| SENSE AT LAST - |
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| At last some common sense has been shown in the worldwide knee jerk reaction everytime the words 'Hells Angels' is mentioned. Nothing has changed since Cohen wrote his influential sociological study on the mods and rockers - Folk devils, Moral panics. Any subculture will invariably reflect the mainstream society - the subculture is a microcosm of the 'society' in which it exists. The laws and regulations of the society will to a greater or lesser extent seek to control the subculture and it's perceived freedoms. That is to say, in striving to live in their own cultural world subcultures such as the Outlaw Biker will invariably break rules and regulations created by the 'ruling' culture in an attempt to curtail their freedom and control them. Consider for example the way in which,here in the UK, the criminal justice and public order Act was introduced as a means of preventing illegal gatherings - initially aimed at so called 'new age travellers' but ultimately and perhaps the hidden agenda was to use the Act to curtail groups of 'Ravers'(also note- attempts were made to use that the same act to curtail Motorcycle gatherings each year - which failed abysmally !) There are individuals in Society who are criminally inclined, sociological studies show us that a sub culture will be a microcosm of this - i.e. there is likely to be an equivalent proportion possibly involved in criminal activity. BUT What the authorities have failed to establish in any countries in the World is that the clubs, and in the main, the Hells Angels, are a criminal organisation per se. There has not been established any requirement for criminal activity as a pre-requisite to joining the club. People outside the clubs, including other motorcyclists will probably never really know what dynamic drives the clubs. The Angels have always refused to entertain debate or answer questions and it is this that winds up the Authorities and citizens. To answer the questions would justify their asking. We live in a world where family units are decimated and very few people have the strong bonds that exist in these subcultural organisations. The military is perhaps one group who can have an idea of the bond. The news this week fom the Netherlands is that the Haringen chapter of the Hells Angels motorbike club does not have to be banned and broken up, a court in Leeuwarden ruled on Tuesday. The court said that the public prosecution department had failed to prove that the organisation was such a threat to public order that the 'ultimate deterrent' - a ban - was legally justifiable. Nor could the Harlingen group be held responsible for criminal acts by members of the gang elsewhere in the country, the court said. Just because some members had criminal records, did not mean the Hells Angels were a criminal organisation, the court ruled. The public prosecution department (OM) is attempting to have the Dutch Hells Angels banned because of its criminal connections - in particular to drugs and illegal weapons - arguing such an organisation has no place in society. The court's decision will come as a severe blow to the OM. The Harlingen case was the first of seven such hearings nationwide and the first to reach a verdict. Other cases have been heard in Amsterdam, Haarlem, Alkmaar, IJmuiden, Rotterdam and Kampen. The OM said immediately that it would appeal against the Leeuwarden ruling. It would do all it could to ensure the organisation was banned, a spokesman said. Last week it emerged that several serving Dutch soldiers were also Hells Angels in their spare time. We cannot afford to be complacent, if the authorities succeed anywhere and the rot spreads, who will they single out next...? Chopper riders, motorcyclists generally,..............NAZI GERMANY.WORLD. Speak out- Support your local Outlaw 1 %ers at every and any Opportunity..... SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL HELLS ANGELS.
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Friday, 9 March 2007
