BLOG-LAB Podcast-03, which I will be releasing this coming weekend sometime, deals with the issue of cross club brotherhood.  There are also other things I cover as usual, so be sure to stay tuned for the release of that podcast! I thought I would write a blog about this issue too, prior to the podcast release.

The law-abiding motorcycle scene and clubbing are not new to me.  Prior to forming and becoming the president of the Sworn Few Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club (LEMC), I served as President of the local chapter of the Blue Knights LEMC for 4 years.  Four years ago myself and some other brothers started that chapter from the ground up.  Up until 4 years ago there were no law-enforcement motorcycle clubs in this immediate area or in the surrounding four counties and so we made history!  And once again some brothers and I made history by starting a brand-new law-enforcement motorcycle club from the ground up in this area, the Sworn Few LEMC.

I still have many brothers and friends in that local Blue Knights chapter and would never say bad things about them.  I learned much as president over those four years, which prepared me to start a new LEMC from the ground up.  I learned what works and what does not work. Me and some of my brothers started talking about specific ideologies about what we wanted in a LEMC.  However, the Blue Knights is a huge organization with a large governing body and changes are very hard to come by and one might feel like a number after a while. They have a very specific way they have run things for years now and that is likely not going to change.  Again, I am not talking badly about that club whatsoever, but just stating the facts. I think I can speak intelligently about it since I served as President “P” for four years.  That club environment works for many persons and their particular clubbing interests.  I will say that my brothers and I left that club (chapter) on very good terms and were even given awards for all our hard work over the four year period.  Several of us held elected positions in the chapter and it was election time, so we graciously stepped down to let others lead.  We knew our intentions and they have great new leaders in that chapter, who will do a fine job.

So, myself and other brothers split off and started our new club from the ground up, which has been very rewarding.  Make no mistake about it however; if you’re thinking of starting a new LEMC and want to do things right, it takes an extreme amount of time, money, and dedication by you and your brothers involved.  Sure, you could do it half ass, but that’s not the way I roll. If you’re going to start a new LEMC, it’s something you want to take pride in or don’t do it at all.  We still take extreme pride in everything we do as a club and we are still developing and progressing.  You can check out our website at www.swornfewmc.com to learn more about the Sworn Few LEMC.  You can also contact us from that website if you have any questions.  We have received much positive feedback about our club. We are here to help you if you are thinking about starting a new club or have questions about ours.  There will be future blogs and podcasts about starting a club from the ground up and the things we learned, but for now let’s get back to cross club brotherhood.

So, several months after we started the Sworn Few LEMC from the ground up, I got a call from a member, Paul, of the local Blue Knights chapter, which we had just left.  Paul told me that he had a gift for us. Paul has a hobby and makes granite clocks. He advised me that he had crafted a granite clock with our Sworn Few logo on it and wished to give it to me. This was completely on his own and it had not been requested by any of us.  Paul is a retired Sheriff’s Deputy.

I was very overwhelmed at the cross club brotherhood that was taking shape. I met him the very next day and he presented me with the clock, which was very well done.  He was a little worried and made some statements that we could keep it, destroy it, or do whatever we wanted to with it.  I quickly told him that is not how our club rolls. We were very pleased that he took the time to make and give us this gift and that it would be in our club forever. His concerns stem from how some clubs worry about their colors being drawn by others et cetera. Believe me when I say that never even entered our minds and would be ridiculous to me.

The clock is made of granite and is very heavy. I have small children, so I could not take the chance of it falling on one of them. I grouped texted my club brothers and it was decided that it would reside at Vice President Matt’s house, as he currently has no children. Someday, when we get a clubhouse it will reside there.

Paul had made a Blue Knights clock some time back when we were with that club (chapter) and our now Sworn Few LEMC Treasurer, Ed, won the clock at a meeting raffle.  We decided that we no longer need that clock and are going to return it to their chapter, so it can be put to good use. We wanted to return a favor and related this to their chapter officers.

We will continue these type of cross club brotherhood relationships in our area and in our state. I can only speak for our area and this state, but I hope clubs in other states are striving for the same type of cross club brotherhood and relationships. We are all out here for the same reason and have some of the same purposes. We may be affiliated with different law abiding biker (LAB) clubs, but that does not mean we have to separate ourselves within the law abiding biker (LAB) community.

We have stayed in touch with our brothers from the other club. If you listen to the LAB Podcast-02, I actually did a field interview of several of them. We were at a local biker charity event. It was very nice talking with them, as I have not seen some of them for quite a while. This is when we relayed that we would give the clock back to them. I know we will continue our good cross club brotherhood and communications with them and we will see each other at a lot of the same events.

The Sworn Few LEMC and the Law Abiding Biker (LAB) Podcast are a separate entity.  But in so many ways they intertwine with each other.  We are about being humble and mingling with all law abiding bikers (LAB’s).  We don’t brag and tell people that our club is better than theirs.  Of course, in our hearts we truly believe we have put together something very great that works perfect for us and other like minded individuals. However, there is a difference between keeping that in your heart and bragging openly about it. We don’t look down on any law-abiding biker club and we are here to support such.  Please contact us at www.swornfewmc.com or me at www.lawabidingbiker.com if you have any questions. You can also like the Law Abiding Biker Facebook Page or follow on Twitter @lawabidingbiker.  We are here to help all law abiding bikers (LAB’s) and bring everyone together, not to cause separation.  The LAB podcast, website, and blog are just for that; a forum to bring all LAB’s together in one place for communication, education, brotherhood, and entertainment.  In LAB Podcast-03 you will hear me give praise to the Road Dawgs LEMC Tacoma Chapter about an upcoming event that they hold each year for a great cause.  I want to learn as much as I can about other law abiding biker clubs and their members. That is what motorcycling is all about; riding to new places and meeting new people.  The Sworn Few LEMC is built on the foundation of riding as much as possible and riding hard.  We are not a social club, we are a true LEMC and we keep it real.  Sure I blog, built our website, and podcast.  But, riding is my passion and comes first.  I have had a little extra time lately with a bum hand.  Thank God for dictation software, because there is no way I could type this blog with one hand.  It would take me weeks….LOL

Until the next time we meet; ride safe and keep the rubber side down my friend’s.