I finally started reading George Christie's new book Exile on Front Street. It is freaking awesome. The preface contains that quote about Outlaws I previously posted:
"People confuse the outlaw and the criminal. Some outlaws commit crimes, but the real outlaw isn’t a criminal by trade. He’s someone who refuses to live by society’s established norms of behavior. He has an internal code and answers only to his own sense of honor and right and wrong. The outlaw doesn’t conform; he rebels. He doesn’t accept; he questions. In the end, the outlaw might change and adapt, but he bends for no man and won’t let his life be defined by someone else. Jesse James was an outlaw but so was Albert Einstein. I’ve been many things - father, son, husband, leader, brother, and friend - but through it all, I was always an outlaw."
That sets the stage quite effectively. In the introduction he states "Undercover cops and informants who have written about the club paint members with one brush. In those books, we're one dimensional criminal scum. Most outlaws who write about the life are just as bad. According to them we are heroic freedom fighters living only to ride." He then explains it's not all black and white which is very true. You simply can't stereotype everyone in anything.
His book is worth reading. He is someone I can endorse. The movie he made, the Last American Outlaw was profound and has inspired me to embark on three separate adventures starting this summer. The book is helpful because he addresses the betrayal of being out out in bad after he left the club and about being falsely accused of being a police informant when he wasn't. He tries to remind us what the dream originally was. As Pink Floyd once said, take heed of the dream.
Easy Rider Update:
What I'm talking about is very simple. There is no need to overthink it or misinterpret it. I'm talking about Easy Rider not Sons of Anarchy. There were no patches in Easy Rider. Just riding free with the wind in your face leaving all the fears and concerns behind you in the dust as you ride off into the sunset. It's embracing life like a Bat outta Hell. It's Steppenwolf's Born to be Wild. It's Steppenwolf's God Dam the Pusher. It's supporting a free republic. That's what I'm talking about.
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Be advised that this blog will move forward not backward. Lead, follow or get out of the way.
I am sure the book is a good read. Christie is a fairly intelligent and well-spoken individual.
ReplyDeleteI believe this is the most telling of not only his, not only of the OMC's but also of modernist society, as a whole, "He has an internal code and answers only to his own sense of honour [sic] and right and wrong."
What he is saying is they are purely subjective. There is no objective, therefore they can do what they want and they self-justify it through their "ideology".
This is no different than that as espoused by Machiavelli. It is the same as that espoused by the ideologies that drove the French Revolution; those of Montesquieu (freedom as being unconstrained and unimpeded in doing what one chooses to do) and Rousseau (defined freedom as ruling oneself, living only under a law which one has oneself enacted). I will not waste your time with that of Locke, Bacon and Voltaire who are all essentially the same in ideology.
It is this "ideology" which drives the drug trade (they justify it as being able to do what they want outside of society's "norms" and if anyone wants to partake in these drugs, which (the dealers honestly believe) are not forced upon them and if they buy and use these drugs, that just proves how "unenlightened" they are.
In a more modern, and yet timeless sense, these are the ideologies espoused by Ragnar Redbeard and trumpeted by Anton LeVey (who, Deo Gratias!, had a deathbed conversion).
It is those last two who really expose the true nature behind this "ideology".
Bike club members do not think of themselves as truly "evil" but as the clubs' names as being like sports teams' names (i.e. New Jersey "Devils"). If they offend someone, all the better as they are not (so they say) seeking the approval of the mainstream.
What better way to get someone to do your bidding than to have them do it willingly while not even being cognizant of what they are truly perpetrating ...
Machiavelli??? He and the French Revolution were complete opposites. He was a fascist dictator as defined in his book the Prince. The French Revolution on the other had was driven by the motto liberté, égalité, fraternité which was the same as the American Revolution defining a free republic.
DeleteI'm not sure how you got all that from George's quote. His quote makes sense. Everyone should have their own code of conduct. It's called a conscience. I like George. I totally support him. He's found the balance between the extremes that I was looking for.
No, Machiavelli and the French Revolution were not opposites in any sense of the term. Do an ideology comparison that is more complete than the cursory one I did above.
DeleteLiberty, Equality and Fraternity. You need to ask "liberty from what", "equality with what" and "fraternity with whom"?
No, it was not the same as the American Revolution. Quite different, actually (how long do you want me to make my posts?!).
I got that from Christie openly stating he only answers to his morally subjective beliefs (if you read back over my comments you will see this is THE common thread I have been consistently stating as what is the problem, not just with criminals, but with all the ills of society).
A conscience is something completely different. It has been defined as an aspect of human self-awareness and it must be formed. By definition of something that must be formed, it can also be malformed. You (every individual) is responsible for the formation of their own conscience. If they malform it, that is their "bad" (to use the vernacular slang) and they are still responsible for their actions.
