THE PUBLIC MIND: READER RESPONDS TO MOTORCYCLE LAW COMMENT

To the Editor:

After reading your editorial of March 11 I feel that I need to comment on a part of it.

I agree with you that it is a joy to see that traffic fatalities are down. But I must take issue with you on your statements concerning motorcycling and helmets. First of all, there are many more states than Illinois and Colorado who do not have helmet law and I think that we probably have no business deciding for them. In fact, I don't believe that you and most of our politicians have that right to try to decide what's good or not good for me.

I am a motorcyclist of nearly 50 years. I believe in helmets, I never get on my motorcycle without a helmet, but I strongly resent editors and politicians advocating and implementing laws that curtail my freedoms, especially when it is my concern as to what to do with my life.

Ask yourself how many aspects of your life have been changed because some do-good politician wanted everyone to think and do as he sees it. Take, for instance, Judge Clark and the school issue.

Secondly, I would ask you how long have you been a motorcyclist? What experience do you personally have that gives you first-hand information on what motorcycling is all about. If you are not a motorcyclist, then you have only second- or third-hand information. That isn't good enough.

Ask most people their perception of a motorcyclist and they have the vision of a large, dirty, long haired, bearded individual on a loud bike, no helmet running down the highway at 90 miles per hour and scaring everybody.

Unfortunately, there are some of these kinds on the road as well as these kinds of individuals in every aspect of our society.

Let me invite you to a meeting of the Christian Motorcyclist Association at 7 p.m., third Thursday at Drury Lodge in Cape or sit in on a meeting of the Goldwing Road Riders Association or some of the other motorcycling organizations and then you will get the "rest of the story."

My suggestion is that instead of "those who don't know, try to tell those who do know," it should be "those who do know, then go and tell those who don't know." This works well when talking about Jesus Christ, too.

Bud Spurlock

Sikeston