Motorcycle club: Difference between revisions
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==Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs== |
==Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs== |
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The U.S. Department of Justice defines Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs as organizations whose members use their motorcycle clubs as conduits for criminal enterprises<ref>[http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/gangunit/about/omgangs.html]U.S. Dept. of Justice</ref>. Both the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI) and [[Criminal Intelligence Service Canada]] have designated four MCs as '''Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs''' (OMGs), which are the [[Pagans |
The U.S. Department of Justice defines Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs as organizations whose members use their motorcycle clubs as conduits for criminal enterprises<ref>[http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/gangunit/about/omgangs.html]U.S. Dept. of Justice</ref>. Both the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI) and [[Criminal Intelligence Service Canada]] have designated four MCs as '''Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs''' (OMGs), which are the [[Pagans Motorcycle Club|Pagans]], [[Hells Angels]], [[Outlaws Motorcycle Club|Outlaws]], and [[Bandidos]],<ref>[http://www.fbi.gov/publications/safestreets/ssgu00.pdf FBI Safe Street Violent Crime Initiative - Report Fiscal Year 2000]- FBI.org</ref><ref>[http://www.cisc.gc.ca/annual_reports/annual_report_2004/document/cisc_2004_annual_report.pdf 2004 Annual Report]- Criminal Intelligence Service Canada, cisc.gc.ca</ref> known as the "Big Four".<ref>[http://ctgia.org/mcgang.html Motorcycle Gangs]- Connecticut Gang Investigators Association</ref> These four have a large enough national impact to be prosecuted under the Federal [[Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations]] (RICO) statute.<ref>[http://www.cisc.gc.ca/annual_reports/annual_report_2004/document/cisc_2004_annual_report.pdf 2004 Annual Report]- Criminal Intelligence Service Canada (CISC), cisc.gc.ca</ref> The California [[Attorney General]] also lists the [[Mongols (motorcycle club)|Mongols]] as an outlaw motorcycle gang.<ref>[http://ag.ca.gov/publications/org_crime2004.pdf Organized Crime in California - 2004 Annual Report to the Legislature]- California Department of Justice</ref><ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27296867/ Dozens of outlaw bikers arrested in ATF sting]- MSBNC.com, October 21, 2008</ref> The FBI asserts that OMGs support themselves primarily through [[drug dealing]], trafficking in stolen goods, and [[extortion]], and that they fight over territory and the [[illegal drug trade]].<ref>[http://www.apsu.edu/oconnort/3220/3220lect07a.htm Organized Crime Investigation]- by T. O'Connor, Austin PEA State University</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]] Gazette, quoting from the [[Provincial Court of Manitoba]], defines these groups as: "Any group of motorcycle enthusiasts who have voluntarily made a commitment to band together and abide by their organizations' rigorous rules enforced by [[violence]], who engage in activities that bring them and their club into serious conflict with society and the law".<ref name="Organized Crime Fact Sheet">[http://ww2.ps-sp.gc.ca/policing/organized_crime/FactSheets/omg_e.asp Organized Crime Fact Sheet]- Public Safety Canada</ref> |
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The FBI asserts that OMGs collect $1 billion in illegal income annually<ref>[http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1992/11/30/77184/index.htm The Hells Angels' Devilish Business]- CNN.com, November 30, 1992</ref><ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/bikergangs/ Biker Gangs in Canada]- CBC News, April 5, 2007</ref> and that [[street gangs]], [[prison gangs]], and OMGs are the primary retail distributors of [[illegal drugs]] in the US,<ref>[http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/news/2005_10_04_NDW_Vol_4_No_40_Gangs.pdf Narcotics Digest, Gangs In The United States]- the National Gang Center</ref><ref>[http://www.dea.gov/speeches/s102005.html Comprehensively Combating Methamphetamine: Impact on Health and the Environment]- DEA Deputy Chief Joseph Rannazzisi, congressional testimony on October 20, 2005</ref> with OMGs dominating US [[methamphetamine]] trade distribution.<ref>[http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1992/11/30/77184/index.htm The Hells Angels' Devilish Business]- by Andrew E. Serwer, Fortune Magazine, November 30, 1992</ref><ref>[http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1992-12-02/news/look-homeward-angelcycle-icon-sonny-barger-kick-starts-life-as-a-free-man-by-violating-parole/ Sonny Barger Kicks Starts Life as a Free Man by Violating Parole]- by Philip Martin, Phoenix New Times, December 2, 1992.