...Frawley August 9, 2013 Hollister and the Death of Family Riding In 1947 a riot occurred that caused authorities to say, "The trouble was caused by the 1% deviant that tarnishes the public image of both motorcycles and motorcyclists.” –Anonymous. In response most bikers sum up their feeling this way, “A 1%er is the one of a hundred of us who have given up on society, So stay out of our face. If you don’t think this way then walk away.” These quotes sum up the world of the outlaw biker. The first is a short attempt to explain away the mess in Hollister California 1947, the second is a subtle warning to walk away or face violence. In 1947 a small town in Central California named Hollister became the center point of the motorcycle world. This little town with a population of about 4,500 (US Census 1947) hosted an American Motorcycle Association (AMA) event that would forever change society’s perception of bikers and the world in which they live in. This normally quiet town’s peaceful record was shattered by violence and destruction changing the world of the motorcyclists forever. This of course is the media’s dramatic account of the episode. Pushed by American news agencies, that stereotype led to the formation of the Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs, and their integration into our society. One bit of dramatic licensing led to the formation of a billion dollar a year industry of drug running, guns, extortion and murder. But is this the truth? How did this myth become...
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...Motorcycle Gangs: From Outlaws to Any Joe Throughout history any person that rode a motorcycle was considered an outlaw or some sort of bad ass. The beginning days of motorcycle gangs weren’t the everyday Joe that had a nine to five job. These people were in their own class and were feared by anyone that crossed their path, but times have changed. Now anyone can ride a motorcycle without being labeled as a deviant outlaw. From the 1950 to today, the world has changed their perspect on a person that rides a motorcycle. Motorcycle gangs began after the veterans of World War Two returned home. Many of the return veterans started to ride motorcycles to feel the excitement that replaced the emotions from the war. On 4th of July 1946 the American Motorcycle Association held a motorcycle event in the small city of Hollister, California. At that time there were two motorcycle gangs that were know as the Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington and the other gang was known as the Market Street Commandoes (CTGIA). The small city was filled with bikers and the police department consisted of only seven officers. The night got rowdy and the officers arrested one of the P.O.B.O.B. The gang ordered the police to release their fellow member and when they refused, the gang tore the city apart. This one event created history for motorcycle gangs because from that day on their will always be a July 4th run and the one percent image came into play. The Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington...
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...Motorcycle Clubs At the end of World War II many American military personnel returned home broken and missing the friendships of the military life. Many of these young men and women were trained and used motorcycles in battle. After returning home from World War II these same men would end up together to form motorcycle riding clubs. As innocent as these origins may have started, the stigmata that has been associated with motorcycle clubs is wrong (Thompson, 2005). Just because it’s a Motorcycle club, doesn’t mean that they are outlaws. When the word biker is mentioned, most people think of the stereotypical dirty, unshaven, leather wearing, criminal. When the truth is only a small number of bikers are these, they’re called one per centers. This means that that they live outside the law as only one percent of society does. These groups have given the other riders a bad name (Brotherman, 2009). With some motorcycle clubs committing crimes, it has been hard to shake the negative stereotypes. These crimes include murder, rape, and drug dealing (Thompson, 2005). With such a negative projection by these criminal clubs it’s hard to see past the bad stereotypes. There are positive clubs out there that are trying hard to shake this misconception. As they look to other countries, and their laws, there will be many legal means of getting rid of these bad apples (Veno, 2009). The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is the rights advocate for bikers in America and they fight hard...
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...Motorcycle Clubs People drive everyday whether it is to or from work, running errands or traveling and during this time it is very possible to have seen a group of motorcycle riders traveling together. Many people believe motorcycle clubs are gangs and its members are angry, intimidating and violent people looking for trouble. In reality most clubs and their members are every day, upstanding citizens that have families and productive jobs who just like to ride and socialize with similar individuals who share the same passion. History can be traced all the way back to 1903 in New York where The Federation of American Motorcyclist was organized to protect the rights and address issues important to motorcycle riders. Due to an increase of popularity and riders, on November 15, 1916 The Motorcycle and Allied Trades Association was established to represent and regulate the motorcycle manufacturers and accessory makers and distributors. Eventually the FAM ended and the M&ATA began registering riders and sponsoring events and by early 1924 it claimed to have over 10,000 members. On May 15 the M&ATA proposed to create the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) division which would control rider registration and activities, issue sanctions for national events and serve motorcycle industry members. Motorcycle Clubs or MCs started forming around World War II era, one of the earliest and possible first club was the Outlaws Motorcycle Club established in 1935 in...
