Volume 5, Issue 1: Spring 2009
An Interview with Sputnik
Darilynn (Dee) McClure
The questions for Sputnik, Texas Motorcycle Rights
Association State Chairman, were submitted by IJMS board members to me for this
interview. I have presented them here exactly as
they were answered by Sputnik. I
believe this interview gives the public an accurate picture of the man who
started Texas Motorcycle Rights Association (TMRA2).
How long have you
been involved in the motorcycle rights movement and what brought you into it?
I have
been involved in the rights movement for about 30 years. But I only got totally
involved in 1992. US Senator Dave Durenberger, during a speech at the NCOM
Convention, made me realize I had sold my grandchildren into slavery to a
totalitarian government by not being involved in the full spectrum of the
political arena. I returned home, founded the Texas Motorcycle Rights
Association and set out to return our country to the Constitutional Republic as
envisioned by our Founding Fathers. We have been reasonably successful in our home state using our workbook Five Steps to Freedom and now I am
looking to go nation wide using my newest book Revolution: The Real Solution at the beginning of 2009.
Five Steps is the workbook we use in our
quest to change politics as usual in Texas. It begins with “Register To Vote”
and ends with “Run For Office.” We have found this booklet to be a good guide
to work from. Several other states use the booklet in their states as well. It
can be found and downloaded from our website at www.tmra2.org
How was the television show Texas Politics Biker Style established?
A friend of mine had a TV show called Prospect America, a variety show with
different guests appearing each week. I was a guest on the show several times. Wolfman decided to go to Colorado for a spell, so my
secretary became a producer and took over the show. By the time Wolfman returned, we had gone to a strictly political
agenda and changed the name to Texas
Politics Biker Style. When Cyndi [Calhoun, Secretary] passed away from
cancer, Wolfman came back on board but our program
had become so successful that we maintained the name and format.
Wolfman moved back to Colorado, so my new secretary became a producer and we
carried on the show. Thanks to the support of Greg Bodovsky,
we have now opened a website where our shows are archived and can be viewed at
any time by anyone with a high speed internet. The
site is www.texaspoliticsbikerstyle.com
What is the most pressing issue currently
facing motorcyclists or motorcycle rights organizations?
Drinking and riding! About half the single
vehicle crashes involving motorcycles involves alcohol. We can yell all we want
about other people running over us but to be taken seriously we must admit that
we are mostly killing ourselves. Then when we seek legislation to punish those
who fail to yield the right of way and kill or injure someone, we will get a
better hearing. When we can stop about half the deaths by simply working
together and don’t do it that gives us the appearance of not really being
concerned about the loss of our Brothers and Sisters.
Think about that!
How is the AMA good
or bad for motorcycling? Has the recent shakeup there changed your thinking
about the organization?
The AMA
is owned and run by the manufacturers, the manufacturers are only interested in
the bottom line known as profits. AMA can claim to be a biker rights
organization but that is only if the manufacturers agree with the legislation
the riders are in supporting. Time and time again AMA has opposed legislation
the riders were supporting in their state and at the federal level simply
because corporate Harley-Davidson opposed it.
When
Texas introduced their Helmet Amendment Bill in 1997, AMA contacted their
members in Texas to oppose the Bill. At that time I, my club
and TMRA2 were members of AMA. We passed the bill, of course, because
most of their members in this state were our members working on the bill. AMA
tried to get it vetoed and that was the last straw. We dropped out of AMA and
turned our patches upside down. When Youngblood continued to run me down in the American Motorcyclists Magazine while
others knew the truth caused many across the country to drop out and turn their
AMA patches upside down also.
There is a lot of
talk about the "biker lifestyle." Is there more to this than a
love for motorcycles? If so, what do you think it is.
Absolutely!
Generally the biker lifestyle begins, of course, when someone gets a bike or,
in some cases, where a female begins packing behind a rider. You begin doing
charity rides, toy runs and start going to rallies. You sit around the
campfires at night and listen to the elders share stories of the road, both
good and bad, and you become a part of those stories. Finally, at some point
you find yourself sharing your stories. You become a member of a family that is
even bonded stronger than your blood kin.
If life
hands you a bad lick where you can no longer ride and no longer own a bike, you
are still a member of the biker lifestyle. You are always welcome around the
campfire and you feel at home. You will, depending how well respected you were
during your riding days, be held in reverence at biker events. For myself I
always proudly proclaim to the Biker Nation, “If you ever need help and you see
one of my Unicorns, just ask. If you don’t get the same help you would expect
to get from me, just let me know and I will pull that patch. I won’t ride with
a man who refuses a request for help, no matter how inconvenient it is to him.”
