Executive Director’s report

Perception is Reality

Perception: a way of regarding, understanding, or interpreting something; a mental impression. All of us perceive things differently. Our perceptions should be based on our experiences or experiences of those around us but we all use a variety of resources to ultimately direct how we view people, places, and situations surrounding our lives.

I once did a presentation at our officers training seminar with a friend and fellow ABATE of WI member Jonathan Greene, who also happened to be a popular media personality in the Milwaukee area, and it was titled “Perception is Reality and the Media Controls Perception”. I believe this still holds true, but in an ever changing world the media has become more than just print, television, and radio news. Social media, websites, blogs and the like are all resources that most people use to create perceptions that guide their thoughts through all aspects of life. These perceptions may have been developed over years of experience, or over a few minutes on Google. And, some may even be developed by watching movies and TV shows. It seems what we choose to believe could be easily based on fiction rather than fact. What makes some people comfortable could easily make another uncomfortable. So, how do you think someone that doesn’t ride perceives the motorcycle lifestyle? How important is it to you that people judge you on your actions rather than their misinformed perceptions or worse, the actions of a few?

I had the opportunity to speak at a planning commission hearing in the Milwaukee suburb of Cudahy last month. Dozens of bikers were present to voice support of the Iron Breed MC opening a clubhouse in a multi zoned commercial area of the city. There were less than five people attending that voiced opposition to the clubhouse and most of them voiced noise concerns or concerns with one individual club member. All in attendance including committee members voiced support of motorcycle clubs although their actions spoke otherwise. After over an hour of public testimony, the committee voted 3-4 to not grant the club a permit for their clubhouse. Much of the reasoning seemed to center around noise concerns, which seemed unusual considering the entire city is in a flight path for an international airport and the clubhouse location is across the street from a large foundry. But concerns were also raised about activity that could possibly go on at the location and fears the neighbors had concerning motorcycle clubs. This was fueled in part by some unsubstantiated allegations from the City Attorney from the former clubhouse location, and I think also from watching too much of “Sons of Anarchy” on Netflix. Probably the most frustrating action to me was the no vote from Commissioner St. Marie-Boelkow who is employed at Harley-Davidson Corporate headquarters and considers herself a motorcyclist, although she doesn’t ride anymore. She stated constituent concerns as her reasoning but didn’t produce any of those concerns or the number of them. With the compromise of a conditional use permit the club would have been able to prove themselves to the community while still giving the city the ability to remove them if their fears became founded. Instead, the committee chose to bow to misguided perception and deny the Iron Breed MC a place of their own.

Fifty miles north of Cudahy in the quiet little town of Lomira, a different club was experiencing difficulties of their own even though they were able to open a clubhouse there. After almost a year in the town and three months at their current location with no incidents or complaints, local law enforcement and the sheriff’s department decided to step up their visibility in the area of the clubhouse and issue information and guidance over the presence of this motorcycle gang. An ill written release from the sheriffs’ department caught the attention of Milwaukee news media. In the story that was broadcast by the sheriff’s department: “authorized criminal interdiction efforts to take place in collaboration with the Lomira Police Department, both in Lomira and on Interstate 41 in an effort to curb criminal activity such as illicit drug and weapons violations and other criminal activity. The enforcement had 23 traffic stops and included a variety of results including drug arrests and numerous traffic violations. Law enforcement was also able to make a heavy presence known around the new Outlaw clubhouse to ensure none of the problems that have followed this gang in other areas are allowed to present themselves in Lomira. To be clear, the violations observed were not all from people attending the Outlaw clubhouse”. Although it seems like the sheriff was performing due diligence by informing the public about this “threat”, if the information were made more clear the public may perceive things much differently.

Of the twenty three traffic stops only two came from the clubhouse and both were for minor traffic violations. Both stops involved members of other clubs. Not quite the illicit drugs and weapons violations that was perceived by the public with the news story. I doubt I will ever change the sheriffs’ mind about his perception of this club just as I don’t think I could change yours if you have developed your opinion of them based on your experiences. But, my experiences with them have been positive in the fact that they have opened up their Milwaukee clubhouse for our clubhouse to clubhouse run that raises money for awareness programs since its inception over a half dozen years ago. They have also helped us gain access at events where we are able to share information and solicit membership. Members of their club nationally help us lobby our legislators in Washington D.C. as recently as last month. And, they have supported ABATE of WI and our efforts since we were founded. We are told that the problems in Lomira only center on the fact that they’re a “gang” and other clubs have nothing to worry about. But we are already seeing the effects of the sheriffs’ interdiction effort ripple through the club community around that area as public perception is swayed.

ABATE of WI has the support of a countless number of clubs in the state and many club members are also individual members of ABATE. Some clubs even require ABATE of WI membership as part of their membership. That being said, I was disheartened when I heard that a club that recently required all their members to support ABATE felt the effects of the law enforcement actions in Lomira. The Top Hats MC holds a 9/11 run that supports first responders in their area. This year their ride was scheduled to go to six different firehouses including the Lomira firehouse. Participants would be able to tour the firehouses and the departments would be able to sell food and merchandise along the ride and all funds raised to be donated locally. Learning of this made me wish I would have thought of such a positive fundraiser. Unfortunately, Lomira Fire Chief Keith Joas response to the Top Hats MC offer of involvement was, “We had a Lomira village board meeting last night and unfortunately I have bad news. While we respect and appreciate what you are doing for the community with regards to this memorial ride and the fire departments, we cannot go ahead with it this year in Lomira. As I’m sure you are aware there have been some topics brought up with regards to a new club in town and at this point feel it is the best choice for us.” So, it seems that negative public perception can affect all of us. Shouldn’t we be working to change all the misguided perceptions people have of bikers?

In my opinion in the public eye people are perceived the same as others that dress or look the same. If you ride a sport bike you are judged by the actions of a few just as you are when you ride a cruiser. Your choice of gear or lack thereof triggers a perception of what kind of person you are in many people’s minds. How loud your bike is may be perceived as how much of a narcissist you are. And, who you choose to associate with may be perceived as who you are. Misguided perceptions and the actions taken because of those perceptions are a threat to everyone. Do you perceive this as a threat to the biker lifestyle? Will the way you choose to live your life be under scrutiny next? Sharing a dose of reality with others that may have achieved their perceptions by misinformation is important. Staying silent will not produce positive results. Perception is reality and its time we took control of the information. Until next month….Ride Free