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P.O. Box 160223 Nashville, Tn 37216-0223 615 262-1119 - Office
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November, 2003 What am I thankful for? All of you. That may sound trite and patronizing but it really isn’t. I am truly thankful for each and every one of you. Some of you simply send in your membership each year. Others are able to do that as well as provide time and talents to the organization. That’s fine. Not everyone is available or has the time to do all that they might want to do or that others have the ability to do. Yes, we constantly hear complaints about not enough people stepping up. It’s true. But, we’re no different than most non-profit organizations. Does that make it okay? No. It prevents us from getting the work done and therefore delays our eventual victory. The few people we have in positions and chairmanships aren’t the ones who are going to turn this organization into an effective political organization. That will only happen when the membership MAKES this an effective political organization. But, I really would like to take a moment and thank a few people. The problem is I’ll miss someone for the simple reason that I don’t personally know of all of the little battles that many of you fight every day. For example, I know that I speak to bikers all the time at restaurants and gas stations. This takes a little effort but not much. I’ll give them my copy of the newsletter. Some may even join. I know many of you also do this. Maybe you hand them a trifold. Great! Maybe they’ll sign up. That’s a wonderful thing you just did and it will generally go unnoticed. But, it is essential. Maybe you spoke up – just once and mentioned during a meeting or even a causal conversation with one of the charter officers that you knew someone who had land that could host an event or you knew someone who would contribute something for a door prize. Great. Maybe you offered to mail out postcards to remind people of an upcoming meeting. This is truly a great organization built with small building blocks. No one will see your name on the ‘officers’ page and that’s fine. But that doesn’t mean that this little effort isn’t important. I don’t do this job for the praise or admonition. I don’t do it for the successes or failures. I do it because you’ve said you want me to do it. I do it to achieve the stated purpose of our organization, “Our major goals are to modify existing laws that are detrimental to motorcycle safety and enjoyment, and to enact new legislation in support of all motorcyclists who ride in Tennessee.” I do it because FREEDOM is a precious thing. That’s it. Now, how is that done? There, as they say, is the rub. It’s not done by me, Nancy, Dean, Dale, Wayne, Bob, Shirley, John, Hawk, Rhonda or Terry. It’s done by you doing one more thing than you think you can do or have ever done before. It is done by having a committed foundation of people who may not know HOW it is going to be done but who are convinced it WILL be done. It is done by focusing on the goal in EVERYTHING we do. It is done by handing out that one last trifold. It is done by people who WANT it done rather than just HOPE it is done. Success is getting up one more time than you get knocked down and failure is the path of least persistence. Liberty should always control the governing class, not the other way around. It is your use and virulent defense of these liberties that sends a message to your elected officials to keep their positions in perspective and their duties at the forefront of their minds. This can be accomplished in the smallest of ways – like handing out that last trifold, by registering to vote, by working a campaign on a weekend, by calling your Representative and Senator, and by showing up. So, I am truly thankful for you and all that you do – at least you’re here. "Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice. Tolerance in the face of tyranny is no virtue." -- Barry Goldwater (1909-1998) US Senator (R-Arizona) Until later, always do your Wiring Harness Preventive Maintenance, Steve |
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