That is what being a biker is all about.
If money were no object, and you could have only one motorcycle, what
bike would you buy and why?
Without
question a Honda Shadow VT 1100. I have ridden just about every bike ever made
and have never found a bike to compare with the Shadow. The Shadow has
beautiful lines that are the equal of any on the market today. It requires the
least amount of custom work to be comfortable, although I have made superficial
changes to the last two Shadows I have bought. The purchase price is very
reasonable.
Some
complain that it doesn’t hold it’s market value like a Harley-Davidson but that
is fine with me because I would be more apt to buy a used Shadow than to sell
one of mine. It’s the name Harley-Davidson that holds its value the bike
doesn’t warrant the resale value. Finally maintenance is a non- issue. Among my
three Shadows there is a combined mileage of about 1,245,000 miles. Total
maintenance, not counting oil changes and tires, was $87. The fuel pump went out on the first one
at 383,000 miles.
Are people who ride
scooters motorcyclists?
Yes, I
would say they are. Many people who own motorcycles are motorcyclists. Those
who start out on scooters may some day move up to getting a motorcycle and some
of those will go on to become bikers living the biker lifestyle. Many of those
who begin with a motorcycle never plan to be a part of the lifestyle and will
always be satisfied to be motorcyclists as just a way to break from their 9-5
job.
What’s the best
biker movie ever made?
I’m
afraid I have to pass on this one. I have never watched but one biker movie all
the way through and that was Ghost Rider.
I watched that for the visual effects, not because it was a biker movie per se.
I did however relate to the power and invincibility he felt while riding that
Chopper from Hell. I have felt strength and solitude many times while riding
mine into strange territory. It’s a feeling you can never forget and I related
each time I watched that movie.
Do you think that
new developments in technology that might supplant the internal combustion
engine are good or bad things? For example, would you ride an electric
motorcycle, assuming it could perform as well as a contemporary standard
motorcycle?
I would
love to have an electric motorcycle to ride around at the rallies. I have a Kruzin/Kooler, which is an electric ice chest. You can sit
astraddle of it and ride it around. It goes about 15 mph and the ice chest can
hold a bag of ice and a case of drinks. I also have an electric Hoverround Wheel Chair. Yes, I have reached that point. I
am considering trying to put the motor from the Hoverround onto a small motorcycle frame. We’ll see how it works out.
How has the role of
women changed over the years you’ve been riding?
Drastically.
For the most part the women who attended events either packed behind a man or
drove a backup vehicle. Many motorcycles didn’t even have seats for a passenger
to sit on. Today many women ride their own bikes. Several have patched out by
mom & pop clubs and there is a large number of all-female clubs across the
country now. I think it’s great.
My wife
took the rider training course and I told her, “Now I will buy you what you
want or I will build you one.” She wasn’t interested in riding; she was happy
to pack behind me. She just took the course so if something happened to me she
could at least get the bike home.
What’s
your view on the spate of motorcycle shows on television, such as American Chopper and Sons of Anarchy?
They
suck! I can’t stand to stay in the room where someone is watching one of them.
They bear no resemblance to reality and only serve to give the public a bad
image of real bikers. My secretary watches the Sons of Anarchy and I ask her how she can stand that show knowing
bikers like she does, including 1%rs, and not be totally disgusted. She says
she knows it’s not real but she just likes to see what they come up with next.
Is a chopped bike
inherently better than a bike off the showroom floor?
Absolutely!
“Anyone can buy a bike but it ain’t yours if you ain’t built it.” I have ridden choppers most of my life.
They have sleek clean lines and nothing on them that you don’t need. Seven basic wires, King and Queen seat with a tall bitch bar. Lowered rearend, 8”-10” over extended front end and apehanger handlebars. With a ride like that, you rule the world.
A young man or
woman wants to learn to ride a motorcycle, but his/her parents say, “No,
motorcycles are too dangerous.” What should the young person reply?
Never
had that problem. Started riding early and never asked anyone for permission.
They might use the fact that gas mileage is going to be a necessity in the near
future. Other countries where gas prices are really high have already gone to
motorcycles and motorscooters to combat high gas
prices and road congestion and it is just a matter of time before it happens
here. It is happening now.
How important is rider education?
