Transactional Brotherhood

A good friend, mentor, and brother in Christ once posted a comment to a post I put on Facebook asking the definition of brotherhood. He said, and I am paraphrasing, brotherhood isn't our choice; the problem is that it is seen as a transactional process. Brotherhood is not transactional. When it comes to blood relations, we don't get to choose our parents or our siblings. When it comes to military, we don't get to choose our brothers either; government assigns them. When it comes to the biker community many times it is also not our choice; for those that choose to belong to an organization; the back patch decides. Finally, in Christ we do not decide either; He does. In family, our brothers and sisters are genetically similar; we have the same parents, we have the same cultural and social contexts, and-like them or not-we are related. The same goes for the veteran and biker communities: the connection is different-instead of genetics, it's a patch on the shoulder or on the back. It's months of training to perform a specific task, a specific job, and many specific missions, or years of riding and fellowship together with similar specific tasks and missions. The closest common denominator is genetics or a patch. Genetics is beyond my scope or pay grade to explain, but a piece-or two or three pieces-of cloth sewn together in an ornate fashion that brings out a symbol of unity, a symbol of belonging. What holds that symbol together? To the civilian, it's a simple thread sewn together that if sewn in the right stitch is sturdy. To the veteran, to the club member, to the Church, however there is much more that holds it together than a simple, single, weak thread. It is conviction, it is integrity, it is character, and above all love and respect. In each group, whether it is biker, veteran, or the church, it is much deeper, or should be, than the physical limits of a simple thread that makes an ornate design on some pieces of cloth. It is the interwoven experiences of lives that share a common experience in specific context. For the veteran, it is the experience of  training, discipline, and (for some) combat. For the biker it is very much the same but a different context; as well as the Christian. In the former it is mostly physical; in the latter it is mostly spiritual, but in each case the spiritual and the physical overlap. The struggle comes when we reduce the complex nature of brotherhood to a simple transaction: what can you do for me? As fallen creatures, it is easy for us to oversimplify everything we do. This why we go through the drive-through window for a quick bite of a mystery meat burger in lieu of a good meal. When brotherhood becomes transactional, it becomes the same thing as a fast food burger compared to a prime rib meal with all of the fixings. Brotherhood is not about what you can do for me, it is about what I can do for you. This includes how I can help make your burden lighter; as well as how I can help you make your integrity and character better and vise versa. Brotherhood is a double edged sword; it should, when applied correctly, cut both ways, but if you cut a brother it should only be a cut to heal, or for his gain in health, in love and respect. If you cut at a brother in any other way you have failed your oath as a brother. We should never cut to lose. The churches, veterans and bikers that have not grasped this concept as of yet are missing to a large extent the entire concept of brotherhood; it cannot be approached with any a

ulterial motives. It must only be approached in the utmost love and respect and only from as altruistic a perspective as we can muster. In truth, brotherhood is as close to a marriage relationship a platonic relationship can get. We must be able to accept the others strengths and weaknesses. Applauding the former and in love correcting the other. The first and only question anyone should be asking is am I brother material.

Rolling thunder 2016

Rolling thunder 2016

I have spent a week recuperating and ruminating on my experience of Rolling Thunder 2016, and before I go further I would like to apologize to my fellow vets, my fellow bikers and my fellow patriots. Every individual that knows me, knows I am all of the above a biker, a veteran, and a patriot. I am also a pastor, and a counselor. I have ridden a Harley for most of my adult life. I was brought into the life at a young age by a cousin and it is a very strong part of who I am. I think I can safely say that I have proven myself to not be a poser in any of the above. I am passionate about my community and work hard in the Christian, veteran and biker communities to raise awareness of the issues that exist. My counseling is centered on substance use disorders and I am also very passionate and active in the recovery community. Each of these communities have a single vein of similarity that runs through them, that is brotherhood. My first experience with Rolling Thunder was three years ago: my wife and I went up alone and hooked up with the local Rolling Thunder chapter when we got there and it was a very positive experience. Everything was very organized, well disciplined, and maintained. We had fun and we experienced a myriad of emotions. Being on a run with the explicit purpose of remembering, giving honor, and bringing attention to those that have paid it all will do that. 

This year was different and it had some very strong effects. We rolled out of Lynchburg to meet our group and things went well. We met up with them and continued our pilgrimage to D.C.  We had mechanical difficulties with one bike along the way and we dealt with it made some phone calls and brothers took care of brothers for the most part, but we all got there safe, even though we did some old school bike-towing-a-bike with a 25 ft ratchet strap to get to a place where we could trailer the bike that was down. That bike made the Thunder run though, only because brothers took care of brothers. We took the Patriot HD run to the Pentagon with no issues and waited in the southern parking lot of the Pentagon and hung out. It was a good time, even though it was hot. We had the opportunity to strengthen existing relationships and make a few new ones. There was an accident on the Memorial Bridge which delayed the Thunder Run and it made people a little irritable but nothing was done by the motorcycle ministries present to alleviate that, that I could see. When we got the call to leave and that it was our time, chaos broke out, and thousands of bikes tried to funnel through two exits all at once. No I deal where the Rolling Thunder chapter that was assigned this lot went.No one from any Rolling Thunder Chapter was seen and one cop directing traffic (if you can call it that), no one was anyone guiding anything. It was absolute chaos, to the point that one person almost caused my wife to drop her bike. God, in His providence, did not allow me to meet up with this person after the run. While we did the Thunder Run, we had posers and wanna be's doing s-burnouts between the columns and up the shoulders. Our group almost got separated, but, even with the different riding levels, we stayed together. 

This was my wife's first Rolling Thunder on her own bike, and she did very well, even with the amateurs and posers that were present. My take away is this: even though we had to deal with amateurs and posers, idiots in cages, as well as police that were a disgrace to their badge, it was a great weekend. My wife proved herself to me (not that she needs to), and backed up her road name BAB (Bad Ass Beast) for context see her blog. We strengthened existing relationships and made new ones. It really was a good weekend. On the downside, outside of our local chapter of Rolling Thunder, who has always been spot on; it does seem that Rolling Thunder Inc. and the movement that started the protest, (yes, Rolling Thunder was a protest against the treatment of Vietnam Vets and the lack of effort of our government to find and bring home our boys. It's a protest!) no one seems to realize that any more; it's gone from a movement to a party. I see it now as being less than 20% of those that attend who know and less who understand why it started. I am ashamed for those that lost their military discipline and almost knocked my wife off her bike. I am ashamed for those cages that wouldn't get over or turn off their turn signal so that we could get through. Mostly I am ashamed for the movement that has lost its way. I will continue to go to Rolling Thunder and I will continue to shed tears at the memorials knowing the family tree that has paid all when others would pay nothing. I will continue to plant flags for brothers and sister that I never knew who  have paid everything for our country, our culture and our liberties. I will remember, and I will pass down my memories, my emotions, and my heart to my next generation.  I will always remember. Brotherhood above all else, under God.