A guiding principle to keeping a forum intact is to avoid discussing religion or politics. These subjects sometimes transcend reason and evoke heated feelings.
B. Jan's article about the COVID virus epidemic is political and supports our president's position that the virus is a political hoax. It would be better if he would stick to motorcycles and leave medicine to those with credentials.
This article is hurtful to those who have lost a loved one and watched them die alone. It is also hurtful to those with family members who are working in hospitals treating the sick.
I have said my piece and don't intend to start a war of words. I just felt B. Jan's article deserved a response.
Back to fixing my bike which gives me great satisfaction.
I agree and Thank You for your statement.
As someone with Leukemia, and immunocompromised, plus losing 2 relatives to the virus, there should be words of Compassion, not politics. Or about Airheads.
Well said. You are expressing with much more tact and diplomacy than what I had in mind. I found the article not just political in nature, but littered with ignorance and arrogance. Time for B. Jan to retire from editorship. This should never have been published.
Spreading misinformation in a public health emergency should never just be ignored by turning the page. It needs to be called out.
And when you say "I would urge you all to keep Canon 7 in mind," you all includes the editor. Correct?
Definitely don't want to shoot the messenger.
Thanks for the opportunity to vent.
Myself and my fiancé agree with this sentiment. As newer members, we were quite surprised when we opened up this months issue of Airmail. We joined the ABC club because we both own and ride and maintain a number of airheads (and we are outdoorsy people who like to camp) and we have enjoyed the fellow airhead enthusiasts we have met along the way. We believe we are in the newer and younger generation (she, 26, and I, 37) of airhead fans that appreciate the classic design of the motorcycles, and also appreciate people's custom builds as well.
As the times are changing, and the topic of making the world a place based off of facts, science, and credibility becomes ever more important, after reading the "article" it was clear that we were reading the perspective of someone who had not experienced the harm that the "China Flu" rhetoric has been causing, and his drawing on the history of all the other arbitrarily named viruses as support of this language really only points to the need for said world based on scientific fact. If B.Jan was looking to “stir up the pot”, then we'd respectfully ask he consider the very real repercussions of that action. The same people who are out there “stirring up the pot” with false claims and bigoted language are the same people who are currently dividing families, communities and society, including ours, as people of Chinese and Filipino heritage. What the world needs instead would look like us opening up this month's AirMail and read an OpEd that "stirred the pot" by highlighting ways the community has come together virtually, rallied despite quarantine, or any other uniting sentiment, and we recognize the importance of us sharing our own stories and perspectives with the community, too.
Every Airhead we've ever encountered in-person has been nothing short of kind, intelligent, and welcoming; let's work to make the written aspect of the Club reflect what we know it can be.
A handful of members here in IL. have registered their dis-pleasure with me. I don't know what to do with it. Following is my response to one of my most active friends in the club. **
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I have received a few messages myself. It seems to me that B.Jan"s editorial runs afoul of the 7th canon.
" Airheads don't take themselves, religion or life too seriously"
He was scolded about this sort of thing several years ago when he was running an editorial article called "The Luddite Screed". It appears that the leopard really can not change his spots. I re-read his commentary. My thinking is -meh. I really didn't see it as anything other than 1 mans opinion. Personally, I don't give a shit about it, but then again I don't give a shit about lot of things things I have no control over. However, it is not in the greater interest of the club to go around twisting tails.
I can think of at least one former member expelled for violating the canons. I don't think the Board will expel B.Jan. There might be a contract with him in the way.
If anyone should decide to leave the club over it, I would not exclude them from any events that may be scheduled. ( if events ever happen again) I hope that our friendship doesn't get wrecked over this.
All the best, and please stay in touch,
James A...**
former Airmarshal, IL.
“Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.”
― Mark Twain
As a career firefighter/paramedic at a fire dept. in the suburbs of Cleveland OH I think the article was different, not something I'd expect in this publication, while I don't think the virus is a hoax I do see a lot of hysteria concerning it's spread. While I feel badly for anybody that loses a loved one to any disease I did not feel offended by this article, however, I do spend 1/3 of my life at the fire house, have thick skin and am not easily offended. Please do not misconstrue my comments as what may seem like flippancy, this just my view from the saddle.I tell people to turn off the TV, the internet, and don't read the papers and get out and live your life and that life is riding for us. I hope to meet some of you at a rally and we can sit around, look at the bikes and have a beer and talk nothing from this thread.
Given that the US is now home to a third of all cases worldwide and a quarter of all deaths, maybe B. Jan should be calling it the "USA Virus."
And maybe, just maybe, he shouldn't use his position as editor to offer unfounded public health advice based on his limited anecdotal experience.
If he wants to stir the pot he's free to do so. And if people want to make that excuse on his behalf they are certainly free to do that, as well. But if B. Jan's version of stirring the pot involves pushing people away from the club then perhaps he shouldn't be put in a position where he can speak editorially through official club publications.
Political opinions such as the one B. Jan has published in the most recent are against club rules and invite members to draw lines that create friction. It also breaks Core #3: Airheads appreciate function over form, fact over fiction, and friendship over friction.
These kinds of editorials are not going to encourage new members to join the club and, if the one post in this thread is to be believed, this editorial has lost the club at least one membership. This isn't the behavior of a responsible editor.
Well, my immediate thought was there's no way in hell I'm going to a club get together with people with this mindset. I'd have the masks doubled up and never take off my gloves or helmet. Just Saying.................
And yes, only been a member for approx. a month & thinking seriously of bailing. I like to be around people who believe in Science.
According to the statement on the homepage, you don't have to worry about socializing with other members. Weird, I read somewhere recently that its no big deal.
Please keep the Airmail articles on topics that we are all interested in - Airhead BMW motorcycles! That's why I joined and that is what I expect to read in Airmail. Not interested in peoples opinions on other topics. Go ahead and submit those non-motorcycle articles to a medical journal, a newspaper or maybe the circular file.
I guess I need to get around to reading this edition to see what the hype is about but reading this thread I can guess where I'll end up.
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