Hey,
It’s that time of the year, when we reflect on what we’ve done in 2022 and what we plan for 2023.
I’ve had discussions with my 28-year-old grandson about next year. He’s a magnificent tattoo artist taught by his father Frank Ball who is Austin Texas at All-Saints Tattoo on 6th street. He is a master. Frank senior is going to buy his first home in 2023, but the location isn’t set just yet.
Back to Frank Jr. who has several possibilities laid carefully at his feet at this juncture of his life. He may open a shop in a Harley dealership, expand 5-Ball leathers and or go to Bonneville with me. I’m going to pick up his dad on the way to test runs at the Texas mile.
Now get this. I just received an email from my 93-year-old father-in-law, Ralph, who lives in Lacy Washington next to homeless, war-torn, crime ridden Olympia, Washington (with his wife Betty). He explained how the politics have shifted in Lacy and homelessness is down 70 percent. He’s in the process of studying Bonneville racing. On a personal note, while her folks visited this summer, Ralph complained that he couldn’t work out because of Covid restrictions. Betty complained about him using gallon-jugs of water.
When they left, I gave him two 10-pound, hand-made by Bandit dumbbells. Since he’s been home, he started working out four days a week with only these dumbbells. He’s noticed significant improvement and in 2023 he will continue to fight against his old-guy bending posture.
Think about all of the above and the sheer potential of life in America. Like I told my grandson, it’s time to dream a little. Anything is possible.
Let’s hit the news. At the end I will outline my goals for 2023. Hang on.
The Bikernet Weekly News is sponsored in part by companies who also dig Freedom including: Cycle Source Magazine, the MRF, Las Vegas Bikefest, Iron Trader News, ChopperTown, BorntoRide.com and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum.
STRIDER BIKES CONTINUES THEIR MISSION–We’re on a mission to teach every child in America how to ride a bike in kindergarten PE class!
There are just 2 days left to make your 2022 tax-deductible gift to All Kids Bike!
Please consider a gift to support the kids in your community and across the United States before the year is out. Everything we do at All Kids Bike is aimed at enhancing children’s lives, starting with their journey on two wheels. Our All Kids Bike Learn-to-Ride Kindergarten PE Program ensures that every child gets to experience the joy and confidence that comes along with learning how to ride a bike!
“The All Kids Bike program has been one of my favorite additions to our P.E. program. The kids absolutely love getting on the bikes and so many kids have now had biking experiences who, otherwise, had not or would not have had the opportunity to learn to ride. Joy, confidence, and grit. You can’t beat those experiences and lessons being learned at school!” – PE Teacher Kenny Cope, Fredstrom Elementary
Our program has been implemented into more than 800 schools in America, but we have so much more to go! We hope you will help us finish the year strong so we can continue our mission…until every child in America has experienced the joy, confidence, and wellness that two wheels can bring!
Make My 2022 Tax-Deductable Gift Today!
THE BIKERNET PHILOSOPHY CLASS IS STILL OPEN–The road is paved with flat squirrels who couldn’t make a decision.
Happiness is not having to set the alarm clock.
When I get a headache I take two aspirin and keep away from children just like the bottle says.
Just once, I want the prompt for username and password to say, “Close enough.”
Becoming an adult is the dumbest thing I’ve ever done.
If you see me talking to myself, just move along. I’m self-employed. We’re having a meeting.
“Your call is very important to us. Please enjoy this 40-minute flute solo.”
Does anyone else have a plastic bag full of plastic bags, or is it just me?
I hate it when I can’t figure out how to operate the iPad and my tech support guy is asleep. He’s 5 and it’s past his bedtime.
Today’s 3-year-olds can switch on laptops and open their favorite apps. When I was 3, I ate mud.
Tip for a successful marriage: Don’t ask your wife when dinner will be ready while she’s mowing the lawn.
So, you drive across town to a gym to walk on a treadmill?
I didn’t make it to the gym today. That makes five years in a row.
I decided to stop calling the bathroom “John” and renamed it the “Jim”. I feel so much better saying I went to the Jim this morning. Old age is coming at a really bad time.
If God wanted me to touch my toes, He would’ve put them on my knees.
Last year I joined a support group for procrastinators. We haven’t met yet.
Why do I have to press one for English when you’re just going to transfer me to someone I can’t understand anyway?
Now, I’m wondering . . did I send this to you, did you send it to me or have I only sent one copy?
–Sam Burns
Senior Philosopher
Bikernet Thought Temple
Pillar Peak
Sturgis, SD
CULTURAL NEWS–Motorcyclist Who Identifies As Bicyclist Sets Cycling World Record
NEW YORK, NY – In an inspiring story from the world of professional cycling, a motorcyclist who identifies as a bicyclist has crushed all the regular bicyclists, setting an unbelievable world record.
In a local qualifying race for the World Road Cycling League, the motorcyclist crushed the previous 100-mile record of 3 hours, 13 minutes with his amazing new score of well under an hour.
Professional motorcycle racer Judd E. Banner, the brave trans-vehicle rider, was allowed to race after he told league organizers he’s always felt like a bicyclist in a motorcyclist’s body.
“Look, my ride has handlebars, two wheels, and a seat,” he told reporters as he accepted a trophy for his incredible time trial. “Just because I’ve got a little extra hardware, such as an 1170-cc flat-twin engine with 110 horsepower, doesn’t mean I have any kind of inherent advantage here.”
Banner also said he painted the word “HUFFY” on the side of his bike, ensuring he has no advantage over the bikes that came out of the factory as bicycles.
Some critics say he needs to cut off his motor in order to make the competition fairer, but he quickly called these people bigots, and they were immediately banned from professional cycle racing.
