Rick wrote: Well I guess I still don't agree with what you find disturbing about the coverage or which was a bigger story. With the Baltimore riots we saw multiple businesses burned and looted, police told to stand down and watch the mayhem. And just like Ferguson, the property values are sure to plummet and any business would be completely nuts to risk their capital by opening a business in either area. Now in Baltimore, murders have risen about 200% in a short time and arrests are way down. If I was a cop, I'd much rather be one in Waco than I would in Baltimore because every arrest in that city will be highly scrutinized and picked apart from now on. It won't work out well when criminals are allowed to make the rules.
Now if there is a real life "Sons of Anarchy" town where violence and murder are a daily occurrence by white bikers, I'd agree that's a big story. But it was a single big event that was over quickly and could have happened almost anywhere.
All fine and good, Rick, along with valid points being made. Where I diverge is in the article when LE was interviewed and in which they, themselves, pointed out the dangers of not taking these gangs very seriously. In other words, the violence and murder, while not readily "visible", are nonetheless taking place --- on a daily basis it would appear. We just don't hear about it as much because, and this is my own opinion, MSM chooses not to cover it if, or until, something like this melee occurs. BTW, one of the OpEds I read also talked about this incident from a "
gun free zones
" perspective. Of course, there's more to his opinion, but he does touch on it. And, he's a gun guy.
And for the record, Rick, it isn't that I find the "coverage" disturbing one way or the other. I believe a focus on that issue is simply misplaced. Rather, I believe there's much more to the Waco story than most seem to be giving it credit. Granted, I posited a question of race and how similar biker events appear to be generally viewed. But even THAT isn't the biggest issue here. Rather, it's that these OMG's are more dangerous than the public sees them as being, and blowing them off means we do so at our own peril.
Well Zhawke, I'm quite certain there are lots of instances where biker gang violence is leading to crime, murder, and mayhem across the country to some extent. However, if you were to add up the violence, murder, and general crime committed by run of the mill urban street gangs, I'd be willing to bet the toll on those cities is astronomically greater than the damage done by biker gangs. I don't have the numbers but will try to look them up when I get a chance... until then, there may be local coverage of gang violence in all of our roughest cities, but the national media rarely covers that anymore.
It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies and nosers−out of unorthodoxy
Rick wrote: Well Zhawke, I'm quite certain there are lots of instances where biker gang violence is leading to crime, murder, and mayhem across the country to some extent. However, if you were to add up the violence, murder, and general crime committed by run of the mill urban street gangs, I'd be willing to bet the toll on those cities is astronomically greater than the damage done by biker gangs. I don't have the numbers but will try to look them up when I get a chance... until then, there may be local coverage of gang violence in all of our roughest cities, but the national media rarely covers that anymore.
I'd certainly be curious to see those stats if you can find them. That, however, doesn't change the fact LE appears to be looking at OMGs as a serious threat, both from a crime in general perspective and also from a domestic terrorism perspective.
Rick wrote: Well Zhawke, I'm quite certain there are lots of instances where biker gang violence is leading to crime, murder, and mayhem across the country to some extent. However, if you were to add up the violence, murder, and general crime committed by run of the mill urban street gangs, I'd be willing to bet the toll on those cities is astronomically greater than the damage done by biker gangs. I don't have the numbers but will try to look them up when I get a chance... until then, there may be local coverage of gang violence in all of our roughest cities, but the national media rarely covers that anymore.
I'd certainly be curious to see those stats if you can find them. That, however, doesn't change the fact LE appears to be looking at OMGs as a serious threat, both from a crime in general perspective and also from a domestic terrorism perspective.
You could be right, I'll see what I can find regarding instances of biker crime and terrorism. My dad was in a biker club called the Iron Horsemen back in the 60's... but I think he was more of the Easy Rider type who was more hippy than thug.
It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies and nosers−out of unorthodoxy
Rick wrote: You could be right, I'll see what I can find regarding instances of biker crime and terrorism. My dad was in a biker club called the Iron Horsemen back in the 60's... but I think he was more of the Easy Rider type who was more hippy than thug.
And news reports of at least 44 dead in western Mexico gunfight. We will be in a full scale border war with the Mexican cartels soon enough due to Odumbo's policies.
I'd certainly be curious to see those stats if you can find them. That, however, doesn't change the fact LE appears to be looking at OMGs as a serious threat, both from a crime in general perspective and also from a domestic terrorism perspective.
Some LE regards prior US military members and libertarians to be potential domestic terrorist threats. I am more concerned with LE seizure of private assents with out any criminal charges and the overuse of swat teams to execute simple warrants.
The Feds are working on a solution to the Waco motorcycle gang shootings. They want to ban biker colors. Restrict freedoms of 99.99% of us because of the actions of a few. Brilliant! Not.
Thomas Sowell: There are no solutions, just trade-offs.
Restrict freedoms of 99.99% of us because of the actions of a few. Brilliant! Not. 
