There is a new law in Virginia that will ban Motorcycle Club Colors in Bars. The law, originally aimed at Street Gangs, is causing quite a stir with Virginia Bikers. The law states that Bar & Restaurant owners will lose their liquor license if they allow patrons who wear “gang” related attire such as Club Logo’s or Colored Bandannas.

These sort of “grey area” laws are extremely dangerous and a threat to everyone’s freedom. Who decides what constitutes “Gang Apparel”? I’m wondering if Boy Scouts are going to be able to eat together at Applebees if they are in their uniforms.

According to news reports, many Bikers and Motorcycle Club Members in Virginia have already begun fighting this law. If a law like this is allowed to stand in Virginia, it won’t be long until it is passed in other states across America!

We as Motorcyclists and Bikers (It does not matter what you call yourself) have to realize fast that we are all connected. It doesn’t matter what you ride, what State you live in or who you Support, we’re all in this together. What effects Me effects you and it doesn’t matter what you happen to think of me.

When the local Bar you and your Brothers love hanging out at is told that you and all other members of Motorcycle Clubs can no longer go there or they will revoke the Bars liquor license, What then?

This is no Joke my Biker Brothers, every month there is another new law that is aimed not only Motorcycle Club Members, but all Americans. It seems that every time the Government wants to take away a freedom, they find a way to craft a new law for our “safety”. What kind of Country is this turning into when you can’t wear what you want and suddenly, your constitutional right to assemble is taken away from you?

Although there are many ignorant people out there that believe Motorcycle Clubs are Gangs, that’s simply not the case. Most Motorcycle Clubs are made up of hard working, honest, law abiding, patriotic, American Citizens who enjoy a common bond, Motorcycles. It’s what is in a persons heart that determines who they are, not the clothes they wear.

In the past year the government has taken away the Colors of one Motorcycle Club. A law enforcement officer can demand anyone sporting the Clubs logo to forfeit it. The theory is that the loss of the logo strips the club of its “gang identity.”

Grant it, it appears that some of the Clubs members may have been involved in illegal activities, but that doesn’t mean that everyone who rides a Motorcycle should be punished for it. In fact, less than 10% of this 600 Member Club was even accused of wrong doing.

In addition, the Government and law enforcement agencies have been spending millions of our dollars to influence friends and ex-members of Motorcycle Clubs in an effort to infiltrate these clubs in hopes of catching members doing something illegal. Often, when they find that the Club they’ve infiltrated is nothing more than a group of Patriotic, Law Abiding Men & Women, they’ll fabric wrong doing so that they can justify the enormous amount of resources spent on these Fishing Expeditions.

Just imagine how much better off we’d all be if they used those resources to investigate the Corrupt Politicians, the Corporations that control our Country, Wall Street, and the other issues that are quickly sinking this great Nation.

What I want to know is, what will be the last straw? What’s it going to take for us to say enough is enough? We can not fight these Laws and Fight each other at the same time! We need to work together to save what we are, who we are.

The Government has taken away our rights to ride the Motorcycle we want, to wear what we want and now to go where we want! Why are we still fighting each other? When are we going to wake up??

For more on this story check out the story on WTVR.com

I am your Bro, LJ James AmericanBikerX.com Saying Time is Running out!!!

LJ runs a Motorcycle Show that helps to teach people who do not ride what is true about series like Sons of Anarchy and what is not Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

Anyone who has been reading any of what I have been writing over the past few years, Knows I fight for Bikers Rights , Safety and Unity. In the past few months my big concern has been the new Biker Movies and TV shows coming out like “Hell Ride” and “Sons of Anarchy” I knew these shows would have people wanting to join Motorcycle Clubs for all the wrong reasons! One thing I know will happen is many people will go out put patches on there backs and think they are now a Motorcycle Club and start acting the way they saw the Clubs in the Movies act. As I have stated in other articles, most Clubs for many years have been working for the betterment and unity of the Motorcycle Club world.Most MC’s want to put the Hollywood Biker Gang image way behind them. They want to focus on the Brotherhood that is the heart of all Motorcycle Clubs.

Most Clubs make good money selling their Support Shirts and gear. Over the past few years I have seen many large chain department stores selling T-shirts that are Dangerously Close to the Colors/Patches of Some of the worlds Major Clubs. It does not take much for one to assume these Stores know what they are doing and they just do not care about the people who buy these shirts or any of us in the biker world, All they care about is the cash flow! When Motorcycle Clubs contact these stores about copyright infringement the response from most if not all of these companies to the clubs is one of you don’t count or matter! When I see a person who knows nothing about the biker world wearing one of these shirts I understand that person just does not know better, But when I see a person who is a biker wearing one of these shirts I let him know “He is selling us all out ” There are too many who use the excuse they are only weekend warriors! I understand cash runs the world so these companies are going to try to skate the line by changing these shirts just enough so they can’t be sued under copyright laws and all the wannabe bikers will buy these shirts and wear them! In my opinion it is a total slap in the face to every biker out there!