–from Rogue
Senior Editor
Bikernet.com™
HANG ON FOR THIS–One way to hoodwink the populace into accepting ever-increasing control by the omnibenevolent and all-seeing federal government is to convince them that freedom and autonomy are bad for you. But surely Leftists wouldn’t stoop that low, would they? Sure they would.
PJM’s Ben Bartee had the story on Saturday: the American Journal of Medicine has published a preposterous new study warning that “distrust of the government” and “a belief in freedom” are liable to get you killed. Get back in line, sheep! Don’t put your lives on the line chasing after freedom! Slavery is so much safer!
This arrant nonsense was actually published this month in the American Journal of Medicine, proving yet again that academic study in the United States has become irremediably politicized and open to cultural and intellectual fads. Honest investigation of a controverted issue, leading to the acknowledgment of unwelcome truths, is vanishingly rare. The pretext for pushing slavery on Americans is, once again, the COVID-19 vaccine. According to Fortune magazine, this study claims to prove that “if you passed on getting the COVID vaccine, you might be a lot more likely to get into a car crash.”
The study asserts that “unvaccinated people were 72% more likely to be involved in a severe traffic crash — in which at least one person was transported to the hospital — than those who were vaccinated. That’s similar to the increased risk of car crashes for people with sleep apnea, though only about half that of people who abuse alcohol.”
Does the vaccine somehow improve your eyesight and coordination, so that you can more easily get out of scrapes while driving? Oh, nothing like that. Unvaccinated people are more likely to wreck their cars because they’re the sort of people who don’t obey the rules. The study speculates that people who are so headstrong and stubborn as to resist getting a vaccine that is causing young people in perfect health suddenly to drop dead might also “neglect basic road safety guidelines.”
Now, who in his right mind would get behind the wheel and neglect basic safety guidelines? Incorrigible lovers of freedom, of course: “Why would they ignore the rules of the road? Distrust of the government, a belief in freedom, misconceptions of daily risks, ‘faith in natural protection,’ ‘antipathy toward regulation,’ poverty, misinformation, a lack of resources, and personal beliefs are potential reasons proposed by the authors.”
So actually, the study is all about why you should be a good conformist and do whatever the government tells you to do, no matter what the obvious risks may be.
This ridiculous and superstitious propaganda is frankly fascist in its warning against “a belief in freedom,” and it’s all designed to sell a shoddy and dangerous product to the weak and gullible.
—JIHADWATCH.ORG
–PJMEDIA
–from J.J. Solari
“If you leave out enough data you can come up with any conclusion.”
–The Redhead
2023 EVENTS FROM BILTWELL–Here’s a heads-up on the motorcycle events we’ve got on our schedule for 2023. It’s gonna be a busy year and we hope to see ya at least one of these shindigs!
GET OUT AND STAY OUT-SIDE THAT IS…
JAN 13, 14 PARTS & LABOR
Del Mar, CA
www.partsandlaborexpo.com
JAN 19-22 BRODOWN
Louisville, KY
www.biltwellinc.com
FEB 18, 19 MAMA TRIED
Milwaukee, WI
www.mamatriedshow.com
MARCH 18, 19 THE PROWL
Bisbee, AZ
www.instagram.com/theprowl_bisbeeaz
APRIL 1 BILTWELL 100
Ridgecrest, CA
www.biltwell100.com
APRIL 27-30 GOAF MOJAVE
Mojave, CA
www.revzilla.com/adv-fest
MAY 4-7 EL DIABLO RUN
San Felipe, Baja, Mexico
www.eldiablorun.com
JUNE 23, 24, 25 PEOPLES CHAMP/BORN FREE
Oak Canyon Ranch, CA
www.peopleschampshow.com
JULY 20-23 GOAF STURGIS
Sturgis, SD
www.revzilla.com/adv-fest
JULY 29-30 FUEL CLEVELAND
Bath, OH
www.fuelcleveland.com
AUG 4-13 STURGIS
Sturgis, SD
www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com
AUG 25, 26 VIRGINIA CITY ROUND-UP
Virginia City, NV
www.instagram.com/virginia_city_round_up
SEPT 1-3 FOUR CORNERS
Durango, CO
www.fourcornersmotorcyclerally.com
SEPT 16 INDIAN LARRY BLOCK PARTY 20TH
Brooklyn, NY
www.indianlarry.com
OCT 5-8 KERNVILLE KAMPOUT
Kernville, CA
www.kernvillekampout.com
–Biltwell Crew
QUICK, KEEP THE BANDIT’S CANTINA BAD JOKE LIBRARY WIDE OPEN— An armed thief entered a house mid-afternoon and found two people there.
He tied up the woman and ordered the man to hand over the family jewellery and other valuables.
The frightened man started sobbing, and said:
“You can take anything you want, and even beat me up, but please, untie the rope and free her.”
“You must really love your wife” said the burglar.
“Not particularly,” replied the man, “but she will be home soon.”
–from Micah
NEW FROM LE PERA— We have new Trucker hats. Sorry was the only thing I could think of… running out the door to party my ass off with Cory Ness in some faraway location.
We will be closed December 23rd returning January 3rd. Happy Holidays!
–Christine Le Pera
LIFESTYLE CYCLES DEAL OF THE WEEK— 2010 Harley-Davidson FXD – Dyna Super Glide FOR $13.995.00
SEE IT HERE: https://www.lifestylecycles.com/default.asp?page=xPreOwnedInventoryDetail&id=13004446
2010 Black/Red flame Harley-Davidson DYNA SUPER GLIDE with only 8597.00 miles!
This bike is a FULL CUSTOM DYNA with every thing done top notch and some of the features/Add-ons on this bike are
* High Performance 96c.i. Motor with a thunder header exhaust and 6-Speed trans.