</ref> In 1985<ref>[http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1992-12-02/news/look-homeward-angelcycle-icon-sonny-barger-kick-starts-life-as-a-free-man-by-violating-parole/ Sonny Barger Kicks Starts Life as a Free Man by Violating Parole]- by Philip Martin, Phoenix New Times, December 2, 1992</ref> a three-year, eleven-state FBI operation named Roughrider culminated in the largest OMG bust in history, with the confiscation of $2 million worth of [[illegal drugs]], as well as an illegal arsenal of weapons, ranging from Uzi submachine guns to antitank weapons.<ref> [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,968213,00.html Busting Hell's Angels]- Time Magazine, May 13, 1985</ref> In October, 2008, the FBI announced the end of a 6-month undercover operation by agents into the narcotics trafficking by the Mongols Motorcycle Gang. The bust went down with 160 search warrants and 110 arrest warrants. |
The FBI asserts that OMGs collect $1 billion in illegal income annually<ref>[http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1992/11/30/77184/index.htm The Hells Angels' Devilish Business]- CNN.com, November 30, 1992</ref><ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/bikergangs/ Biker Gangs in Canada]- CBC News, April 5, 2007</ref> and that [[street gangs]], [[prison gangs]], and OMGs are the primary retail distributors of [[illegal drugs]] in the US,<ref>[http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/news/2005_10_04_NDW_Vol_4_No_40_Gangs.pdf Narcotics Digest, Gangs In The United States]- the National Gang Center</ref><ref>[http://www.dea.gov/speeches/s102005.html Comprehensively Combating Methamphetamine: Impact on Health and the Environment]- DEA Deputy Chief Joseph Rannazzisi, congressional testimony on October 20, 2005</ref> with OMGs dominating US [[methamphetamine]] trade distribution.<ref>[http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1992/11/30/77184/index.htm The Hells Angels' Devilish Business]- by Andrew E. Serwer, Fortune Magazine, November 30, 1992</ref><ref>[http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1992-12-02/news/look-homeward-angelcycle-icon-sonny-barger-kick-starts-life-as-a-free-man-by-violating-parole/ Sonny Barger Kicks Starts Life as a Free Man by Violating Parole]- by Philip Martin, Phoenix New Times, December 2, 1992.</ref> In 1985<ref>[http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1992-12-02/news/look-homeward-angelcycle-icon-sonny-barger-kick-starts-life-as-a-free-man-by-violating-parole/ Sonny Barger Kicks Starts Life as a Free Man by Violating Parole]- by Philip Martin, Phoenix New Times, December 2, 1992</ref> a three-year, eleven-state FBI operation named Roughrider culminated in the largest OMG bust in history, with the confiscation of $2 million worth of [[illegal drugs]], as well as an illegal arsenal of weapons, ranging from Uzi submachine guns to antitank weapons.<ref> [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,968213,00.html Busting Hell's Angels]- Time Magazine, May 13, 1985</ref> In October, 2008, the FBI announced the end of a 6-month undercover operation by agents into the narcotics trafficking by the Mongols Motorcycle Gang. The bust went down with 160 search warrants and 110 arrest warrants. |
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Revision as of 02:03, 3 August 2009
 | The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (March 2009) |
A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.
In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw (aka one percenter) subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually recognized by other MC clubs.[1] This is indicated by wearing the MC patch, or a three piece patch, on the back of a club jacket or vest. Outlaw (or one percenter) can mean merely that the club is not chartered under the auspices of the American Motorcyclist Association,[2] implying a radical rejection of authority and embracing of the "biker" lifestyle defined and popularized since the 1950s and represented by such media as Easyriders magazine, and the work of painter David Mann, and more. In many contexts the terms overlap with the usual meaning of "outlaw" because some of these clubs, or some their members, are recognized by law enforcement agencies as taking part in organized crime.
Outside of the outlaw subculture, the words "motorcycle club" carry no heavy meaning beyond the everyday English definition of the words -- a club involving motorcycles, whose members come from every walk of life. Thus, there are clubs that are culturally and stylistically nothing like outlaw or one percenter clubs, and whose activites and goals not similar to them at all, but still use three-part patches or the initials MC in their name or insignia, with no thought given to the special jargon used by outlaw clubs.[3]
Objectives and organization
Motorcycle clubs vary a great deal in their objectives and organizations.
