07 Apr 2009
Motorcycle gangs start their history after the World War II, when they were a symbol of youthful opposition. Other members were war veterans, thousands of which came back home trying to take up their lives. Many of those people missed the excitement of the war. One of the ways to get a searching excitement was riding high-powered motorcycles.
Also thanks to several high-profile Hollywood movies and also some other widely-publicized events, gangs got their substantial notoriety. Such movies as for example “The Wild Ones” in the year of 1954 and “Easy Rider” in 1969 both helped to glamorize the biker lifestyle and gang activity at all.
For example one of gangs, named “Hell’s Angels” gained their broader exposure during a Californian Rolling Stones concert at the Altamont Speedway in 1969. During the show, some members of the “Angels” turned on the audience and killed a fan. Such events helped gangs to capture the imagination of many, who flowed in to their ranks.
In every outlaw motorcycle gang exists a constitution that sets acceptable standards that help to conduct and administrate the club. Membership requirements are the main paragraph in this constitution. Constitution also conducts behaviour during meetings or runs and set penalties for misconduct.
Constitutions differs from club to club, but they usually include next laws: all members have to be male and be at least 18 years old, all new members mast be sponsored by at least one of current members, every newcomer must complete a probation period, every member pay monthly dues and also pay initiation fees to the national headquarters. If one member want to transfer from one chapter to another he should get the permission of both gang’s presidents. Each member has to keep colours and every attribute that goes with gang symbolism. It is very important that members may only ride two kinds of motorcycle: Harley Davidson or Indian. At last years some of the bigger and more powerful gangs use modern equipment to test potential new members, such as voice stress analysers, for example.
There are many motorcycle gangs that have chapters in various states, cities around the USA and even abroad. In most cases organizational structure of the motorcycle gang, title of member in the structure and responsibilities are as next:
First going National President, who is the founder of the club. Usually he is located close to the national headquarters. He is always surrounded by bodyguards and organizational enforcers.
Next come Territorial or Regional Representative, sometimes also called as the national vice president.
National Secretary is the third person in motorcycle club, he is responsible for the money of the club and for the collecting of fees from local chapters. He is also responsible for recording all constitutional changes.
National Enforcer can be called right hand of national president, he is a body guard. It is also in his responsibilities to give out punishment for club violations.
Chapter President is the main person in each chapter, he may be claimed to this position or members may vote him.
When the president of the club is absent, Chapter Vice President takes the responsibilities of leader.
The most educated person in chapter becomes a Chapters Secretary (Treasurer. He maintains all calculations: collects dues and pays bills.
Person who maintaining orders meetings of the club is Chapter Sergeant at Arms. He has to be very strong physically and loyal to the chapter president. He is like club enforcer.
That is the Road Captain who makes decisions about routes to be taken during runs. He is also responsible for refuelling, getting food and maintenance stops. He can use club’s money for necessary things, such as bail.
Those people who are fully accepted by the staff of the gang and who pays dues are called Members. They live by club’s constitution laws and obey all president’s orders.
People who want to become Members first of all must become Probate or Prospective Members. Usually they spend from one month to one year in a status of probation and then club members make a unanimous vote to decide whom to accept. During all this time they have to prove that they are worth to become a member. Frequently their tasks are to carry weapons for club members and stand guard at club functions. Prospective Members do not wear colours and has no voting rights.
You may also take part in club’s life and not to be a Member, but in this case you must be Associate or Honorary Member. It is a person who proved his value or usefulness to the gang. Usually status of Honorary Members gets bondsmen, attorneys, motorcycle chop owners and auto wrecking yard owners. They are allowed to take part in gangs’ parties or in town runs, but they do not have voting rights and rights to wear colours of the gang.
Most gangs show their identity by wearing gang colors, making gang tattoos, or T-shirts with the gang’s signs. All these attributes usually include Nazi symbols, or vulgar phrases, skulls, and satanic-type symbolism.
Modern motorcycle gangs have much in common with traditional organised crime syndicates, crime families or drug cartels. Motorcycle gangs also own and protect their drug distribution networks. Gangs that form the “Big Four” control 75% of the North American Methamphetamine market. To control such a big market they use all methods – such as murders, rapes, assaults, arsons, intimidation and torturous interrogations.
Other crimes that bring in millions dollars more to gangs: robbery, prostitution, extortion, theft, arson, bombings and contact murders.
In 1970s, more then 800 outlaw biker gangs operated on the territory of the United States. In 1980s, the FBI has recognized motorcycle gangs as a priority in their program of fighting with organized crime. Federal agencies together with state and local police have made a lot of operations to arrest and convict members of the major motorcycle gangs.
Many of today’s biker gang members are well educated, most of them are earning college-level degrees in computer science, criminal justice, finance, business and law, but they use all their knowledges in crime activities. Members are armed with the latest in military technology and use protection of the best lawyers. Biker gangs are cooperating with prison gangs, street gangs, racist groups, drug groups, and traditional organized crime families.
I can conclude that motorcycle gangs are like small countries inside real country. And as they represent the criminal side their rights should be strictly minimise by federal law in order to protect peaceful citizens.
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