* Digital Speed-O
* 14 inch T-bars
* Adjustable front forks and rear shocks
* Steering stabilizer and fork stabilizer
* Color Matched hard bags
* MX front floor boards, rear pegs, and shifter
* Custom paint with Flames
* Upgraded-grips,levers
This bike is only $13,995.00
Plus, license, $85.00 documentation fee, and local sales tax. NO HIDDEN FEES like some dealers. And we have no reconditioning or prep fees. This bike has passed Lifestyle Cycles rigorous 92-point safety/mechanical/structural inspection.This motorcycle has not been refurbished and does not come with any warranty expressed or implied!
EXTENDED WARRANTIES are available!
Fill out an online application today. We have EZ FINANCING
Lifestyle Cycles is located at 1510 State College Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92806. Open 7 days a week.
NHTSA Put on Notice Regarding the Profiling of Motorcyclist
This week, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives agreed to a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package that funds the federal government through September 2023 and avoids a government shutdown. Attached to that 4,155-page bill is a request by Congress to learn more about the profiling of motorcyclists.
Within the funding section for the Department of Transportation, language was included that states: The Committee is concerned that National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) may be conducting activities that encourage states to adopt legislation, regulation, or other policies that unjustly profile motorcycle riders. The Committee directs NHTSA to report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on the extent to which the agency works with states on motorcycle passenger policies within 120 days of enactment of this Act.
For years the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) has worked to address the profiling of motorcyclists. We believe this action by Congress is an important step that will continue the dialogue on this topic. We cannot thank Rep. Susie Lee of Nevada enough for her leadership on this issue. Her willingness to seek answers from NHTSA is why this language was included in the final bill.
We hope that when NHTSA responds to the request from Congress, we will have more information to share with you.
Thank you for your continued support of biker rights and the MRF.
As always Ride Safe and Ride Free.
LETTER TO RETIRING SENATOR JAMES INHOFE—
Sorry, not from your state, but I have much respect. So, we’ve uncovered election fraud, Covid fraud, climate fraud and Biden crimes in this country, in Afghanistan and at the border. So, is anything going to be done about anything?
–Bandit
TWISTED ROAD TRAVEL ADVICE—They can hook you up with a bike while you’re in the City of Los Angeles.
If you’re planning a trip to Los Angeles, here are some of the best motorcycle rides, hangouts, and travel tips. And Twisted Road is your source for motorcycle rental in LA—rent a bike from owners in our rider community!
The Los Angeles area is expansive and has a little bit of everything. For riders, that means a motorcycle tour of Los Angeles can include long stretches of superslab, cool beachfront cruises, and exhilarating mountain twisties. And the Southern California motorcycle scene is quite vibrant, with all styles of bikes and characters. So being able to rent a motorcycle in Los Angeles that fits your riding style, and where you want to go, is huge. Read on to learn about:
- Renting a Motorcycle in Los Angeles
- Best Motorcycle Rides in Southern California
- Los Angeles Motorcycle Rules & Tips
- Preparing For Your Los Angeles motorcycle trip
Where to Rent a Motorcycle in Los Angeles
The good news is, with Twisted Road your Los Angeles motorcycle rental options are virtually unlimited. You can search our site and rent whatever you feel like riding during your trip; a touring motorcycle, a sportbike, a cruiser… our community of riders have all sorts of bikes listed. And no need to rent just one bike while you’re in town; you can check out a different one every day or two if you want to!
Best Motorcycle Rides in Southern California
Some of the best motorcycle rides in Southern California are in Los Angeles County. You’ve got a wide selection of neighborhoods and iconic sights to explore—DTLA, the Hollywood sign, and Beverly Hills, just to name a few. Some of the best motorcycle routes and roads to scope out in the area are:
- Angeles Crest Highway
- The Snake (a stretch of Mulholland Highway)
- Big Bear
- Sunset Boulevard to Pacific Coast Highway (PCH)
- Ortega Highway
Every Twisted road motorcycle rental includes unlimited miles, so you can ride from Los Angeles to San Francisco if you feel like it! (Check out our Twisted Road review page to hear from our riders, and see why we’re your best source for a motorcycle rental in Los Angeles!)
Motorcycle Hangouts in Los Angeles
When you’re out exploring a new area, there’s nothing cooler than connecting with the riding community at the local bike spots. Los Angeles and the surrounding area have some interesting places to stop off during your ride.
The Rock Store
There’s no place quite like the Rock Store, and a visit there is likely to be memorable for any number of reasons. It’s been there since 1963, and it’s built entirely out of volcanic rock. But the really interesting part is the people. There’s a mix of modern and vintage bikes of all types, and a range of riders to match. And the regulars include prolific car and bike collector Jay Leno, who frequently rides up on his latest toy. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Harrison Ford, and Tommy Lee are also among the celeb moto aficionados who frequent the Rock Store. (Please note that it’s only open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.)
The House of Machines
The House of Machines is a biker bar with locations all around the world. The LA installment has an artisanal, slightly hipster (in a good way) aesthetic, and offers bikes, bites, and beer, and frequently live music. During the day, you can get your caffeine fix at Clutch, the in-house espresso bar.
Cook’s Corner
Cook’s Corner in Trabuco Canyon is one of the most famous biker bars in Southern California. It’s in a rustic cabin where it’s resided since 1884 (and hosted miners back in the gold rush days) and offers food and drink, a pool, and horseshoes. There’s even live music, and sometimes country dancing. Cook’s Corner is the real deal—an OG biker bar that’s authentic down to its floorboards. A lot of Los Angeles motorcycle events are hosted here, too!