Mainstream motorcycle clubs or associations typically have elected officers and directors, annual dues, and a regular publication. They may also sponsor annual or more frequent "rallies" where members can socialize and get to know each other. Some, such as BMW MOA and BMW RA annually publish in book form lists of members that can be used by touring motorcyclists needing assistance.
There are a great many motorcycle riding clubs, including those sponsored by various manufacturers, such as the Harley Owners Group and the Honda Riders Club of America. Large national independent motorcycle clubs, such as BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, BMW Riders Association, the STAR Touring and Riding Association, and the Gold Wing Road Riders Association (GWRRA), are abundant.
Other organizations exist for a specific purpose, such as the Patriot Guard Riders, who provide funeral escorts for military veterans, and Rolling Thunder, which advocates for troops missing in action and prisoners of war. While neither of the latter two groups require a motorcycle for membership, they are motorcycling-oriented and much of their activity involves rides.[4][5][6] The Christian Motorcyclists Association is a biker ministry, while the Midwest Motorcycle Alcoholics Anonymous Convention is a 12 step sobriety and recovery group (also not strictly limited to motorcyclists).
In the United Kingdom, motorcycle clubs centred around appreciation for a certain marque or model, such as the Triumph Owners Motor Cycle Club (founded in 1949), are popular attracting enthusiasts worldwide. Clubs catering for those interested in vintage machines such as the Vintage Motor Cycle Club are also popular as well as for those cented around particular venues such as the Ace Cafe club. Clubs catering for riders' rights such as the Motorcycle Action Group and religion such as the 59 Club are popular, many affiliating with the umbrella organisation, the British Motorcyclists Federation. National and local branch club magazines and events are typical characteristics of such clubs. More informal groupings continue to exist though for riders local to each other.
The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is the largest American motorcyclist organization. It serves as an umbrella organization for local clubs and sporting events. As of March, 2006, the AMA counts 269,884 active members and many chartered clubs.[7] One online directory of MCs lists 216 clubs.[8]
The typical internal organization of a motorcycle club consists of a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, road captain, and sergeant-at-arms.[9] Localized groups of a single, large MC are called chapters, and the first chapter established for an MC is referred to as the mother chapter. The president of the mother chapter serves as the president of the entire MC, and sets club policy on a variety of issues.
Larger motorcycle clubs for this type often acquire real estate for use as a clubhouse or private compound. These clubs often have security features such as closed-circuit television monitors, motion detector lights, and barbed wire-topped fences. As well, the clubhouse or compound walls may be reinforced materials such as plate steel or kevlar to provide ballistic protection.
“Biker” clubs
In some "biker" clubs, as part of becoming a full member, an individual must pass a vote of the membership and swear some level of allegiance to the club. Some clubs have a unique club patch (or patches) adorned with the term MC that are worn on the rider's vest, known as colors. The oldest motorcycle clubs in the U.S. are the Yonkers MC, founded in 1903, the San Francisco MC, founded 1904, and the Oakland MC.
In these clubs, some amount of hazing may occur during the prospecting period, ranging from the mandatory performance of menial labor tasks for full patch members to sophomoric pranks, and, in the case of outlaw motorcycle gangs, acts of violence.[10] During this time, the prospect may wear the club name on the back of their vest, but not the full logo, though this practice may vary from club to club. To become a full member, the prospect or probate must be voted on by the rest of the full club members. Successful admission usually requires more than a simple majority, and some clubs may reject a prospect or a probate for a single dissenting vote. A formal induction follows, in which the new member affirms his loyalty to the club and its members. The final logo patch is then awarded. Full members are often referred to as "full patch members" and the step of attaining full membership can be referred to as "being patched".