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...government that has laws in place to ensure order and organization. However, there are certain people and groups that wish to compromise and profit personally from breaking these laws. According to Understanding Organized Crime (2007), organized crime can be defined by the members and the activities of a group. There are many crimes in which organized crime might be involved, but what separates individual crime from crimes committed by groups of people is the term organized or organization. Organization has been described as a group of people who cooperate to accomplish objectives or goals. Organized crime has been around for centuries; from Outlaw gangs in the western days that robbed stage coaches, the pony express, and passengers of trains to today’s Blood and Crip gangs that dominate public streets for power over territories and drug sales. Gangs have been around for a long time imposing on the lives and liberties of law abiding citizens that wish to obey laws. Law abiding citizens have to live in imminent fear that their lives are not disrupted by the actions of these criminal organizations that wish to indulge in crime. In this paper, we will explore the various definitions, perception, characteristics of organized crime, and explore some high profile groups that indulge in different types of crimes. Perception of Organized Crime A University student named -------------- was asked how she defined organized crime. -----------’s perception of organized crime has some of the dynamics...
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... rebellious mindset shared by these men? Perhaps the source lies beyond internal and external traits. Maybe we shouldn’t be so interested in these people, but rather the surrounding components that define them as bikers, bodybuilders, and surfers. These can be identified as the motorcycles, surfboards, dumbbells, and accessories that make these men who they are. It is through these machines that an overwhelming amount of masculinity can be depicted as the result of superhuman performances and accomplishments caught on camera, leaving other men questioning their manliness and inspiring a desire to achieve such a level of masculinity. The W170 Bodies in Motion: Surfers, Bikers, and Bodybuilders Photo Archive contains numerous pictures that give a closer look at these groups. One of these photos features a group of about eighteen bikers standing around their motorcycles, unaware of the picture being taken. By including their bikes in this picture, the entire image is shifted. The motorcycles instantly classify these people as “bikers” and the distance separating the viewer from the actual group labels them as a private motorcycle club or “gang”. This along with the common association between biker gangs and deviant activities cause many assumptions to be made by the viewer. This relates to Judith...
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...In this essay I will prove that in the story “White Fantasy-Black Fact” by Jack Davis, people continually judge each other without necessarily meaning to. Often times people like to believe that we live in a world where everyone is equal, but that is not always the case. Even though we have come a long way from the way things were in the past with racism and discrimination, it still exists in the time of this story and it still exists today. In the beginning of the story, a bus driver is driving around thinking about his family, and his new baby, Peggy Sue, it mentions that he dislikes violence, and cruelty to animals. He sends money overseas every year to help the less fortunate. He is happy to live in the country that he does. As it says on page 430 “He was glad he lived in a country that was white, where there was plenty for all, where nobody starved and where everyone was equal.” He seems like a good man, if not a little racist. However, when he approaches an aboriginal family, he doesn’t let them on his bus because he thinks they are disease ridden and dirty. He doesn’t want to bring home their germs to his wife and daughter. He knows nothing about this family but he judges them based on their looks alone, maybe because they aren’t white, because he prides himself on living in a “white” country. The aboriginal family of eight is then left on the side of the road with a problem; they have to get to Perth for the baby’s doctor’s appointment...
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...at one time in history the black leather jacket reflected a statement of the bad boy, the rebel, the greaser, and gangs. The black leather jacket stemmed from the original World War II Brown Bomber Jacket. Pilots were issued a standardized brown bomber jackets also know as the A-2 flight jackets. These jackets were made out of horsehide and lined with a heavy fleece, designed to keep the pilots warm due an open cockpit and changing climate conditions experienced while flying. Another flight jacket that was issued in the service was the B3 Bomber Jacket made out of sheepskin. These bomber jackets became poplar with not only the pilots, but all different divisions of the US Military. Military men could have patches stitched on they jacket representing their rank and your division. Wearing theses bomber jackets not only represented a strong military man, it represented power and prestige. Of course the bomber jacket became even more popular with a 1957 movie “Night Passage”, staring Jimmy Stewart, wearing a brown bomber jacket. But when the movie “The Wild One” hit the movie screens in 1953 staring Marlin Brando wearing a white t-shirt, a pair of blue jeans, and a Black Leather Jacket, this was when the black leather jacket made it day beau! Marlin Brando played a character named Johnny who was the leader of a motorcycle club. In the movie Johnny and his gang ride along the open highway, free as birds, they decided to stop in a quiet little town were their...
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...There are has almost as many gangs as there are communities in the United States. This paper will explain the three most popular types of gangs, and what they all have to afford. It will also provide some personal background information on the individual. Then give the criterion that best fits the individual being discussed. It will also make the argument for which gang, they should join. This will all be explained more in depth in this paper. First, it is important to give some background information on the individual. The individual is the oldest of four children, a nineteen year old white male originality from northeast Tennessee, specify Johnson City, TN who moved to Inglewood, California after he dropped out of high school his junior year at Science Hill High School because of fighting . His parents divorced when he was only five years old. His father, after the divorce, moved to Jackson, TN in the East...