There’s more. Go to Twisteroad.com to find out.
POLITICAL NEWS–J6 committee waves the white flag, quietly withdraws Trump subpoena: ‘They knew I did nothing wrong!’
Despite constant and overwhelming media hype that its work would bring an end to former President Donald J. Trump, the vaunted House select committee to investigate the so-called “insurrection” of January 6, 2021 is going out with a whimper.
Days before House Democrats are forced to surrender control of their committees to Republicans, the uber-partisan panel said that it would be withdrawing its subpoena of Trump, a document that was greeted with jubilation by Resistance Twitter when it was issued in October with many seeing it as the elusive silver bullet that would finally bring about the end of their hated enemy’s political career.
On Wednesday night, committee chairman Rep. Benny Thompson acknowledged that it was over in a letter to Trump’s attorney that was obtained and reported by CNN.
“In light of the imminent end of our investigation, the Select Committee can no longer pursue the specific information covered by the subpoena,” he wrote.
“Therefore, through this letter, I hereby formally withdraw the subpoena issued to former President Trump, and notify you that he is no longer obligated to comply or produce records in response to said subpoena,” the Mississippi Democrat added.
NEWS FROM THE PRISM GANG— Our Mini Spoon Footpegs are made from stainless steel while our Heritage Footpegs are machined from aluminum. Both footpegs are designed to mount to any 5/8″ diameter foot peg including our 4″ Mid-Peg as well as our Sportster Mid-Control Kit. Watch as Mitch shows you how to install them.
AGING AND EXERCISE–Ok. So, that’s how sports can benefit Senior Citizens?
* it boosts the morale
* it soothes muscle aches and therefore allows you to cut down on medication
* it stimulates your immune system, so you have stronger defences against viruses
* it helps to fight against arthritis: no exercise = muscle wastage = the joints are no longer supported
* it trains your memory: doing sport means you must use different zones of your brain.
* It boosts your self-esteem.
In a nutshell, exercise allows you to maintain a healthy lifestyle (and this applies to all ages).
So, What about Combat Sports?
Coordination, laterality, proprioception, muscle tone, flexibility, and increased balance.
These are just some of the benefits of combat sports.
The increase in balance is particularly helpful for older people. Unfortunately, senior citizens are prone to falls.
The benefit of combat sports, notably judo, is the dual workout: physical AND mental exercise.
Learning to fall without hurting yourself is also a significant advantage.
[page break]
ART PROJECT OF THE WEEK—Custom vintage taillight engraved by Bruzz.
–Sam Burns
Tech Editor
Bikernet.com™
The U.S. Supreme Court declared New York’s “good-cause” requirement for the right to bear arms outside the home unconstitutional, but the struggle for freedom is hardly over.
The U.S. Supreme Court invalidated New York’s “good-cause” requirement to exercise the right to bear arms in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen in a 6-3 decision on June 23, 2022. Justice Clarence Thomas, writing the opinion for the Court, ruled that the Second Amendment protects the right to carry a handgun for self-defense outside the home. Every law-abiding citizen is now eligible for a carry permit.
The lower courts have been waging massive resistance to the Supreme Court’s decisions in D.C. v. Heller and McDonald v. Chicago—decisions more than a decade old. In those cases, the Court held, respectively, that the right to keep and bear arms is an individual right and that it prohibits local, state and federal infringement. The Court read the Second Amendment to mean what it says and to say what it means, according to its original public understanding. In other words, Justice Thomas wrote, “[W]hen the Second Amendment’s plain text covers an individual’s conduct, the Constitution presumptively protects that conduct.” To justify a restriction, “the government must demonstrate that the regulation is consistent with this Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.”
To get around this clear ruling, many lower courts invented a second “balancing test” to deconstruct the right and to thus uphold each and every restriction. Also called “intermediate scrutiny,” it was nothing more than a version of the deferential interest-balancing test Justice Stephen Breyer advocated in his Heller dissent, which the Heller majority rejected. “Despite the popularity of this two-step approach, it is one step too many,” wrote Justice Thomas in Bruen. What this means is that courts should consider the Second Amendment’s text and early history, not the “means-end scrutiny” that allows the supposed government interest to negate the natural right; as a result, virtually every lower-court ruling based on part two of the supposed test is now up for grabs.
As to the merits, nothing in the text of the Second Amendment restricts the right to “keep” arms in the home, as this would obliterate the other half of the liberty: the right to “bear arms.” As noted in Bruen, “Most gun owners do not wear a holstered pistol at their hip in their bedroom or while sitting at the dinner table.”
As to the “good-cause” requirement under which New York has limited permits to celebrities, the wealthy and those who paid the right bribes—and yes, that did happen—this amendment’s status as a constitutional right precludes mother-may-I-schemes. “We know of no other constitutional right that an individual may exercise only after demonstrating to government officers some special need,” wrote Justice Thomas.
Clarence Thomas
“[We] hold, consistent with Heller and McDonald, that the Second and Fourteenth Amendments protect an individual’s right to carry a handgun for self-defense outside the home.” — Clarence Thomas
History was Set Straight
To get its way, New York appealed to historical sources from medieval times through the twentieth century to argue that precedents exist for its carry ban. Yes, oppressive kings sometimes disarmed subjects, but isn’t that why we have the Second Amendment? New York neglected to include as a precedent the actions of George III, whose attempt to disarm the Americans sparked our Revolution. As Justice Thomas wrote, “[W]hen it comes to interpreting the Constitution, not all history is created equal. ‘Constitutional rights are enshrined with the scope they were understood to have when the people adopted them.’”