"Colors"
The primary visual identification of a member of an MC is the vest adorned with a specific large club patch or patches, predominantly located in the middle of the back. The patch(es) will contain a club logo, the name of the club, and the letters MC, and a possible state, province, or other chapter identification. This garment and the patches themselves are referred to as the "colors", or, sometimes, "cuts", a term taken from the early practice of cutting the collars and/or sleeves from a denim or leather jacket. But all MCs wear vests with their colors on their vests. Many non-outlaw motorcycle riding clubs (as opposed to MCs) such as Harley Owners Group (HOG) also wear patches on the back of their vests, but the letters MC are nowhere to be seen on such patches. This is an important distinction, for only genuine Motorcycle Clubs sport the MC moniker. The 1% patch is what distinguishes the outlaw Motorcycle Clubs from normal Motorcycle Clubs. Motorcycle Associations or Rider Clubs do not identify themselves with an MC patch.[citation needed]
The colors worn by members of these clubs will either consist of a one-piece patch (Motorcycle Associations), two-piece patch (Rider Clubs), or a three piece patch (true Motorcycle Clubs). The Three Piece Patch Set consists of the club logo and the top and bottom patches, usually crescent shaped, which are referred to as rockers. The number and arrangement of patches is somewhat indicative of the nature of the club. All true Motorcycle Clubs will have a three-piece patch arrangement. Not all (or even most) clubs sporting a three-piece patch are one-percenters, however.[citation needed] The club patches always remain property of the club itself, not the member, and only members are allowed to wear the club's colors. A member must closely guard their colors, for allowing one's colors to fall into the hands of an outsider is an act of disgrace and may result in loss of membership in a club, or some other punishment. Contrary to recent popular belief, a 5 Piece Patch Set does not exist. The separate designation patch (MC, VC, SBR, etc.) is sometimes called the CUBE Patch. Some clubs do not count it as part of the color set.
Law enforcement agencies have confiscated colors and other club paraphernalia of these types of clubs when they raid a clubhouse or the home of an MC member, and they often display these items at press conferences.[11] These items are then used at trial to support prosecution assertions that MC members perform criminal acts on behalf of their club. Courts have found that the probative value of such items is far outweighed by their prejudicial effects on the defense. [12]
Other patches sometimes used by OMC (Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs) include a skull and crossbones patch or one proclaiming, "Respect Few, Fear None," which is given to members who commit murder or other acts of violence on behalf of the club. [13][14] In some OMCs, members who have sex with a woman with venereal disease are given green wings; those who have sex with a woman's corpse are given purple wings[15][16][17][18]. Another patch worn by some members is the number 13, which stands for the 13th letter of the alphabet, M, indicating the wearer is a user or dealer of Marijuana or Methamphetamine, the choice for many outlaw-bikers[19].
One Percenters
The term One Percenter is said to have been coined after an incident in Hollister, California in 1947[20][21] which was dubbed the Hollister riot. Whether an actual riot occurred is debatable, but there was a motorcycle rally in Hollister from July 4 to July 6 of that year that was attended by about 4000 people. Several newspaper articles were written that, according to some attendees, sensationalized the event. Life magazine ran an article that included a staged photo of a slovenly-looking man on a motorcycle with beer bottles piled under the wheels and a bottle in each of his hands. The film The Wild One, starring Marlon Brando, was inspired by this event, and it became the first in a series of movies that depicted bikers and members of motorcycle clubs in this stereotypical manner. It has been reported that the press asked the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) to comment on the Hollister incident, and their response was that 99% of motorcyclists were law-abiding citizens, and the last one percent were outlaws. Thus was born the term, "one percenter." The AMA now says they have no record of such a statement to the press, and call this story apocryphal.[22] They are also known as Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs or OMGs according to the ATF.[23]
One-percenter MCs (OMCs) do not allow women to become full-patch members,[24][25][26][27] rather, women are submissive to the men,[28] treated as property, victimized by forcing them into prostitution or street level drug trafficking and are often physically and sexually abused.[29] Any pay women receive is given to their individual men and sometimes to the entire club.[30] Women's roles as obedient followers, and their status as objects, make these groups extremely gender segregated.[31]
Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs are typically racially homogeneous, and can be racially exclusive.[32][33][34] For example, membership in the Hells Angels is not open to African-Americans[35][36] or Hispanics,[37] which has led to creation of rival clubs such as the Bandidos and the Mongols Motorcycle Club.[38] MC members are not usually referred to by their given names, but instead refer to each other by nicknames, or road names, sometimes even displaying their road name on the club vest.
Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs
The U.S. Department of Justice defines Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs as organizations whose members use their motorcycle clubs as conduits for criminal enterprises[39]. Both the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Criminal Intelligence Service Canada have designated four MCs as Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMGs), which are the Pagans, Hells Angels, Outlaws, and Bandidos,[40][41] known as the "Big Four".[42] These four have a large enough national impact to be prosecuted under the Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute.[43] The California Attorney General also lists the Mongols as an outlaw motorcycle gang.[44][45] The FBI asserts that OMGs support themselves primarily through drug dealing, trafficking in stolen goods, and extortion, and that they fight over territory and the illegal drug trade.[46] The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Gazette, quoting from the Provincial Court of Manitoba, defines these groups as: "Any group of motorcycle enthusiasts who have voluntarily made a commitment to band together and abide by their organizations' rigorous rules enforced by violence, who engage in activities that bring them and their club into serious conflict with society and the law".[47]
The FBI asserts that OMGs collect $1 billion in illegal income annually[48][49] and that street gangs, prison gangs, and OMGs are the primary retail distributors of illegal drugs in the US,[50][51] with OMGs dominating US methamphetamine trade distribution.[52][53] In 1985[54] a three-year, eleven-state FBI operation named Roughrider culminated in the largest OMG bust in history, with the confiscation of $2 million worth of illegal drugs, as well as an illegal arsenal of weapons, ranging from Uzi submachine guns to antitank weapons.[55] In October, 2008, the FBI announced the end of a 6-month undercover operation by agents into the narcotics trafficking by the Mongols Motorcycle Gang. The bust went down with 160 search warrants and 110 arrest warrants.
Canada, especially, has in the past two decades experienced a significant upsurge in crime involving outlaw motorcycle gangs, most notably in what has been dubbed the Quebec Biker war, which has involved more than 150 murders[56] (plus a young bystander killed by an exploding car bomb), 84 bombings, and 130 cases of arson.[47] The increased violence in Canada has been attributed to turf wars over the illegal drug trafficking business, specifically relating to access to the Port of Montreal[57] , but also as the Hells Angels have sought to obtain control of the street level trade from other rival and/or independent gangs in various regions of Canada.[58]
Members and supporters of these clubs insist that illegal activities are isolated occurrences and that they, as a whole, are not criminal organizations. They often compare themselves to police departments, wherein the occasional "bad cop" does not make a police department a criminal organization. One biker website has a news section devoted to "cops gone bad" to support their point of view,[59] and the Hells Angels sponsors charitable events for Toys for Tots in an attempt to legitimize themselves with public opinion. [60]
Contrary to other criminal organizations, OMGs operate on an individual basis instead of top-down, which is how supporters can claim that only some members are committing crimes. Belonging guarantees to each member the option of running criminal activity, using other members as support - the main characteristic of OMGs being "amoral individualism" in contrast to the hierarchical orders and bonds of "amoral familism" of other criminal organizations such as the Mafia[61].
Relationships among motorcycle clubs
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In the United States, many MCs have established state-wide MC confederations. These confederations are composed of MCs who have chapters in the state, and the occasional interested third party organization. The confederation holds periodic meetings on neutral ground, wherein representatives from each club (usually the presidents and vice-presidents, but not always) meet in closed session to resolve disputes between clubs and discuss issues of common interest.
The largest one-percent club tends to dominate the confederation, using their numbers to impose their will on other clubs. Sometimes clubs are forced into, or willingly accept, "support" roles for a one-percent club. Smaller clubs who resist a large one-percent club have been forcibly disbanded, e.g. told to hand over their colors or risk war. [62] With the exception of Law Enforcement Clubs[citation needed] , smaller clubs usually comply, since members of a family club are usually unwilling to risk injury or worse. Another tactic used by one-percent clubs is to force smaller clubs to join the AMA and wear an AMA patch. This is considered an act of shame by some clubs, and a club thus forced may wear an upside-down AMA patch on their colors as a form of protest and to retain their dignity.
Certain large one-percent MCs are rivals with each other and will fight over territory and other issues. In 2002, members of the Mongols MC and the Hells Angels MC had a confrontation in Laughlin, Nevada at the Harrah's Laughlin Casino that left three bikers dead. [63] Another melee, this time between the Hells Angels and the Pagans MC, occurred in February, 2002 at a Hells Angels convention in Long Island, New York. Police reports indicate the Pagans were outraged that the event was held on what they considered their "home turf".[64]
The local COC (Coalition of Clubs) has eliminated most of the inter-club rivalry. Club members tend to be older veterans, and given the cost of ownership of a Harley Dresser type motorcycle, increasingly well to do.
The "big 5" national 1% clubs tend to be territorial. Smaller clubs are allowed to form with the permission of the dominant regional club. Smaller clubs will usually be required to wear a "support" patch on their vests that shows their support for the dominant regional. Certain clubs are exempt from this requirement, such as the police clubs ("Iron Pigs") as well as the national "military only" clubs like the "US Military Vets MC".
