial. It is a well known fact Mary Peters has her face shield covered eyes on the office of Governor of Arizona. What happened to the collective rage and motivation we had when Peters tried to back door a national helmet law? Are we too busy planning our next Poker Run? Not that I am against some fun, as long as we stay on message while having fun.  The message is of course the MMA is here to fight for your rights and “safety” is secondary to our goals.  Safety in motorcycling is important, but it is also a common sense issue.  When I see someone riding in flip-flops and shorts, I think this person’s common sense gene is seriously defective, but on the other hand, I don’t want to live in a state/country that tells him if he wants to ride a motorcycle, he/she must wear a full-face helmet, Kevlar clothing in day-glow orange, can’t modify their bike beyond stock, and wear a patch on the back of their orange jacket.  In case many of you haven’t noticed, this is happening all over (Ex. Puerto Rico, Australia, etc.).

I saw Obama was telling all his supporters to take off work on Election Day to get out the vote (for him of course). While I don't agree with his politics, I do think this is what needs to be done by bikers on both local and national level. Its time to get P'OD and bug all our elected officials’ like Doc does (HCD PIO/ADM).  Can you imagine if we were like ABATE of Indiana and 30,000 bikes show up at Luncheon on the Lawn in 2009?
 
It is time for the MMA to wake up and smell the coffee that Mary Peters, congress, the judiciary and executive branch will be drinking as they set out to protect us from ourselves.
 
Yours in Freedom,

Dawolf.

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