Instead of looking at the intent of James Madison and the other Founders in drafting the Second Amendment, New York would rely on the intent of King Edward III in passing the Statute of Northampton of 1328. “Notwithstanding the ink the parties spill over this provision, the Statute of Northampton—at least as it was understood during the Middle Ages—has little bearing on the Second Amendment adopted in 1791,” wrote Thomas.
Spilled ink is right. For over a decade, Bloomberg-financed research has promoted a revisionist history of an all-pervading Northampton rule that peaceably carrying arms without “the king’s license” has always been illegal. As Justice Thomas correctly points out, in Sir John Knight’s case of 1686, the English court ruled that going armed was an offense only if done in a manner “to terrify the King’s subjects.”
Perhaps misled by the revisionists, Justice Breyer suggested in his dissent that Knight was acquitted because he “based his defense on his loyalty to the Crown, not a lack of intent to terrify.” That disregarded what the English court actually said and the further fact that the Crown had Knight prosecuted because he opposed the Crown’s policies. The Crown was none other than James II, whose disarming of the protestant subjects sparked the Glorious Revolution in England. That resulted in the adoption of the Declaration of Rights of 1689, which declared that “Protestants … may have Arms for their Defence,” and so became the predecessor of the Second Amendment.
In the colonial and founding periods, peaceably going armed was lawful. In the early republic, a minority of states banned concealed carry, but that was upheld because open carry was legal. For a current restriction to be valid, it must be analogous to regulations that were generally accepted as constitutional when the amendment was adopted, as that is the will of the people. When slavery was abolished and the “Black Codes” sought to disarm the freedmen, the Fourteenth Amendment was ratified in 1868 in part to protect Second Amendment rights from state infringement, which were aimed primarily at African Americans. The scope of the right was considered basically the same in that period as in the Founding.
But New York’s Sullivan Law, enacted in 1911, teaches us nothing about the original public understanding. Not to mention that “to the extent later history contradicts what the text says, the text controls.” Consider that rule, oh mighty Ninth Circuit! In Peruta, you upheld discretionary licensing because you said the Second Amendment doesn’t protect concealed carry. And in Young, you upheld Hawaii’s carry ban because you said the Amendment doesn’t protect open carry, either. Bruen pulls the rug out from under your anti-textual “reasoning.”
Justice Samuel Alito
“The police cannot … provide bodyguard protection for the State’s nearly 20 million residents or the 8.8 million people who live in New York City … . — Justice Samuel Alito
The Fight Over the Details
The Court does recognize “longstanding” laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in “sensitive places,” such as schools, government buildings, legislatures, polling places and courthouses. But such places must be narrowly defined: “Put simply, there is no historical basis for New York to effectively declare the island of Manhattan a ‘sensitive place’ simply because it is crowded and protected generally by the New York City Police Department.”
But, as this was being written, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who, like all public officials at her level, is protected by armed bodyguards, was already working to negate the “frightful” Bruen decision by planning to ban firearms in places, like subways, where they are most needed by law-abiding citizens and to jack up permit-qualification requirements.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D), who is reluctant to prosecute violent criminals, stated that “my office is analyzing this [Bruen] ruling and crafting gun-safety legislation that will take the strongest steps possible to mitigate the damage done today.” Does Bragg want to victimize the victims all the more? As the amicus brief in this case from the Black Attorneys of Legal Aid exposed, many otherwise law-abiding black and brown residents of New York have been incarcerated for attempting to defend themselves.
This U.S. Supreme Court decision does not address bans on modern rifles (the political term “assault weapon” does not appear), but it reaffirms the Heller rule that the Second Amendment “protects the possession and use of weapons that are ‘in common use at the time.’” AR-type rifles are indisputably in common use. After Heller was decided, in Heller II, we challenged the District of Columbia’s ban on semi-automatic rifles. Ruling that they are in common use and therefore protected by the Second Amendment should have been a no-brainer, as the majority admitted these firearms are commonly owned. But the court nevertheless upheld the ban based on part two of the “two-part” test that Bruen now rejects. Then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh dissented on the basis that the ban violated the Second Amendment.
All of the circuits to uphold rifle bans conceded that the banned firearms passed the first part of the test—they are, after all, “bearable arms” per Heller—except for the Fourth Circuit in Kolbe v. Hogan. That court made the absurd claim that AR-15 semi-automatics are “like” M-16 full automatics and thus may be banned. They saw no legal difference between a rifle that fires only one shot per trigger pull and a machine gun. This was truly an “emperor has no clothes” moment.
So, while Bruen doesn’t go into that issue, Justice Thomas did write that while “the Second Amendment’s definition of ‘arms’ is fixed according to its historical understanding, that general definition covers modern instruments that facilitate armed self-defense.”
This is a National Ruling
While the specific ruling is against New York, the Court called out the other five states with equivalent restrictions that are now invalid—California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts and New Jersey. All six states must now consider their “good-cause” factor to be crossed out and issue carry permits according to the other existing procedures. No need exists to wait until their legislatures repeal portions of laws now ruled to be unconstitutional.
The California attorney general released an alert that “issuing authorities should no longer require proof of good cause for the issuance of a public-carry license.” However, he said, they should thoroughly investigate an applicant, including a search of social media, to decide if the person has “good moral character.” New Jersey’s attorney general announced that “justifiable need” would no longer be a reason to deny a permit, but “good moral character” is still required. The danger exists that ideological tests may follow, which would violate both the First and the Second Amendments.
As of the time of this writing, the attorneys general of Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts and New York had issued terse denunciations of the decision.