Certain organizations also sponsor clubs such as the Harley Owners Group, the international Jewish Motorcyclists Alliance which is made up of individual Jewish chapter "clubs", and then there is the Christian Motorcyclists Association. These are not considered "real" motorcycle clubs and can be easily differentiated from "real" clubs by the lack of MC (Motorcycle Club) or "MG" (Motorcycle Gang) on the back of their vests. When a bar or other establishment posts a "No Colors" sign, they are specifically targeting people with the MC or "MG" letters on the vest.
The incidence of drug dealing and illegal activities in the vast majority of MCs mirrors the percentage of criminal behavior in society as a whole. Most clubs are organized as a 501c charitable organization and provide money and support to a variety of charities. Typical events include "poker runs" and '50-50' raffles where a portion of the proceeds are donated to the club's designated cause. Additionally the clubs provide support services and maintenance for members in the form of trailers, tools, etc.
The clubs also stress safety and rider skills. Most will have a "road captain" who is responsible for safe riding. The members will generally have a pre-run safety check where required equipment, tires, etc are checked. This is both for member safety and prevent giving the police any justification for stopping the pack. Most states have special provisions for "Funerals and Other Processions" that allow the pack as a whole to go through a signal light as long as the first bike entered the intersection legally under the green. Packs tend to ride "high & tight" to prevent other vehicles from attempting to 'bull' into the pack. This type of behavior by a cage (car) is extremely dangerous to a pack and happens quite often, especially in larger runs (20+ bikes) Organized runs with large numbers will usually include "road guard" bikes whose responsibility is to block intersections and roads to allow the pack to enter/exit the highway or turn as a unit. Biker clubs have long initiations and many 'team building' exercises to foster trust and confidence between members. Someone that has marginal riding skills will be relegated to the back of the pack until their skills are such that they are capable of riding without the risk of 'bumping pegs' with the other riders. Contrary to popular myth, most clubs don't imbibe large amounts of alcohol until the end of the run.
See also
References
- ^ Drew, A. J. (2002), The everything motorcycle book: the one book you must have to buy, ride, and maintain your motorcycle, Adams Media Corp, pp. 273, 277, ISBN 1580625541, 9781580625548,
Biker slang or babble (marked BB) [...] mc (BB) Motorcycle Club; this abbreviaion usually refers to an outlaw motorcycle club. [...] outlaw (BB) Benerally speaking, any motorcycling club that is not represented by the AMA. This does not connote criminal intent.
{{citation}}: Check|isbn=value: invalid character (help) - ^ Wolf, Daniel R. (1992), The Rebels: a brotherhood of outlaw bikers, University of Toronto Press, ISBN 0802073638, 9780802073631
{{citation}}: Check|isbn=value: invalid character (help) - ^ Weekday, KUOW Puget Sound Public Radio (University of Washington), 4 February 2009 http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=16850
{{citation}}: Missing or empty|title=(help); Text "Easy Riders: Motorcycle Culture in Seattle" ignored (help) - ^ Feuer, Alan (May 29, 2006), "Revving Their Engines, Remembering a War's Toll", The New York Times,
The Patriot Guard was formed last fall in response to protests staged by the Westboro Baptist Church, a Christian splinter group from Topeka, Kan., whose 75 parishioners have been turning up at military funerals across the country with placards reading "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" and tattered American flags. [...] It was, after all, [Jeff] Brown who first thought to bring together disparate groups like Rolling Thunder (which rides on behalf of soldiers missing in action and prisoners of war), the Blue Knights (law enforcement officers), the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, the In Country Vets Motorcycle Club, the Christian Motorcyclists Association and the American Legion Riders into one Web-connected crew.
- ^ Grant, Japhy (March 28, 2006), "Biking to block Phelps", The Advocate (The national gay & lesbian newsmagazine), p. 22(1), ISSN 0001-8996,
For many years notoriously antigay Kansas preacher Fred Phelps has been met by counterprotests as he travels around the country demonstrating at the funerals of gays and their allies. But none have been as organized as the Patriot Guard Riders, a band of about 5,000 bikers formed to counter the Phelps clan's recently initiated practice of picketing military funerals.
