Me: Why are ‘riding clubs’ not allowed to say they are ‘motorcycle clubs’?
You: They are. There may be social consequences for it, just like there are social consequences for any ill-considered action that provokes offense. It’s not rocket science.
You mean like getting beat to hell with a ball peen hammer?
You mean like getting beat to hell with a ball peen hammer?
Argumentum ad consequentiam, sorry. That is not a workable approach. But let's look at consequences. They exist in the real world, and something can be completely legal, a protected right, and unconscionably foolish at the same time:
| "I am going to perform door to door opinion polling in Brownsville, Brooklyn all by myself. I will go unarmed and alone, and I will absolutely not expect to suffer any adverse consequences including (gasp) any rude treatment or comments." |
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"I am headed to McP's on Friday night in my best getup and I'm going to take full advantage of my First Amendment rights and God help anyone who thinks to protest. I have an attorney, you know!" |
| "Me and my homies are gonna take our new F800's downtown tonight. We just made up patches for a new MC - it's a great goddamn interpretation of the Sons of Anarchy logo, but red and white and a big FILTHY FEW on the front. Man, we're gonna look badass. Bitches, we be coming!" |
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"My itinerary is all planned out. I'm headed from Gaziantep to Ar-Raqqa on Monday, on foot, and I'm not bringing any prophylactics at all. The flowers are quite lovely at this time of year, and it will be a wonderful personal growth journey of spiritual meaning." |
Sometimes there are consequences. Doesn't mean there's any law against risking them, if that's what you want to do. Life is hard. It's harder when you're stupid, right? Freedom's dangerous, and even more dangerous if you're stupid too.