As the Court notes, some 43 states have “shall-issue” permit systems. Three of those states—Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island—have discretionary language in their laws, but in practice they operate as “shall-issue.” Vermont does not issue permits, but neither does it require a permit for open or concealed carry. So that makes a total of 44 states that recognize the right of law-abiding citizens in general to bear arms.
Bruen does not question the various other requirements for carry permits, such as background checks, which were not challenged; however, “because any permitting scheme can be put toward abusive ends, we do not rule out constitutional challenges to shall-issue regimes where, for example, lengthy wait times in processing license applications or exorbitant fees deny ordinary citizens their right to public carry.” Left unsaid is that New York allows up to six months to act on a carry-permit application, which requires a fee of hundreds of dollars.
The Concurring Opinions
Concurring opinions were written by three justices, all agreeing with the opinion by Justice Thomas but adding further points. The dissent argued that the case should be remanded to the lower court for trial, to find out whether it is really so hard for a New Yorker to get a carry permit.
As Justice Samuel Alito responded, the record “tells us everything we need on this score.” The very words of the New York law and judicial decisions thereon make clear that “proper cause” does not include living in a high-crime neighborhood. He noted that amicus briefs were filed “by members of groups whose members feel that they have special reasons to fear attacks,” including the brief for the National African American Gun Association that counsel Nezida Davis and I filed.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, with whom Chief Justice John Roberts joined, pointed out that “43 States employ objective shall-issue licensing regimes,” such as fingerprinting, a background check and training. That word “objective” will gain added significance if rogue states try to substitute ideological tests for “good moral character,” a covert way of reviving the subjective “proper-cause” criteria.
In her concurrence, Justice Amy Coney Barrett noted the scholarly debate on whether the scope of the right to bear arms should focus on when the Second Amendment was ratified in 1791 or when the Fourteenth Amendment, which made the Amendment applicable to the states, was ratified in 1868. She cautioned that the Bruen decision “should not be understood to endorse freewheeling reliance on historical practice from the mid-to-late 19th century to establish the original meaning of the Bill of Rights.” That’s good advice, because more restrictions began to appear late in the 19th century, and they were inconsistent with the original public understanding.
The Dissents and What’s to Come
Predictably, Justice Stephen Breyer, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, dissented. The dissent goes on and on about criminals who murder victims with firearms, as if that didn’t prove the need for law-abiding citizens to protect themselves. Justice Alito asked “how does the dissent account for the fact that one of the mass shootings near the top of its list took place in Buffalo?” The dissent also makes the frankly weird argument that Bruen is in conflict with Heller, from which Justice Breyer also dissented.
Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has fully recognized the right to bear arms, much work lies ahead. When Heller threw out the District of Columbia’s handgun ban, the District defiantly enacted new, arbitrary restrictions to get revenge against gun owners. Some of them were invalidated in the case known as Heller III. As we go to print, the six nanny states whose “may-issue” laws are now declared to be unconstitutional are already scheming new restrictions on the right to carry, not to mention other rights basic to gun ownership. Americans must remain ever-vigilant to stop violations of their rights from every quarter.
Stephen P. Halbrook (stephenhalbrook.com) is a senior fellow with the Independent Institute and the author of 10 books, including The Right to Bear Arms: A Constitutional Right of the People or a Privilege of the Ruling Class?
–by STEPHEN P. HALBROOK
LETTER TO TIME MAGAZINE—
Hey guys Noel, Noel,
This gets better by the day. Almost a joke, but not funny. Oil doesn’t come from Fossils. CO2 is not a pollutant. And you don’t want to question a guy who will destroy civilization because he wants to force you to pepper the landscape with solar panels and wind turbines mostly made with the help of oil-based products?
And you call yourselves journalists. When you walk home and the lights won’t come on, you can’t fire up your computer and you can’t get warm because you can’t burn wood, will you say Yippee, we won?
–Bandit
VINTAGE ENGINE DEAL OF THE WEEK—Grant, from Born Free is willing to sell this rebuilt UL, 80-inch flathead H-D motor with title for $11,000. Let me know if you’re interested and I’ll pass it on.
–Bandit
MOTORCYCLES AS ART Exhibit–Changes Format and Michael Lichter Moves to Advisory Role
Sturgis Buffalo Chip to Remodel Event Center Gallery and Expand Exhibit
The Motorcycles As Art showcase and gallery will continue to be the home of the industry party, slated for Saturday, August 5th, 2023. Artists and sponsors can inquire directly to info@BuffaloChip.com
For more information, visit MotorcyclesAsArt.com
Bird’s eye view of Oxford, the West’s newest prison city. Public domain.
PRISON CITY, UK–Oxford residents will soon be prisoners of their own neighborhoods
This is one of those stories that you’re certain is from the Babylon Bee, and that is stunning in its implications when it turns out to be the truth. In this case, the truth is that, in accordance with UN and WEF climate recommendations, the city of Oxford (home to the famed university) approved plans mandating that citizens may not drive more than 15 minutes distance from their homes without permission. It’s called the “15 Minute City” and is intended to reduce auto emissions. Mostly, though, it will reduce liberty, which is what climate change madness has always been about.
In many ways, the 15 Minute City (which the WEF and UN approvingly tout) is an old, unexceptional idea: Even in big cities, people like vibrant neighborhoods that allow them to travel very short distances (walking, riding a bike, or driving) to fulfill their daily needs (food, clothing, haircuts, etc.). Indeed, there are lots of people who pick homes based on their proximity to amenities. They don’t want to spend their lives in their cars or on public transportation chasing from one thing to another. And that’s fine. Making choices based on lifestyle preferences is a perfectly sound, market-based way to go through life.