- ^ Platoni, Kara (July–August 2006), "The hogs of war", Mother Jones, vol. 31, no. 4, pp. 16(2),
The Patriot Guard Riders formed last November to confront fundamentalist pastor Fred Phelps' Topeka-based Westboro Baptist Church, whose parishioners have been picketing soldiers' funerals with signs reading 'Thank God for Dead Soldiers' and claiming that dead GIs are divine punishment for America's tolerance of homosexuality. The Patriot Guard Riders started accompanying the families of dead soldiers (with their consent) from wake to church to cemetery, riding in a proud parade of chrome and gasoline fumes, sometimes blocking the protesters from view with flags and gunning their engines to drown out renditions of 'God Hates America.'
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date format (link) - ^ AMA Newsroom: Facts and Figures, retrieved September 10, 2007
- ^ Motorcycle Club Index, retrieved September 25, 2007
- ^ 1% - Example of Bylaws- Motorcycle Club and Riding Club Education]
- ^ "Under and Alone: The True Story of the Undercover Agent Who Infiltrated America's Most Violent Outlaw Motorcycle Gang". Author William Queen, 2004
- ^ Five charged in murders of eight Bandidos bikers- CTV.ca, June 10, 2006, Retrieved October 10, 2007
- ^ The United States Court of Appeals For the Seventh Circuit, Case Nos. 95-2829 and 95-2879; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. JOHN E. IRVIN and THOMAS E. PASTOR, Defendants-Appellants
- ^ [1]KTLA TV, Los Angeles
- ^ [2]ATF affidavit
- ^ [3] - KTLA TV, Los Angeles
- ^ [4] Herald Sun
- ^ [5] Los Angeles Times
- ^ [6] Daily Mail
- ^ [7]"Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs", by Hunter S. Thompson
- ^ Dougherty, C.I. (1947-07-05). "Motorcyclists Take Over Town, Many Injured". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Dougherty, C.I. (1947-07-06). "2000 'Gypsycycles' Chug Out of Town and the Natives Sigh 'Never Again'". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Lindsey, Tom (November 2005), "A Brief History of "Outlaw" Motorcycle Clubs", International Journal of Motorcycle Studies,
The Life story caused something of a tumult around the country (Yates), and some authors have asserted that the AMA subsequently released a press statement disclaiming involvement in the Hollister event, stating that 99% of motorcyclists are good, decent, law-abiding citizens, and that the AMA's ranks of motorcycle clubs were not involved in the debacle (e.g., Reynolds, Thompson). However, the American Motorcyclist Association has no record of ever releasing such as statement. Tom Lindsay, the AMA's Public Information Director, states 'We [the American Motorcyclist Association] acknowledge that the term 'one-percenter' has long been (and likely will continue to be) attributed to the American Motorcyclist Association, but we've been unable to attribute its original use to an AMA official or published statement—so it's apocryphal.'
- ^ http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/gangunit/about/omgangs.html
- ^ [8]Book, Organised Crime By Alan Wright
- ^ [9]CBS News
- ^ [www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,442281,00.html]Fox News
- ^ [www.tandemnews.com/printer.php?storyid=96]Tandem News
- ^ [10]Women in Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs, From Constructions of Deviance: Social Power, Context, and Interaction, P 389-401, 1994, Patricia A and Peter Adler, eds
- ^ [11]Into the Abyss: A Personal Journey into the World of Street Gangs, Mike Carlie Phd
- ^ [12]Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, Vol. 18, No. 4, 363-387 (1990)
- ^ [13]Book, "Beyond the Mafia" by Sue Mahan and Katherine O'Neil
- ^ Hopper first1=Columbus B.; Moore, Johnny "Big John" (Summer 1983), "Hell on Wheels; The Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs", Journal of American Culture, vol. 6, no. 2, Bowling Green, Ohio, pp. 58–9,
Outlaw cyclists are generally male and between 21 and 45 years of age. The average age for a club studied was 34. There are black gangs, white gangs, and Mexican and other Spanish-speaking gangs. Although race does not appear to be important as a creed or philosophical orientation to them, virtually all of the clubs are racially unmixed. And it should be mentioned that bikers who are in prisons, as prisoners have done generally, band together along racial lines (Killinger and Cromwell, 1978).
{{citation}}: Missing pipe in:|last1=(help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Barker, Tom (September, 2005), "One Percent Biker Clubs -- A Description", Trends in Organized Crime, vol. 9, no. 1, Springer New York, p. 111, doi:10.1007/s12117-005-1005-0, ISSN 1084-4791,
One percent biker clubs in the existing literature have been described as all white clubs, however, there are at least four black or interracial 1% biker clubs.
