Longer Lasting Elections

 

“Where there is no vision, the people perish” ~King Solomon. Proverbs 29:18

 

   Guinness doesn’t list it in their book of world records, but the largest room in the world is the room for improvement.  Bikers need look no further than NASA for inspiration.  The U.S.S.R. began the race for space by lobbing Sputnik I above the earth in 1957. A month later, Sputnik II carried a dog named Laika to new heights. Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to visit space in April of 1961.  American Astronaut Alan Shepard arrived a month too late in his capsule, "Freedom 7."  On May 25, 1961 , JFK challenged NASA with a bold declaration, "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth."  Only eight years later, in July of 1969, American Neil Armstrong became the first man ever to step foot on the moon.  America won the race for space by setting a goal and sticking to the game plan, making every sacrifice necessary to achieve success through unwavering, steadfast resolve. 

 

   The helmet law for adult riders in California went into effect on January 1, 1992 . Americans can put a man on the moon in eight years, yet can’t seem to manage to roll back a quirky law that was ram-rodded on lies, deceit, imaginary numbers, non-existent studies and dirty politics.  For twelve and a half years we’ve worn that stigma.  Roger Hull once said, “Helmet use is a safety issue. Helmet law is politics.”  It wasn’t the riders who requested the law, it was a politician.  Regardless, we can't continue to live in denial.  It happened. Let's move on. We must regroup, strategize and mobilize. Like it or not, if you ride, you’ve been recruited. The very future of our sport relies on involvement in the political process and there will be no more excuses. You’re either with us, or against us. Not content with being part of the problem, I’ve chosen to immerse myself in finding a solution.  

 

   Yes, we’ve suffered a sense of loss.  Freedom, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, well being, feng shui or whatever your reason to ride, now is the time to attack, during the political election.  When NASA lost a rocket, they’d build a new and better rocket. Sometimes the new rocket blew up too, but they kept trying. They never gave up.  The NASA engineer credo?  “Failure is not an option.”  2005 presents the best chance we’ve had in years to make positive change in California . Yes, that’s a hint. People who are serious about motorcyclist rights need to find an ABATEPAC Voter Guide and get involved. Can’t find one at the local shop? It’s online at www.abate.org.  You’ll notice a contact number for each candidate. Call. Volunteer. Vote.

   

   What impresses me most about NASA is how they always stuck together.  Each person had a clearly defined role and remained resolute despite the setbacks. Petty egos never got in the way because the goal was paramount and they had a mission to complete. 18 hour days, 7 days a week.  They called it “Go Fever.” And despite disaster, they always remained a loyal team.  When Apollo 1 caught fire on the launch pad, killing 3 NASA Astronauts in a cockpit fire, Kranz never lost sight of the common goal when he gathered up the flight controllers to console and nurture the dream: “Space flight is terribly unforgiving of carelessness, incapacity and neglect.  I don’t know what the Thompson committee will find as the cause of this accident but I know what I find, WE were the cause. The simulators weren’t ready. Our software in mission control didn’t function.  Procedures weren’t complete. Nothing we did had any shelf life and no one stood up and said damn it, stop.  Now, from this day forward, mission control will be known by two words: tough and competent. Tough meaning we will never again shirk from our responsibility because we are forever accountable for what we do, or what we fail to do. Competent we’ll never again take anything for granted and never stop learning. When you leave here today, you will write these two words, tough and competent, on your blackboard and they will never be erased.  They will serve as a constant reminder to the sacrifice of Grissom, White and Chaffey.”

 

   Flight Director Kranz was a stand up guy who identified mistakes and assumed responsibility for them, thereby opening the door for change from within.  He inspires me, a simple Biker, to carry on the battle for freedom despite the worst. 12 years without a choice?  No problem. This isn’t life and death; it’s the changing of a silly law. I don’t know if Mr. Kranz rides, but he did wear a snazzy new vest to each launch. His wife custom tailored over 60 vests in all, and the vests sometimes became as celebrated as the launch.  In Kranz’ honor, I’ll put on my leather vest and head on over to mission control, a modern day code word for ‘campaign headquarters.’  I’ll do what I have to do to get a candidate who shares my philosophy into office. Elections are already long on tedium and drudgery from the comfort of my easy chair. However, if I can make even a slight difference in Sacramento , I’m willing to suffer the consequences of a longer lasting election if you are.  Together, we shall succeed.

 

“Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”
~Winston Churchill