But the marketplace is not what globalists want. They want control. Certainly, that’s the case in and around Oxford, England. Word is trickling into America that both the leftist Oxfordshire County Council and the Oxford City Council have plans. Big plans.
Spiked got wind of the planned changes in October. The ostensible push behind the plan is to end traffic problems, which certainly makes sense, but the plan will be implemented with the chain and jackboot:
… Oxfordshire County Council, which is run by Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party, wants to divide the city of Oxford into six ‘15 minute’ districts. In these districts, it is said, most household essentials will be accessible by a quarter-of-an-hour walk or bike ride, and so residents will have no need for a car.
On the surface, these 15-minute neigbourhoods might sound pleasant and convenient. But there is a coercive edge. The council plans to cut car use and traffic congestion by placing strict rules on car journeys. Under the new proposals, if any of Oxford’s 150,000 residents drives outside of their designated district more than 100 days a year, he or she could be fined £70.
Run by a Labour administration, Oxford City Council takes a similar line.
Since Spiked wrote the above, the Oxford City Council went from theory to fact by a council vote on November 29 to implement trial traffic filters as of January 2024 that will require residents to get permission to leave their neighborhoods, all in the name of saving the planet:
Oxfordshire County Council yesterday approved plans to lock residents into one of six zones to ‘save the planet’ from global warming. The latest stage in the ’15 minute city’ agenda is to place electronic gates on key roads in and out of the city, confining residents to their own neighbourhoods.
Under the new scheme if residents want to leave their zone they will need permission from the Council who gets to decide who is worthy of freedom and who isn’t. Under the new scheme residents will be allowed to leave their zone a maximum of 100 days per year, but in order to even gain this every resident will have to register their car details with the council who will then track their movements via smart cameras round the city.
In 1992, Rush Limbaugh appeared on ABC’s Nightline to engage in a debate with Al Gore regarding Gore’s charge, in his then-new book Earth in the Balance, that the earth was facing imminent climate death. After Gore blathered on “a global ecological crisis that is more serious than anything human civilization has ever faced,” Rush cut to the heart of the matter:
The environmental movement as fueled by the militants who lead it, I think, is the new home of socialism. I think it is. They’ve adopted a constituency here which can’t speak — that is trees and rocks and so forth — and can’t reject the so-called help and concern that the advocates are giving it, and gives them a stage from which to constantly launch attacks at capitalism.
Rush was right, of course. Socialism is totalitarianism, which exists under many names (theocracy, military junta, fascism, communism) but, no matter the name, the goal is always the same: Completely control a population for the benefit of a small, well-defined group of elites. In Oxford, England, with its new plan to trap people near their homes and spy on them wherever they go, we’re seeing the latest phase in the socialist crackdown that Rush identified 30 years ago.
–American Thinker
Song: “Eye of the Tiger”
Music by: Survivor
Songwriters: Frank Sullivan / James
Album: Eye of the Tiger (1982)
Rising up, back on the street
Did my time, took my chances
Went the distance, now I’m back on my feet
Just a man and his will to survive
So many times it happens too fast
You change your passion for glory
Don’t lose your grip on the dreams of the past
You must fight just to keep them alive
It’s the eye of the tiger
It’s the thrill of the fight
Rising up to the challenge of our rival
And the last known survivor
Stalks his prey in the night
And he’s watching us all with the eye of the tiger
Face to face, out in the heat
Hanging tough, staying hungry
They stack the odds ’til we take to the street
For the kill with the skill to survive
It’s the eye of the tiger
It’s the thrill of the fight
Rising up to the challenge of our rival
And the last known survivor
Stalks his prey in the night
And he’s watching us all with the eye of the tiger
Rising up straight to the top
Had the guts, got the glory
Went the distance, now I’m not going to stop
Just a man and his will to survive
It’s the eye of the tiger
It’s the thrill of the fight
Rising up to the challenge of our rival
And the last known survivor
Stalks his prey in the night
And he’s watching us all with the eye of the tiger
The eye of the tiger
The eye of the tiger
The eye of the tiger
INSTAGRAM CUSTOMS FROM TWISTED ROAD—Here’s number one: 1. Mike Le
Mike Le had a vision and that vision became a reality in Kinetic Motorcycles. This team aims to create art on wheels through innovation, creativity, and function.
And number six: 6. Colt Wrangler
Defining the future of cool in custom bike building throughout Texas, Colt Wrangler is known affectionately as the rasta-redneck-Yoda of custom motorcycle building.
–Twisted Road
www.twistedroad.com
CLIMATE QUOTE OF THE WEEK—
Those who oppose economically destructive “climate” policies – like those promoted by the Biden administration and at the recent United Nations COP27 conference – will continue to fail to stop the advance of these policies so long as they continue to accept the false claim that warming of the planet and carbon dioxide emissions are harmful.
They are not. On balance, global warming and CO2 emission are beneficial.
–David Simon
Realclearmarkets.com
BAKER DEALER OF THE MONTH–Dream Rides of Tennessee. BAKER Dealer Since 2021
The name Dream Rides may sound familiar to you because of their reputable shop in California, but in 2021, Dream Rides opened their Tennessee location and have had nothing but success. Their experienced team of techs have made it easy for Dream Rides of Tennessee to make a name for themselves as one of the leading independent shops in eastern Tennessee.
Dream Rides of Tennessee is a reliable “alternative solution to a Harley-Davidson dealer”. The shop specializes in everything from simple service work to extreme performance upgrades. They even sell parts, apparel, and used bikes.
They contribute to the motorcycle community with many events year-round, but their newest and most popular event is the BAKER-sponsored Drag Races.