Well as if those shirts where not bad enough I was recently informed of a jean company who has come out with T-shirts that are Motorcycle Club Member T-shirts of Fictional Motorcycle Clubs ! Go to the websites emoda.com/item.asp?prodid=129470 and emoda.com/item.asp?prodid=129464 to see these shirts. Anyone from the new rider to the old time Club Member who saw a person wearing one of these shirts could easily think that person is a member of a real Motorcycle Club . These Shirts are made by some rich corporation who probably does not care what they are doing ! The shirts go for around $52-$65 ! For $20 you can go out and buy a real Motorcycle Clubs Support shirt and Support the Biker World. The final insult to all in the Biker world is on the left sleeve there is a Diamond, this leads me to believe that the Manufacturers of these shirts knows at least a little bit about what they are doing. From the pictures I can not see if it says 1% inside the Diamond, But even if it does not it can be mistaken for one. The 1% Diamond is supposed to mean you are part of an elite Motorcycle Club the best of the best, and if you are wearing the shirt of a fictional Motorcycle Club that you paid $60 for, Well then you do not even rank as high as a wannabe Biker in my Book!

Motorcycle Clubs do not all always get along, But we all have always taken great pride in what we are and what we stand for! We true Bikers are the ones who know what “Freedom” really is! We are the ones who feel it for the rest of the world every time one of our rights are taken away. The mass population walks around blindly not caring about the things they are no longer aloud to do!

My one concern about posting this is that more people will see these shirts and buy them and wear them! If you respect anything about the Biker world not only will you not buy these shirts you will speak out and let those who make these shirts know you think this is an insult! When you are at a store and you see a biker looking shirt that looks like the patch of a Motorcycle Club you will speak out, Even if its a club you are not a fan of ,It is still an insult to all Clubs and all true Bikers! I remember hearing as a child that all Bikers where “Brothers in the wind” No matter what they ride. I always figured that even if you did not like your Brother you would always fight along side him when he was under attack! I feel this is an attack on all of us at the very heart of what we are ! So I ask those out there that came before for me, what they think and what do we do next ?

I am Your Bro L.J. James AmericanBikerX.com

Motorcycle Clubs that have lots of Chapters have problems where Government agencies try to say they are Criminal organizations. Now if you are part of something say a Business Association and you need a dentist and you have a dentist as part of your Association most likely you are going to work with him.

Now lets say your part of an Association with 20 chapters and 1 guy from your group deals drugs. Then he meets another guy from a different chapter of your Association who deals drugs too. He then meets another guy from another chapter of your group who deals drugs and then a few more and soon you have 10 guys from 10 different chapters of your group dealing drugs together across the country. Now again this could be any type of group.

Now lets say those ten guys get caught dealing the drugs. When in came time to arrest them would all the Members of the Association all across the Country get arrested ? Let me be very clear here. My question to you is, Is the whole Association guilty of a crime or is it just the ten who who committed the crimes?

Well the answer is a little crazy, If it is a church group well then it is only the ten people dealing the drugs that are Guilty. If it is members of a Police force, The Answer could be no one is Guilty! But now if it is a Motorcycle Club then the answer always seems to be everyone is Guilty!

Why does there seem to be different sets of rules that depend on who you are or who you are Associated with? We all know that in reality only the ten guys who committed the crimes are guilty. Just like any other group in the world a Motorcycle Club can have members who Commit Crimes. Why should there be harsher sets of rules and penalties because the Members of a Club happen to enjoy riding Motorcycles?

I am Your BroLJ James AmericanBikerX.com Listen to LJs Radio Show at BikerLowdown.com

Think about the words Motorcycle Club! Why is it that when those words are heard together many think Crime or Criminal Organization? Say you are having an event and you are looking for a place to have it. You can have a book club and everyone will welcome you in! A cooking club and everyone really loves you. You say Motorcycle Club and right away its, Sorry we are busy on that day!

Motorcycle Clubs are even turned away from bars where they want to have events by Independent Bikers,Why is that? We need to let the world know that Bikers independent or in a Motorcycle Club can be good people! We can not show people that Motorcycle Club Members are not all bad if we are not allowed in a Bar because we are wearing Colors, Its the same thing if you are an independent biker and some one will not let you in some sports bar because you are wearing a leather jacket! I hope when an independent Biker who has turned away Motorcycle Clubs from his bar and is then turned away from a bar he wants to go in Understands the irony!