Rider ed is very important especially when taken by beginning riders. They will be
taking the course with the express intention of learning all they can about the
correct way to handle a motorcycle. Of course, older riders will also see
something to improve their riding habits. I am opposed to mandatory rider
training, as those having to take the course will not truly pay attention to
anything except getting it over with. For the most part that scheduling time
could better be used to train those interested in improving their riding their
skills.
You contributed a section in a
recent edition of Practicing Texas
Politics, a political science textbook and in the on-line version of that
publication. What did you tell the students when you guest lectured in their
civics and political science classrooms?
I basically explain the Constitution to
show the vision of our founding fathers when founding this nation. I then give
a quick rundown on the Bill of Rights and the reasoning behind each one. Then I
explain how to get involved in politics at the party level and finally the
steps to being successful at introducing and getting a bill passed into law. It
is incredible how few college students have no idea how the system works.
I was recently asked to speak to a
second-year law class who thought only paid lobbyists can talk to legislators and
get bills passed. Probably because
that is all you hear about and so few citizens really get that involved.
To what influences do you credit your knowledge of politics?
My grandchildren. I never really cared much
about what the law said. A majority of those laws are unconstitutional but have
just never been challenged in court so have taken on “color of law” or “court
precedence.” There is no such thing as precedent under the Constitution. I
lived my life the way I chose and have thrown away many tickets that I felt
were unjust. Judges know that many of the common laws are not constitutional
and that is why they refuse to allow a jury to be made aware of the Fully
Informed Jury Act (FIJA). That refusal in itself is unconstitutional.
You are a powerful speaker. Have you practiced your speaking skills? Do you have particular models?
I don’t consider myself to be a speaker. A
speaker writes a speech or has someone else write one and then practices it
until they get it down pat. They still take their notes to the podium to check
on if they need to. I don’t write down a speech or even any note. I am just a
talker. When I get up I don’t know exactly what I am going to say and when I
sit down I don’t even know what I said. I watch the eyes of the audience when I
begin to talk and they are unwittingly telling me what they need to know about
most.
When the seminar is over, it is apparent
that the group got what they needed from the class. I meet those who have
attended one of the seminars or a classroom talk weeks or months later and they
thank me and ask for an autograph. One day last year I was talking to a
legislator in the Capitol hall and noticed several young people milling around.
When we finished our conversation and I turned to walk away, one of them moved
up and excused herself. They had been in a class where
I spoke last fall and wanted to get my autograph. I spoke with their professor
later and he said when they take their finals, they are asked what did they
find most informational during the class and about 90% of them say, “When
Sputnik came and spoke to our class.”
What do you think about the
academic study of motorcycle culture?
When I was asked about being a responder at
my first conference I really had no idea what to expect. The people I met that
first year were far more educated than I, but treated me as an equal. I had
street smarts gained from being a biker on the road most of my life. I found
that the biggest discrepancy in understanding the biker lifestyle was when it
came to patch holders (1%ers). The study has been very beneficial to me
personally as I have learned a lot about the rocket bike riders that I would
otherwise have never have known.
These guys and gals love their machines and
spend as much on their machines as big bike owners. They also have the same
biker lifestyle. Being involved with the Motorcycling Culture and Myth area [at
the Popular Culture/American Culture conferences] has taught me a new respect
for the sport bike riders, not only for their tight
knit groups but their fantastic riding skill. The academic study is great.
You have several striking
tattoos. Can you tell us a bit
about them?
The one on the left side of my head is
“LIBERTY OR DEATH” a short quote from a speech given by a famous founding
father when declaring war on England.
My left shoulder is a unicorn designed
especially for my M/C Club, the Mystical Riders. A unicorn is our center
patch. Medusa’s head adorns my
lower right arm just as a theme from the days of Mystical Riders and Mount
Olympus.
My lower right arm says “LEGISLATIVE
(above) WARRIOR” with TMRA II in between. That is what we call our Texas
Motorcycle Rights Association members. The right shoulder is a teacup and says
“Texas Tea Party.” It was a rally we put on to spoof the Boston Tea Party. Each rally goer got a chance to walk out
on the pier, pour a cup of tea in Galveston Bay and state their primary
complaint about the government.
Across my forehead is the word “FREE.” That
is a political statement. It stands for all the freedoms my government has
given me. Free to have my phone tapped when they are looking for someone else,
to live in the home I bought and paid for as long as I pay rent to every level
of government for life, to have the government to tell me to what use I can put
my assets, to have government take what they want from my earnings before I get
a paycheck and give it to people who don’t work, etc.
I will gladly give back all these FREEDOMS
given to me by my government in return for my GOD GIVEN LIBERTY guaranteed
under the CONSTITUTION.
