Ok, now this is really funny. Instead of any real mature arguments, the Helmet Law Defense League has resorted to the lowest form of infantile behavior. First, like mentioned before, they removed my most recent posting, twice. They can't take the heat it seems. Second, on two of my previously posted comments, they have changed the links to this site. They changed the source code so that when you click on the link to my page, you go to the http://dictionary.reference.com website for the words "idiot" and "novice". Here are the posting's headers after being edited by the League:

Name: Red
Date: August 20 2003
Email Address: red@redzgixersite.com
Homepage: http://www.redzgixersite.com

Name: Red
Date: August 05 2003
Email Address: red@redzgixersite.com
Homepage: http://www.redzgixersite.com

Notice when you put your mouse over the website address where it leads (on IE, look in the lower left corner). Ok, that is just childish and these people are supposed to be fighting for you. Ha! I certainly don't want them helping me with anything important.

I first noticed it when a Jeff McCale posted the following on the website:

Name: Jeff
Date: September 02 2003
Email Address: jeffnlosalamos@yahoo.com
Homepage: http://
Comments:
Does Red know that his page link leads to the definition of Idiot? This guy must be a cartoon, nobody is actually that stupid, except maybe our old friend Ralph Nader.

I sent him the following e-mail:

"Yea, I know that the link to my site has been changed by the childish cowards on the Helmet Law Defense League’s sight. They changed it after I made a fool of Quig. Of course, he’ll never admit that, but who cares.

No, I’m not that stupid nor that juvenile. I don’t change postings on my site whether I like what has been posted or not. I have this little thing called integrity, something your so-called Defense League is seriously lacking.

I can’t change what they have done, and don’t care to. Anybody who doesn’t see what they are doing, or find it funny, are just as infantile and stupid as they are. Obviously, you fit into this group. Not too many smart people in New Mexico or California it seems.

Red"

He replied:

"You know red, you people might actually be able to change some hearts and minds if you didn't come off "all High and Mighty". All you're accomplishing is stooping to the ridiculous level that they have. Especially, the mental midgets that talk about the gene pool, Darwin, blah, blah, blah. You probably don't smoke, do drugs, drink alcohol or eat anything that clogs your arteries either, huh? Every single message (in favor of helmet laws) on that site is angry, venomous and just plain nasty. Wake up and smell Juan Valdez. Maybe we should exchange PHD's, if you have one....."

To which I replied:

Jeff,

This may come as a surprise to you, but I agree with some of what you said. I never meant to come across as pretentious as I did. However, in my years of motorcycling, it seems to be the only thing people like them respond to. In order to put even an ounce of common sense in to their incredibly thick skulls (possibly the reason they don’t seem to think they need helmets), you need to stoop to the level of the bewildered herd, unsettling as it may be. You can’t speak at an educated level with the blissfully ignorant, they don’t listen. They just spout the canned remarks, excuses, and conjecture that has been fed to them by other fools and refuse to listen to reason. I have tried being nice. It doesn’t work. I know this better than most. As an Army Sergeant of 12 years, I have discovered that the best lessons in life are a combination of experience and harsh truths. If you hit them where it hurts or hurt their feelings, they begin to listen. It’s callous, but effective. The Darwin thing was a kind of an ironic joke. I figured that most of the folks on that site wouldn’t even know who Darwin was. It’s turned out to be mostly true.

I do smoke, love beer, and can’t live without burgers. I have never done drugs though, ever. I don’t see what that has to do being “high and mighty”, as you put it, oh well. The one thing you seem to have in common with the “League” is your assumption that all of the people that have posted pro-helmet rants are for helmets laws. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I can’t speak for all of them, but I neither advocate nor oppose helmet laws. I couldn’t care less; after all, I always wear a helmet. My problem with these people is how they complain that their rights are being violated and that they are losing their freedom of choice. I don’t like being the bearer of bad news, but there is no such thing as “Freedom of Choice.” We do have a lot of freedoms in this country. Unfortunately, people tend to forget that there are limits to every freedom. No freedom is unconditional. Freedoms of speech and to bear arms are both limited. Additionally, there are countless laws in place that affect your choices or how you act every day. Some of those laws cover seatbelts, which side of the road to drive on, speed limits, and many others. These people need to realize that driving a car or riding a motorcycle on a public street is a privilege, not a right, and there are rules and obligations conditional to any privilege. If you don’t like them, don’t ride. It’s that simple.

There are also many who state the helmets are totally ineffective and even dangerous. There is a posting on there from some guy that says he almost got into an accident because he was wearing a helmet. That is total garbage. I will admit that a helmet is not going to save everybody who wrecks on a motorcycle. However, I am supremely confident that a good number of those who did not wear a helmet and died in a motorcycle accident could have survived had they made a smarter choice. I have been riding a long time and have witnessed time and time again the true effectiveness of motorcycle helmets and the effects of not wearing one.

You are generally correct that every message in favor of helmets (not the law) is “angry, venomous, and just plain nasty.” Well, I don’t blame them. Most of us who wear helmets everyday are constantly bashed on by these wannabe “bad-asses” on their hogs just because we choose to ride safe. Maybe I’m just being obstinate, but I am convinced that a majority of those who complain about helmets only do so because a wearing a helmet would preclude the image they are trying to portray. I’ve seen it too many times and you can’t convince me otherwise. I ride a sport bike and everybody else I know that rides one usually owns at least two helmets (I own four) and wouldn’t be caught dead without one when riding their bike. Most lidless riders own Harley-Davidsons (usually for the prestige and image that comes with it, not the ride…sad really) or similar machines. It is those people who cause the anger in those of us who wear helmets by constantly slighting us about it, and frankly, we are tired of it. The comments sent our way are equally as venomous if not worse than the ones posted on that page. Childish, I know, but like I said before, it’s the only way they listen. If it were up to me, I would place a national unconditional helmet law just to piss them off. I’m an asshole, and proud of it.

To end this, I don’t consider myself all high and mighty as they do. I do think I’m smarter then they are, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Red

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That's all I have to say. Thanks for listening.

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