Focus: Keeping your eye on the ball

Reprinted from February 2009 "Hoosier Motorcyclist" magazine
By Gary D. Williams, ABATE of Indiana Operations Director

The current legislative session has started and we have a couple of issues that we need to focus on. One is Scooters and the other is Right of Way. Both are motorcycle issues. The scooters are two wheeled vehicles that look and act like a motorcycle (if it walks like a duck) that are being included in every statistic (damn statistics) associated with motorcycles. We need common sense legislation to address this that will change or eliminate current statutes, not a bunch of additional new laws.

The Right of Way legislation will give the prosecutors added tools to do their job and make justice available to all.

I think we need to visit our friends at the NRA. I can hear you saying “What the hell does the NRA know about motorcycles?” Not much, but they sure as hell know how to organize their members and lobby our representatives. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass) says “The NRA does the best job of any group in America in lobbying members. It's just good, straight ­democracy.”

How does the NRA do this? By being focused on one issue and one issue only, the Second Amendment, your right to keep and bear arms under the constitution. It doesn’t matter if their opponents are trying to ban a type of firearm, restrict magazines or any other issue relating to firearms they have one argument. “It’s the Second Amendment.” They do not let themselves be drawn into other arguments unrelated directly to firearms, they stay focused.

Great you say, but what the hell has that got to do with ABATE of Indiana and us? Everything and more.

Just like the NRA, ABATE is a grassroots ­organization, relying on the individual riding a motorcycle. Think of a triangle turned upside down. The individual, (that’s YOU) the tip of the triangle with all the local, regional, and state office personnel on your shoulders, there to help and support your efforts. YOU are a freedom fighter focused on one issue and one issue only “Freedom of Choice”. Whether the issue is our choice to wear a helmet, to change the pipes on your bike, or where you take your bike for service. We don’t want to let ourselves be drawn into the technical argument surrounding any motorcycle issue. It is about your right to decide what is best for you and your bike, not your car, truck, house or taxes. IT’S ABOUT MOTORCYCLES AND THE RIGHT TO DECIDE FOR YOURSELF.

Like the NRA, ABATE of Indiana is recognized as one of the most effective political groups in the state of Indiana. Why? Because we have stayed FOCUSED on motorcycle issues and been able to activate thousands of bikers (VOTERS) to be politically active. We have not let our organization be lured into fights that are not motorcycle related (i.e.: seatbelts, right to life, gun issues) which produce emotional responses from other groups and dilute our focus.

Knowledge is power, stay informed on the latest motorcycle related issues locally and nationally, attend town hall meetings, support your motorcyclists' rights organizations and STAY FOCUSED. This legislative session may be more volatile than we expect.