Do not believe, for one instance, the worst mass murderers in history did not have their own code of conduct.
Yes Machiavelli and the French Revolution were opposites. One was fascist, the other was free republic. That's why the French gave the Americans the statue of Liberty in support of their revolution.
DeleteBizarre tangents not related to the topic at hand. Everyone has or should have a consequence. Reading any more into it than that is taking a simple idea right into the Twilight Zone. We all have better things to do with our time.
Well spoken Doc. I'll add only that Christie's protestations to the contrary, "outlaws" in fact live, and act, "outside the law". This is what the word means. Nothing something tha is somehow more benign, except he, and the rest of them, don't want it to mean that. To put it another way, they are claiming implausible deniability...
ReplyDeleteOne is known by the company one keeps. History has recorded that. ;-)
I'm an outlaw and I obey the law. Mostly. So was Tupac Shakur.
DeleteSo was everyone involved in the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution.
No, you're enamoured of the image of being an outlaw, a rebel. You believe that being an outlaw just means not living by society's norm's, in other words, you're buying what Christie is selling. Problem is, that's one side of the coin. The other side is the one you'd have a problem with, but you don't seem to get that the one is also the vehicle for the other. "Not all Hall's Angle's are criminals".....but the ones that "aren't", associate with and are supposedly sworn brothers of those who are.
ReplyDeleteThe L n'R, the brotherhood, the sense of belonging to something greater than one's self is what you seek, and you seek it within the context of a group of guys who ride together. You would like it to look like an OMG without actually being one. The problem is, the "Bud Light" attempts to do this (think Iron Order or something) are hit or miss, often devolving into exactly what they say they are not when people who would not be accepted into the HA (because they're not really criminals at that point) begin to "act out", and imagine that they are.....
Find a couple guys to ride with of like mind.
OK here's the deal. This blog has changed directions. I am going to move forward not backward. An educated society does not obsess over sweeping stereotypes and neither will this blog.
DeleteDianne Rock claimed she was gang raped on the Pickton farm by bikers and by cops. Not all cops were involved and not all HAs were either.
When this blog first started I had two premises. One was that the Hells Angels are a criminal organization and the other was that the CIA is a criminal organization. I have amended one of those premises.
I am no longer lobbying for a blanket criminal organization status of the Hells Angels for two reasons. First is because I do not believe it would be fair since although there are many criminals in the Hells Angels not all Hells Angels are criminals any more than all cops are.
The other reason is because I am very concerned with the US law enforcement's zeal in doing away with all MCs and with their obsession to seize the Mongol's patch. I do not agree with that and am concerned with protecting civl liberty which is currently under attack on both sides of the border.
I still passionately believe the CIA is a criminal organization deeply involved in drug trafficking since the Vietnam war. The thing is, no one cares. People see it as a problem they cannot solve so they choose to ignore it.
As for your sweeping stereotype of all MC's I could equally if not more justifiably say, all private military personnel associated with Blackwater are drug dealing criminals that actively participate in false flag attacks against the Western world. That statement has merit but somehow I think you would take offense to that sweeping stereotype.
This blog will not perpetuate insane stereotypes claiming all Jews are this or all Muslims are that. This blog will continue to rise above the hate despite the fact that others will be dragged down by it. It is what it is.
There are outlaw MC's that do not involve themselves in dealing drugs and in the exploitation of women ala running prostitution rings. One of them is the Booze Fighters MC.
DeleteThey have managed to live the outlaw lifestyle since the 1940's and NOT get involved in organized crime.
Yet, other "clubs" really only exist FOR the organized crime.
Not all Hells Angels sell drugs. As George Christie said, the Hells Angels aren't a criminal organization because the ones who are involved with crime are stingy and don't share the proceeds of crime with the entire chapter. That is believable.
DeleteLike I said, this blog has changed directions. It is time to move forward not backward.
It is good that you feel inspired or motivated Agent K no matter from how or from where.
ReplyDeleteAS you well know, there are usually at least 2 sides to every story or to a person's POV. Might I suggest that you perhaps search the Aging Rebel and his blog or check out the maker of the film on Christie...as it may give you a different perspective. Just my 2 cents.
Respects to what you do.
Exactly. There's a guy who is anti ATF and leans towards the MC because he rides a motorcycle and he too is concerned about the loss of civl liberty in North America. I have a great deal of respect for the Aging Rebel and for his blog.
DeleteOh my bad. Yes the Aging Rebel has pulled his endorsement of Christie. I can understand that and respect that. However, I personally feel that it is quite possible George being put out in bad by the club might have something to do with it.
DeleteThe maker of the film has become a crazed toll. His slander fails the test of believability. When you watch the film you will see it has a posative message. It is that original message of reflecting on loss liberty that I will press forward to pursue.