Some Motorcycle Clubs have even gone so far as to changed their name, they call themselves Riding Clubs,Motorcycle associations or some other type of group so they can leave out the words Motorcycle Club! and try to avoid the problems that come with being part of a Motorcycle Club! They say they are different from a Motorcycle Club ! They look and dress and act just like a motorcycle Club but they just call themselves something different! I say a rose by any other name !!!

These Clubs are just trying to get around all the prejudice associated with the words Motorcycle Club ! They are not part of the solution but are part of the problem! This is America and You can call your Club what ever you want, But the thing that unites you and your Club is the same thing that unites all who Ride! It is the Motorcycle! How can anyone leave out the word Motorcycle? It is the heart of what you are!

If You are a Motorcycle Club be proud of it and don’t try to get around any problems by playing word games and calling yourself something else by using different words!!!

This is just my opinion I would like to know what others think, Please email me at AmericanBikerX@Yahoo.com Your Bro LJ James AmericanBikerX.com Listen to LJs Radio Show at BikerLowDown.com

We all know that when the first settlers came to America they where following a dream! What most do not know is that many of those dreams where inspired by paintings of the Catskill Mountains. At the beginning of this country’s history artists where mesmerized by the beauty of these mountains and painted many pictures of them. These pictures where sent and sold all over the world and they had a huge part in creating what later became know as the American dream.

Fast forward a couple Hundred years to September 10th through the 14th 2008 and now what draws hundreds of American Bikers every year to the Catskill Mountains is the Blackthorne Resort in East Durham and the Catskill Mountain Thunder Motorcycle Rally. This event which is a weekend get away for some and a week long party for others has just about everything a biker dreams of. Even though the Blackthorne Resorts grounds are large, they do fill up fast and Bikers reserve there Cabins, RV sites or Camp sites up to a year in advance just to make sure there is room for them on the grounds. (There are plenty of other resorts in the area who welcome the Biker overflow from the Blackthorne) Me and my Brother Mopar Tom arrived on Thursday Night and the first thing We did was to check out what seemed like a million vendors, Who where selling every thing from Motorcycle stickers to Custom Motorcycles.Then of course it was time to grab some drinks. First drink was at the Tikki Bar by the large in ground pool. The Second was at the Blackthorne’s on premise full service bar. Not wanting to over do it on my first night there (I would save that for my second night) I called it an early night at around 2am and was off to get some sleep.

On Friday the fuse was lit and the weekend festivities got into full swing. I spent the day wandering around the Blackthorne checking ever thing out drinking and partying with Hundreds of new and old friends. As the sun went down and the Night began things just got better! I watched Bikers take their Motorcycles up in the air and do Ariel Burn outs as I listened to the Music of Molly Hatchet LIVE !

The Nights at Blackthorne Run late and the Mornings come early! Some Choose to start their days off riding around the incredible Catskill Mountains, either in a group on a guided tour or by themselves with no destination at all. The roads in the Catskills go on forever and even after many years of riding them each trip still offers something new ! My favorite spot to ride to has been for many years Nicks Waterfall House in Gilboa, In my opinion no ride threw the Catskills is Complete with out a burger and a beer at Nicks!

Others who don’t wake till the afternoon can spend their day’s at the Blackthorne checking out the vendors buying new Biker gear, Watching Rhett Rotten and his amazing vintage Wall of Death Motorcycle stunt show, Looking at the art work of Ron Finch, Placing their votes for their favorites in the Bike show, participating in the Bike games or enjoying a list of many other wickedly fun Biker activities. Saturday Night again offered Bikers more then they could handle plus Hot Female Spaghetti Wrestling, Live Ultimate Fighting bouts, Lots more live music and plenty of late night partying. On Sunday some Bikers headed home while others hung around for another day of fun including a pig roast!

I have been a biker all my life and to this day the bond of Brotherhood that is shared by bikers still amazes me. I’m not sure if the fact that the Blackthorne is a family resort every other week of the year has anything to do with it, But I found the feeling of Brotherhood and Family to be very strong at this event. When I can hangout and party with Bikers I have just met and feel like I have known them for Twenty years, It strongly reinforces all the reasons I love being a Biker!

I have left out many great things about the Blackthorne and its Catskill Mountain Thunder Motorcycle Rally, The reason for this is because if you missed this event you do not deserve to know all its secrets until you have attended it for yourself !!! Check out CatskillMountainThunder.com and reserve your spot for next years party today!

I’ll see you there! Your Bro L.J. James AmericanBikerX.com Radio Show BikerLowdown.com