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...The Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation, also known as the one percenters, standout amongst the most modern organized crime syndicate rings globally, with one hundred and twelve chapters established across twenty different countries. They hold eleven chapters just in Canada, five of which are in British Columbia, five in Quebec and a single charter in Halifax. Establishing their presence from coast to coast demonstrates that they aspire to dominate the entire country. Due to their nature of tenacity, the Hells Angels find it quite simple to overwhelm the weak law policing in this country. And in combination with their crafty advancements they are unseen by the public. The sole endeavors that we see these gangs engage in are deceitful fundraiser along with fictitious commercials that lionize their persona and ideology. The Hell’s Angels are not a mere media chimera, although the media portrayal is not always dependably accurate (Sheptycki, J., 2005). With the aid of the media, these biker gangs have pulled the wool over public’s eyes, diverting its attention to fraudulent aspects while they continue to multiply and overrun society from the...
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...A Brief History of "Outlaw" Motorcycle Clubs Little scholarly research exists which addresses outlaw motorcycle clubs. These works attempt to explore warring factions of outlaw clubs, provide club members’ perspectives about media portrayal, expose myths, and elucidate motorcycle club culture.*1 The literature reveals gaps which leave many unanswered questions: Where do outlaw motorcycle clubs come from? How did they start? How or why did they evolve into alleged international crime organizations? The few histories of outlaw motorcycle organizations date the origins of such clubs to around 1947 and tend to oversimplify the issues of why these clubs formed and who actually joined them. Histories such as these are built on foundations of weak evidence, rendering inconsequential the origins of the subculture and relegating members of early organizations to the marginal status of “malcontents on the edge of society, and other antisocial types who just wanted to raise hell” (Valentine 147). This article extends current research by reaching back nearly half a century before 1947 to link the dawn of motorcycle organizations with the present reality of outlaw motorcycle clubs. The overarching goal of the article is to offer a more comprehensive history, an evolutionary history that may allow for a better understanding of contemporary motorcycle subculture. What follows is a taxonomy of social and historical factors affecting group formation of motorcycle clubs according to the...
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...According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated 7.1 million motorcycles were registered in the United States as of 2008. The vast majority of motorcycle riders are law-abiding citizens who enjoy motorcycles as a hobby or form of transportation. Some enthusiasts even belong to clubs or groups devoted to motorcyclists; for example, an estimated 230,000 riders belong to the American Motorcyclist Association, one of the largest motorcycle clubs in the United States. What I will be talking about today is a small portion of motorcycle clubs that function as gangs and engage in a variety of deviant behavior and criminal activities. Individual members of such clubs proudly call themselves “One Percenters,” a nick name that originated from a comment made by the American Motorcycle Association that “99% of bikers follow the law.”! ! In an article; Leathers and Rolexs: The Symbolism and Values of the Motorcycle Club by! James F. Quinn and Craig J. Forsyth wrote “It is difficult to distinguish a modern one percenter from other bikers unless the patch is present. Further, the core traits of one percenters and their clubs are merely the extreme of a continuum that runs from law-abiding to crime immersed and from the countercultural gang member to the sophisticated subcultural entrepreneur.”! ! There are 4 distinct types of offending that can be observed with these groups:! Spontaneous expressive acts, which are typically violent crimes that arise between...
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...Chapter 12, Gangs and Drugs: Two National Threats. They are something that is spreading in this country and destroying families and the communities. Two big national threats in today’s society are gangs and drugs. The one major one is the gang threat. The National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations (NAGIA) is a cooperative organization formed in 1998. They have more than 20,000 members that are representing 23 state and region across the country (National Gang Intelligence Center 2013). The NAGIA works to ensure the public safety and respond to violence, drugs, and other gang-related crimes that impact our community (National Gang Intelligence Center 2013). A gang is defined, as a group of individuals...
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...symbols, style and activities violate the conventional mainstream culture. Biker gangs are an example of a subculture. Biker gangs are essentially clubs that commit organized crime. A specific example of a biker gang that will be examined more thoroughly throughout the paper is the Hells Angels. In this paper the Hells Angels will be closely examined through their beliefs, ideals, norms, symbols, activities, etc. They will also be connected to and distinguished from the mainstream culture of society today. The Hells Angels participation in the subculture will be examined and how it appears to influence and...
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...Prison Gangs Prison gangs are criminal organizations that originated within the penal system. The first known American prison gang was the Gypsy Jokers. The Gypsy Jokers formed in the 1950’s in Washington state prisons. The first gang with nationwide ties was the Mexican Mafia, which formed in 1957 in the California Department of Corrections. According to statistics, gang activity in prisons has increased from only 9.4% in 1991 to 24.7% in 1999 and is even higher now. Today there are five original major prison gangs known as “Traditional Prison Gangs.” These prison gangs formed in the 1960’s and 1970’s in the California corrections system. A prison gang consists of a select group of inmates who have an organized hierarchy and who are governed by an established code of conduct. In addition to committing criminal acts in the prison, a prison gang also shares the following characteristics: * Formal membership with a required initiation or rules for members * A recognized leader or certain members whom others follow * Common clothing (such as jackets, caps, scarves or bandannas), or group colors, symbols, tattoos, or special language * A group name * Members from the same neighborhood, street, or school * Turf or territory where the group is known and where group activities usually take place. Prison gangs vary in both organization and composition, from highly structured gangs such as the Aryan Brotherhood to gangs with a less formalized structure...
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