If Mrs.
Sputnik asked you to ride pillion, would you?
Without hesitation. I have ridden bitch behind
several women just for kicks. I get a real charge out of hearing the guys razz
me for packing behind a woman. I love to bring a women’s libber down to a level
with other women but I definitely respect women. I once told a group that in
order for us to work together they would have to respect women. I said, “women
are an integral part of our organization and if you can’t work with them we
can’t work together.” They came around and now have women officers in their
group.
What do
you think bikers need to do to improve their image in the eyes of the public?
I don’t
worry about improving the biker image in the eyes of the public. The public
doesn’t make my rules or pay my bills. Riders who jumped into doing the charity
benefits to change the public’s view of them and all they have done is throw their money down a black hole. These riders throw
millions of dollars away like that and won’t pay one penny to support the
bikers rights movement. It doesn’t seem to bother them that the same groups
they toss their money are the same ones who introduce the anti-motorcycle
bills. A big piece of change of their donations are used to pay high priced
lobbyist who will work against the bills we have introduced during the
sessions.
What is the significance of the hyphen in the terms “Mexican-American,”
“African-American,” etc.? Where did that hyphen come from?
The hyphen in these and all
the –American words are used to make these groups of people appear
to be less than full Americans. When used in the English language the hyphens
purpose is to separate or divide. I was once talking to a group of about 800
black bikers at a rally. I explained to them that there is no such thing as
African-American. I singled out one President and explained if he cut his
finger it would bleed red and if it fell on the ground it would land on
American soil. Then if I cut my finger it would bleed red and fall on American
soil. Should our blood fall in the same spot, not one of them present could
tell the difference.
It is the same with you today; you are
either American or African. You think you came up with that name to set
yourself apart from the whites but you are wrong. The government gave you that
name to keep us separated and you bought into it. It is great to be proud of
your heritage but do it in a less antagonistic way. Be an American of African descent. Celebrate your heritage at a Black Heritage
Celebration but forget the hyphen and let’s all be Americans working together
to fix the American government. It should be an insult to the blacks to have
the Democrat Party say, “The African-Americans support the Democrat Party.”
What does it take to become commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel?
Several Kentucky Legislators have to submit
your name to the governor giving reasons they believe you have earned that
prestigious title. The Governor then either approves the commission or turns it
down. That is the highest honor Kentucky awards to a civilian. Of course I
assume you are aware that Governor Paul Patton commissioned me to be a Kentucky
Colonel in 1998 based on Legislative work I had done in the past.
When you first traveled around Texas for the Texas Motorcycle Rights
Association (TMRA2), what did you say to the riders at the meetings that made
them want to become delegates in the two major parties?
I simply explained how easy it would be to
become a strong force in the parties and how important it would be to our
political success. I asked that they go vote in the Primary then go back in at
7:15 and become delegates. If they did that one thing we would win. If we
didn’t it would be my fault for not figuring out the whole picture properly.
They did it and the rest became history.
When was the first year that they became delegates?
1994
Describe life in Dream Town and in Reality City. What years were they
established? How many people lived there?
About 400 residents lived in Dream Town in
1994. We named our town because I had a dream that bikers could make a
difference. The convention was in Fort Worth so we rented Joe Poole Lake State
Park so bikers could camp out free of charge. We bought plenty of food for four
days so everyone could eat free of charge. We elected city officials just like
every city has but of course they served without pay. We also made arrangements
to have a US Post Office set up on site for the four days with our own zip code
and cancellation stamp.
We got a police escort for Saturday morning
for a parade into the convention center. They shut down I-20 and I-30 to allow
us unfettered travel into the center. We had also rented a parking lot directly
behind the convention center so we could all park together free of charge and
have security on our bikes. It was indeed a wonderful experience. We got
everything we asked for.
Reality City was just a repeat in 1996 with
about 800 citizens and we didn’t have a Post Office set up. The name for this
town came up because my dream had proven to be reality. This one saw more
riders and we were more adept at playing the game.
How many delegates in each party were TMRA2 members in 1996, 1998, 2000,
and 2002?
1996 just over 800. 1998
about the same. 2000 roughly 1000 and, 2002, 1,703. These were the numbers for the delegates in the Democrat Party. About
the most we ever have in the Republican Party is less
than 200.
What are the issues surrounding toll roads and has TMRA2 had any success
in this area?
The majority of the toll roads are being
built by foreign companies who get a long term no compete contract to run
them. States take a lump sum
payment and the enormous profits from the tolls go to the foreign countries.