Michelle talked to John Jessup, the owner of Dream Rides of Tennessee, and learned more about their success in this industry.
Baker will be closed until January 3rd, next year.
HOLIDAY NEWS FROM THE MASTER OF LIGHT–Final Reminder
Holiday greetings to all! And welcome to our new subscribers. We are looking forward to a fantastic New Year and are eager to see what 2023 has in store for us!
This is your final reminder on David’s 2022 Holiday piece, “Arctic Express”. We do have one of each of the embellished pieces left, so please let me know if you’d like to acquire one of those (see specifics below). We’ll be closing this edition on Sunday.
Thanks for your time and Happy New Year!
Greg
International Sales Director
David Uhl Fine Art
Uhl Studios
303-913-4840
REDUCING SPEED LIMITS to 20 mph has little Impact on Driving Behavior—
UK research found that cutting speed limits on urban roads does not significantly improve safety. The likely reason—motorists will drive the speed limit they feel most comfortable with based on road design, weather conditions, and traffic.
Belfast officials changed the speed limits to 20 mph on 76 roads in 2016. Researchers analyzed data from before and after the 20 mph limit was introduced on the same streets and compared that data with other Northern Ireland roads that retained 30 to 40 mph. They did not find any statistically significant differences in average traffic speeds and the number of accidents. One change they did find: the 20-mph roads experienced a reduction in traffic.
These findings from Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Edinburgh were published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
The researchers also recommended that to change driver behavior, the 20 mph limits should be combined with other measures such as:
- Driver training
- Community engagement
- Community interventions (speed watch)
- Closed-Circuit TV (CCTV) and other surveillance
- In-car Interventions such as speed limiters
- Police enforcement
- Social media marketing to increase awareness
They also stated in the report that bringing the speed limit down to 20 mph would help facilitate a culture change from the car-dominant paradigm by putting people before cars.
Cutting speed limits to 20 mph has been increasingly popular in the UK and Europe. The Welsh government has even committed to lowering speeds on all roads where cars mix with cyclists and pedestrians.
In an interview with the UK’s Evening Standard, Royal Automobile Club (RAC) road safety spokesman Simon Williams said, “The findings of this study are surprising as they appear to suggest that drivers on 20 mph roads in Belfast hardly slowed down at all, despite the lower speed limit.”
He added, “It seems there is a serious problem with compliance as we would expect that even without enforcement, average speed would drop. Consequently, the study may demonstrate a need for councils to find other ways to get drivers to slow down, whether that’s through the enforcement or modifying road design with traffic islands, well-designed speed bumps, or chicanes.”
“Our research shows drivers are less likely to comply with a lower limit if they don’t believe it’s appropriate for the type of road.”
The same paradigm has already made it across the pond. The US is not exactly at 20 mph yet, but many cities have reduced default speed limits to 25, and Detroit, Motor City itself, has become the speed hump capital of the country.
Feel free to send your comments to nma@motorists.org.
TRIKE OF THE WEEK—from a fan of the LA Dodgers.
HOLIDAY TESTIMONIAL—
I would like to share a personal experience with my friends about drinking and driving. This might save you the cost and embarrassment of being arrested for DUI.
As you know, people have been known to have unexpected brushes with the authorities from time to time, often on the way home after a “social session” with family or friends.
Well, this year, it happened to me. I was out for the evening to a party and had more than several margaritas coupled with a bottle of rather nice red wine.
It was held at a great Mexican restaurant. Although relaxed, I still had the common sense to know I was slightly over the limit. That’s when I did something I’ve never done before…I took a taxi home.
On the way home there was a police roadblock, but since it was a taxi they waved it past and I arrived home safely without incident. These roadblocks can be anywhere and I realized how lucky I was to have chosen to take a taxi.
The real surprise to me was I had never driven a taxi before. I don’t know where I got it, and now that it’s in my garage I don’t know what to do with it.
If you want to borrow it, give me a call.
–Joe Smith
Peachtree County
West Netherlands
THERE YOU HAVE IT—Okay, so what’s Bandit, Bikernet and 5-Ball going to do next year? You can bet we’re going to do something, even if it’s wrong…
I discovered I had five Chapters of Chance III in my file. I’m working on slipping them into the Cantina over the next couple of months. We are working with a couple of producers to get Bandit’s Cantina turned into a TV series and one of our books made into a movie.
In March we will roll with Micah, Cabana Dan, and Luke with the Salt Torpedo to the Texas Mile for some test passes. I will either pick up my son on the way down or stop by on the way back in Austin. Markus Cuff, our staff photographer just passed away. Austin was one of his favorite places on the planet.
The Redhead is looking into dash mount GPS speedometers. We only have a tach, but Micah will need a speedometer as he goes through the certification process in August, in Bonneville.
Of course, I’m building another motorcycle, the VL, XA, S&S FL and received the wheels from Black Bike yesterday in the snow.
The other book involves Rogue a freedom fighter from the beginning. We are both still active in the fight for freedom and truth in our industry. We know folks are after our freedoms constantly and motorcycles could be banned if we don’t keep fighting.
A major goal for 2023 is to eliminate Climate Doom and replace it with Scientific Transparency. We have some plans and research continues daily.
Remember the guy who has the 45 for sale? Sam found this inspirational image. If he cleaned it up, blacked out the tires and added some pinstriping, it could be a sharp puppy.
I’m working with the Hagerty guys on a shop organizing and storage article. Coming up shortly.
Ordering a Sprotor kit from Hawg Haulters through Randy and Dakota V-Twin for the brakes on our project bike.
It’s going to be a very exciting year. Hang on, join your local or national motorcycle rights group and keep up the fight for freedom.
–Bandit
