Lubbock Bikers Upset About No Cuts, No Colors Policy at Local Event

This year's Blue Ribbon Rally split off its motorcycle event and had a 'no cuts/no colors' policy. This is a tough situation, and one that requires a bit of unpacking.

First off, the Blue Ribbon Rally is a charity event; they'd no doubt be happy if every single member in Lubbock showed up. However, due to some violence last year, Family Outreach decided, along with the Lubbock Police Department, to not allow cuts or colors this year.

It was a decision that they did not want to make, and they immediately started planning a separate bike event.

So who's to blame for this kind of thing? The answer is kind of everyone, and no one.

It's basically everyone's fault for stereotyping bikers and a few people who gave them an excuse to do that. I don't even blame LPD. As far as I know, they don't wake up in the morning hating bikers, and I don't think the bikers wake up hating LPD, either.

At the same time, I have to ask: If a group of Texas Tech student got into a fight with a group of LCU students, you wouldn't ban all college kids from this event, would you?

Let's talk about bikers for a moment. Does the presence of patched bikers bother you? What about BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse)? What about the Dirty Gringos, who sponsor the Chrome and Crayons Run every year? What about the Boozefighters, who ride for 65 Roses, the Cystic Fibrosis event? And what about all the bikers that put aside any potential differences and run each year for Lubbock's Toys For Tots? This sure sounds like valuable community members to me.

I reached out to the Executive Director of Family Outreach and the organizer of the Blue Ribbon Rally, and she really wants to make things right. It's my hope that all the bikers out there will give the organization the benefit of the doubt. So maybe, let's move past this with the thought of, 'hey, we get to have our own event, without sharing it with old cars.' The event is already being planned with a motorcycle show, a poker run, live music, a motorcycle raffle and more.

Every poster I see for a biker party has some variation of 'Attitudes Will Be Checked at the Door' on it. I encourage everyone, both the law and the outlaws, to check their attitudes and help out with this upcoming event. Let's show Lubbock something really positive.