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs- OZBiker.org
- ^ Gangs in Maryland- University of Maryland
- ^ Outlaw Motorcycle Groups- Laurier College
- ^ Dozens of outlaw bikers arrested in ATF sting- MSNBC.com, Oct 21, 2008
- ^ Dozens of Outlaw Bikers Arrested in ATF Sting.- MSNBC.com, October 21, 2008
- ^ [14]U.S. Dept. of Justice
- ^ FBI Safe Street Violent Crime Initiative - Report Fiscal Year 2000- FBI.org
- ^ 2004 Annual Report- Criminal Intelligence Service Canada, cisc.gc.ca
- ^ Motorcycle Gangs- Connecticut Gang Investigators Association
- ^ 2004 Annual Report- Criminal Intelligence Service Canada (CISC), cisc.gc.ca
- ^ Organized Crime in California - 2004 Annual Report to the Legislature- California Department of Justice
- ^ Dozens of outlaw bikers arrested in ATF sting- MSBNC.com, October 21, 2008
- ^ Organized Crime Investigation- by T. O'Connor, Austin PEA State University
- ^ a b Organized Crime Fact Sheet- Public Safety Canada
- ^ The Hells Angels' Devilish Business- CNN.com, November 30, 1992
- ^ Biker Gangs in Canada- CBC News, April 5, 2007
- ^ Narcotics Digest, Gangs In The United States- the National Gang Center
- ^ Comprehensively Combating Methamphetamine: Impact on Health and the Environment- DEA Deputy Chief Joseph Rannazzisi, congressional testimony on October 20, 2005
- ^ The Hells Angels' Devilish Business- by Andrew E. Serwer, Fortune Magazine, November 30, 1992
- ^ Sonny Barger Kicks Starts Life as a Free Man by Violating Parole- by Philip Martin, Phoenix New Times, December 2, 1992.
- ^ Sonny Barger Kicks Starts Life as a Free Man by Violating Parole- by Philip Martin, Phoenix New Times, December 2, 1992
- ^ Busting Hell's Angels- Time Magazine, May 13, 1985
- ^ Was Noye case witness killed by Hell's Angels?- Guardian Observer, October 15, 2000
- ^ The Biker Trials: Bringing Down the Hells Angels, by Paul Cherry, ECW Press, 2005
- ^ Fallen Angel: The Unlikely Rise of Walter Stadnick in the Canadian Hells Angels, by Jerry Langton, Wiley & Sons, 2006
- ^ Cops Gone Bad- Bikernews.net
- ^ Storm Approaching- by Michael Jamison, The Missoulian, July 2000
- ^ [15]Tandem News, Angels With Dirty Faces by Antonio Nicaso
- ^ Ex-Hells Angels official says cops kept out of club- by Adrienne Packer, Las Vegas Review-Journal, October 5, 2006
- ^ Laughlin Shootout: Signs told of melee in making- by Glenn Puit and Dave Berns, Las Vegas Review Journal, April 30, 2002
- ^ 73 Bikers Arrested- New York Times, March 13, 2002
Books and Newspaper Articles
- Coulthart, Ross and McNab, Duncan, Dead Man Running: An Insider's Story on One of the World's Most Feared Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, the Bandidos Allen & Unwin, 2008, (ISBN 1-7417-5463-1)
- Hayes, Bill. The Original Wild Ones: Tales of The Boozefighters Motorcycle Club, Est. 1946. St. Paul, MN: Motorbooks, 2005.
- Veno, Arthur, The Mammoth Book of Bikers, Constable & Robinson, 2007 (ISBN 0-7867-2046-8)
- Vieth, Errol, "Angels in the Media: Constructing Outlaw Motorcyclists", in Consent and Consensus, edited by Denis Cryle and Jean Hiliier, Perth, API Network, 2005, 97–116 (ISBN 1-920845-12-7).
- Winterhalder, Edward, Out in Bad Standings: Inside the Bandidos Motorcycle Club - The Making of a Worldwide Dynasty, Blockhead City Press, 2005/Seven Locks Press, 2007 (ISBN 0-9771-7470-0)
- Winterhalder, Edward, & De Clercq, Wil, The Assimilation: Rock Machine Become Bandidos – Bikers United Against the Hells Angels, ECW Press, 2008 (ISBN 1-5502-2824-2)