ABATE of SC State Coordinator Report 2004-04-24

ABATE the Most Powerful Lobbyists in South Carolina

According to John Monk of the State paper we are now the most powerful lobbyists in South Carolina. He informed me via telephone that we have defeated or deadlocked the seven most powerful professional lobbyists in the statehouse. That said there is still much room for improvement; we need more involvement from many areas of the state that have been under or not represented at the most recent lobby days. PLEASE join our free email list to be aware of the next emergency lobby day as our liberty depends upon wider participation. You will find links to join at fastfreds.com AND abatesc.com.

Read the copy of John Monk's article “Bikers help to thwart vote on seat-belt bill.” John Monk is no friend of liberty and he did his best to slant this article including lie: Tom Smith is in fact a paid lobbyist and NOT a state senator. His article will however inform you of what we have done with less than 5% participation; just imagine what we could do with more members or great participation. If every member reading this newsletter will use the membership application enclosed to recruit a new member we will double our numbers in just one month.

Thomas Jefferson once said: “Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppression of body and mind will vanish like spirits at the dawn of day.” Certainly if more bikers and members become enlightened of what our legislature is doing at the statehouse participation and membership will both soar. We do our best with this newsletter to keep you up to date but it is no substitute for the nearly daily updates via our email list.

On Tuesday April 20 th our Senate Failure to Yield Right of Way Bill 418 was heard in a subcommittee meeting; however the meeting was poorly attended and the bill was carried over. We need to recruit and retain more members to lobby our bills more successfully. During the past month two new counties Dillon and Georgetown have organized ABATE Chapters. However the following counties still have no ABATE chapters: Abbeville, Allendale, Bamberg, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Darlington, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenwood, Hampton, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, McCormick, Newberry, Orangeburg, Pickens, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union, and Williamsburg. We now have a chapter in 43% of the counties of South Carolina. The High Country and Southern Lowcountry Areas are each organizing an additional county in their respective areas as you read this article. While we still have many counties left to organize we are making progress; contact your state and area coordinators if you would like help organizing your county.

In Reveille for Radicals Saul Alinsky states: “An organization founded on a limited program covering a limited community will live a limited life.” Unless we defend our basic liberties riding bikes lidded or unlidded will be the least of our lost liberties. Those who have been making trips to the statehouse know while many citizens of our state complain in private and on talk radio about the primary seat belt only bikers care enough to fight for liberty in the statehouse. Alinsky further states: “The room within the organization becomes more confined; officers become more entrenched in their decisions, and the program itself becomes routine and static.” Will we rise to the next challenge and do whatever it takes to become more vibrant and effective OR will we allow a few nay Sayers to restrict our options to recruit more bikers and friends of liberty?

You hear folks everyday blaming Bush, Clinton, Republicans and Democrats for the liberties lost in our republic but in the final analysis if is we who are responsible. We elect our leaders. We remain silent while they route the constitution in the name of the war on drugs or terrorism. We fail to work campaigns to remove them from office. You've hear it said if the founding fathers returned today they would surely declare war; I wonder if they would declare war on us for losing the republic they forged. At the close of the Constitutional Convention, a woman asked Benjamin Franklin what type of government the Constitution was bringing into existence. Franklin replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.”

No one can tell you if you have done enough or not to defend our fragile liberties. Only you know the answer in your heart. Only you know if you have done all you can to invite ALL of your friends who ride to join ABATE. Only you know if you could have been to the statehouse lobbying for your rights rather than taking a day off for another motorcycle rally. You can lie to your friends or me but you can't lie to your heart.

The next time you look into your mirror ask your: “Have I done all that I can to the best of my ability to defend liberty?” The best answer I can tell myself is hell no but I'm trying.

Yours in Liberty,

FastFred Ruddock – ABATE of SC State Coord

About Fast Fred

My life has been a dedicated blend of open road adventure and relentless advocacy for motorcyclists’ rights. I'm "Fast Fred" Ruddock, and my journey on two wheels began as a teenager. Over the years, I’ve owned 13 Harleys and several other motorcycles, machines that were far more than just transportation. They represented a freedom that I have fought to protect. Recognizing the power of information, I earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, skills I immediately put to use for the movement.

My commitment to advocacy led me to a complete immersion in ABATE of South Carolina (ABATE of SC). I quickly moved through the ranks, starting by developing the ABATE of SC website in 2001 and serving as the Berkeley/Dorchester Chapter Coordinator. This progressed to serving as Lowcountry Area Coordinator, where I successfully shifted our local focus decisively toward rights and rapidly increased membership. From 2003 to 2007, I served as the State Coordinator, where I helped coordinate several key legislative victories, including the passage of the Purple Heart license tag bill and the successful repeal of unnecessary handlebar height restrictions. My primary strategic goal was always to achieve widespread political influence by organizing a chapter in every single county.

On the national front, I extended my influence by serving as the State Representative on the board of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) for several years during the 2000s. This role ensured that the concerns of South Carolina riders were directly represented in critical federal legislative discussions. Crucially, I also worked to shape public opinion: I wrote articles related to motorcycle rights for various magazines and had a small column in Easyriders magazine for several years, using media to educate riders nationwide on the issues impacting their freedom.

My activism was not only about lobbying but also direct action and constitutional challenges. I participated in the Myrtle Beach civil disobedience against local helmet laws, contributing to the legal groundwork for the eventual overturning of that restrictive law through a landmark SC Supreme Court case. I also challenged helmet laws personally, fighting three tickets in court as an act of civil disobedience in several states. I lobbied in multiple state capitols with me friends across the country. My dedication continued after my ABATE leadership, as I served as the Director of Bikers Of Less Tolerance (BOLT) of South Carolina.

Today, while I also enjoy working as a river guide and sharing my travel adventures, my legacy remains rooted in the fight for motorcycle freedom. I have spent decades on the front lines, utilizing both political strategy, legal challenges, and national media to protect the rights of every person on two wheels.

My Other Adventures

I'm a professional whitewater guide and kayak instructor. I grew up rafting, sailing, and surfing, and I spend my North American summers guiding on world-class whitewater. I have spent much of my adult life riding motorcycles and paddling kayaks.

Raft with me: Check out Fast Fred Rafts for details.

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