The companies also set the tolls at whatever they choose. If the gasoline tax
had been used, as it should have there would be no need for toll roads. In fact
the necessity is not as great as government would have us believe.
We have formed coalitions with several
groups in opposition to toll roads especially the Trans Texas Corridor. This
road would take over ½ million acres of the best farmland in Texas and
pave it. Governor Rick Perry and a few other top legislators worked out the
contract with Cintra in secret. By joining forces
with other like-minded groups we managed to get a two-year moratorium placed on
the deal during the 2007 legislative session. It will come back up again this
year (2009) and then we will learn whether or not our efforts have been
successful.
What is TMRA2’s position in the question of regulating motorist use of
cell phones and certain other electronic devices while driving?
We do not advocate a law making it illegal
to use a cell phone in all situations. There are already to many laws against
things we should be able to decide for ourselves. We do, however, plan to
introduce a Failure to Yield Bill this session that demands increased penalty
if a driver causes a collision while being distracted. The list of distractions
will include talking or texting on a cell phone and will automatically result
in jail time if the collision results in bodily injury or death.
What is your relationship to Stevie Ray Vaughan’s brother Jimmie Lee?
We consider Jimmie Vaughan to be a good
friend and a very strict believer in the Constitution. Jimmie does what he can
to lend his support to many things including opposition to photo scan systems, toll
roads and red light cameras just to name a few. He has also done PSAs for Motorcycle Safety. Jimmie has done two concerts to
benefit TMRA2. Not only did he bring in his band Tilt-A-Whirl but other
well-known entertainers have joined him on stage. Jimmie and his manager Corey
are Life Members of TMRA2. During the national meeting of the National
Coalition of Motorcyclists Awards Ceremony I had the honor of announcing that
Jimmie Vaughan had been voted to receive the “Entertainer of The Year Award.”
During his acceptance speech Jimmie sang his original song “Down With Big
Brother.” He first sang the song on the capitol steps during a toll road
protest.
There is some footage of him singing a
couple of songs during one of the concerts and one of him singing on the
capitol steps. There is also the
footage of him receiving the Entertainer of The Year Award at the NCOM Convention in May of 2008. Jimmie and I first became
acquainted when he called me about attending a benefit he was doing against the
Trans-Texas-Corridor. He said he watches my show and thought I may be
interested in this issue. He asked that I come as his guest. My Secretary also
wanted to go, so we set it up.
After talking with several of the guests we
wandered up to the front of the stage so Jimmie would know I had stopped by. He
was singing as we worked our way toward the stage. Upon seeing us he stopped
singing, pointing at me and yelling, “Sputnik’s here. Hey, everybody, look:
Sputnik’s here,” then he picked back up on the song he was playing.
Jimmie sent someone out to ask if I would
autograph his shirt. I told him that was crazy, a five-time Grammy winner
wanting me to autograph his shirt. I finally agreed to do it if he would take a
picture with my secretary Terri. They agreed and I asked where the shirt was.
He said it was up on stage. He wanted me to come on stage and sign the one he
was wearing. Of course I nixed that idea and agreed to meet them back stage
when he finished his set. I signed the shirt, Terri got her picture and Jimmie
Vaughan proclaimed me to be his hero and said he watches our show every week if
he is in Austin. He is one hell of a man.
What is the Mirror Test?
When
discussing how little or how much a member is involved, we agreed it is
dependent on their ability, not on our expectations. One of our Warriors summed
it up with a saying that “We each must do that which we can do to the best of
our ability.” That became our motto. We then carried it a step further and came
up with the Mirror Test.
The
first time a Warrior looks in the mirror in the morning, look straight into
your eyes and ask yourself, “Have I done that which I can do to the best of my
ability?” While you can lie to everyone else, there is no way to convince
yourself of a lie. Therefore, you
must answer no. Now go out and do something positive. I take this test every
morning and the best answer I have come up with is “Hell, NO. But I’m still trying!”
Many American riders say that
Harley-Davidson is the only way to go. What is your view?
No one motorcycle is the only way to go. Harley-Davidson is similar to the big three automakers. They are over priced and constantly in need of maintenance. Foreign bikes are built to last under adverse conditions and are less expensive than Harleys. For those looking for a small, relatively inexpensive ride that will last for years Harley has no offerings at all. It is quite common to hear someone riding a foreign-made bike say they will own a Harley when they can afford one. There is no question that people will see a motorcycle parked in front of a business but they will look at a Harley.
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