Secretary ~ Eric Eads

I hope everyone had a great summer. Seems like it goes by quicker every year!. 

      There are some things going on in Michigan and the country that concern me. 

NHTSA who is in charge of the Motorcycle Advisory Committee, [MAC] terminated Jay Jackson and other appointees to this counsel. MAC was created in 2021 but it took them nearly 3 years to appoint the committee. The law required that rhe MAC Committee be appointed in 90 days but that obviously didn’t happen. After screwing around for three years, a year later the appointees were removed without ever having a single meeting. Jay Jackson is more qualified than anyone I know to be on this committee! This is absolute nonsense. Anyone who rides a motorcycle should be outraged. It is obvious the DOT doesn’t give two hoots about motorcycle safety. The people on the committee were experts in all things motorcycle related and now the DOT has removed that representation. I would add that if there are no consequences when the federal government, or the state government violates the law, nothing will change. Maybe someday someone, somewhere, in the governmental red tape bureaucracy will face some legal consequences when they violate the law, I aint holding my breathe on that happening.

   Flock a  is  a company That deals in license plate readers, gun shot detectors, and video cameras among other things. 5000 law enforcement agencies use their services, including those in Michigan. They have become very popular in the last couple of years. The device scans your license plate. It can relay that information to a police car. It can tell if you have a cycle endorsement, correct registration, valid drivers license, valid insurance, and warrants. All of this is determined by a computer, who sends the information to a local police cruise. There are questions about who has access to this information, how long is it kept on file and other issues. There seems to be little to no oversight of what is done with the information. There are at least 2 lawsuits that I am aware of that have been filed regarding misuse of this technology. In my opinion, it is a violation of privacy, and our 4th amendment rights. Not having insurance is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail. Not having an endorsement is a misdemeanor  punishable by 90 days in jail. All of these potential charges are generated by a roadside computer. How do you face your accuser in court if you desire a trial? This is the kind of thing that got ABATE of Michigan established. To tackle totalitarian enactments. Look up totalitarian if you don’t know the meaning. If this doesn’t make you mad, and want to do something to change it, then you better join a knitting or basket weaving organization. I am in favor of having a valid license and insurance, but law enforcement needs to do their work without spying on the citizens via computers.

   Did you know that there are eleven states that allow non US Citizens to be police officers? The closest one to Michigan is Illinois. This is not something new. There is no federal law to prohibit non-citizens from being police officers. Each state has its own requirements and they vary. The only thing the federal government says about hiring non-citizens is there may be additional background checks. I would speculate that there will be more non-citizens working as police officers. Like many professions, the police are having trouble getting good, qualified people. They have to get creative to fill vacant positions. As an immigrant or non citizen, this would be a stable, and admirable position, at least that’s how things use to be. I hope the vetting process weeds out any potential non citizen applicants who would use their position to do harm, just as it does with US citizens.

   This is your last chance to submit  by-law proposals, or state your intention to run for the board. You can send board intentions or by- law proposals to PO Box 99 Constantine, 49042. I will post the by-law proposals and who is running for the board next month.

   Regions are reminded to turn in any funds in their checking account over $1500.00 by October 10th, unless prior arrangements have been made with the ABATE State Treasurer. 

   Kirk Hardtail Willard, and Don Snyder donated to Awareness. James Beyler, Loney and Barbara Withey, became Life Members.

Ride defensively.