Sons of Anarchy.

[Blues]

William Queen, in his capacity as UC ATF, got a full patch and rode with a club for a couple of years and he said much the same thing. He genuinely liked some of the people he was investigating, and felt more of a connection with them than with the suits back at the office.

1%er clubs are a closed society. It is difficult to earn these peoples' trust and respect. And once you're accepted you'll probably realize that they are much different from the way they're depicted in the textbooks and seminars. And that is why you get the "Stockholm Syndrome" -- which is just some suit's way of making you feel guilty for liking people who aren't as evil as they want everyone to believe.

Yeah, there are some evil people in the clubs -- but I've met evil cops, evil doctors, evil schoolteachers, and even evil ministers. Most of them are decent folks for the most part. None of the guys I knew cooked meth, stole motorcycles, or prostituted their wives like the media would have us believe.

I agree with much or even most of what you are saying but of course most of the guys I was dealing with were in fact committing some of the offenses you speak of. (Totally agree about the evil folks in all walks of life. I've had the misfortune to have had bad cops and agents (whom I had trusted) in my home and also have had to arrest a few.)

I remember back in the early 80's going to seminars by an ATF agent ("Curly") who had (at that time) conducted the most successful UC infiltration. His slides and presentation were truly ground breaking at the time and the stuff of legend in LE.

 

[m1marty]

1%er clubs are a closed society. It is difficult to earn these peoples' trust and respect. And once you're accepted you'll probably realize that they are much different from the way they're depicted in the textbooks and seminars. And that is why you get the "Stockholm Syndrome" -- which is just some suit's way of making you feel guilty for liking people who aren't as evil as they want everyone to believe.

Beat me to it. Thank you. Remember folks- don't buy into everything you see on TV.

 

[derrickd803]

Definitely my favorite show on tv, been watching since season 1 episode 1

 

[Morrow]

Beat me to it. Thank you. Remember folks- don't buy into everything you see on TV.

Hopefully........everyone enjoying the show realizes it is fiction and watches for the entertainment value. I have zero interest the motorcycle club life....culture...etc. It's just a good show IMHO.

 

[Chiller2]

Sons of Anarchy should have no place on a regular cable tv lineup. It showed simulated sex, and a guy's bare butt grinding up and down on some skank. I turned it off.

HBO and Showtime are one thing, because you don't have to pay for them if you don't want them. But I should be able to scan through the channels without seeing that. Some of us have kids at home, and we should not have to hide our tv's from them.

Ever so slowly, the world is Slouching Towards Gomorrah, and no one seems willing to stop it.

I even have to pay twice as much as a Gold Membership here at BF just so I don't have to see the porn.

I guess that I could cut the cable and unplug the computer, but I should not have to.

Says the guy with the .50 avatar.
Hint most TVs let you set parental controls use them if you are so sensitive the mere glance of something offends you so much. Technology is your friend.

 

[J_Curd]

This show just keeps getting better and better.

Anyone else watching?

Like a crackhead. I can't get enough.

Beat me to it. Thank you. Remember folks- don't buy into everything you see on TV.

My Dad is hell bent on getting me to buy a bike and ride with him. I have been to a bunch of the Harley dealerships sales lately, and talked to all sorts of bikers...1% guys, riding groups, etc etc...it all comes back to a basic rule. Respect them, and they are nice people. Disrespect them, and you get to find out the consequences. I'm no MC guy, but I'm the exact same way. They've all been nice and helpful, one guy even had me sit on his 1200 Sporty because I told him that's what I am leaning towards. Nice guy, but he looked like he could kill a grizzly with one hand behind his back.

Even ruthless people aren't always ruthless.

 

[T.K.C.]

Yeah, I like it too.

 

[Thomason]

I've never seen the program or had any desire to tune it in but being a Traditional forum regular I am really enjoying learning things I never knew about my friend, Blues. :thumbup:

 

[m1marty]

Hopefully........everyone enjoying the show realizes it is fiction and watches for the entertainment value. I have zero interest the motorcycle club life....culture...etc. It's just a good show IMHO.

One would hope. The sad thing is that some folks see that show and all of a sudden every *biker* is a SAMCRO member and must be a bad person. Or the flip side- Chet and his other white collar buddies decide they want to be tough too- so they buy SOA patches with WASHINGTON or whatever city rockers and just sew them on to their vests. TV has amazing sway on some folks.

I watch it sometimes- not too bad of a show.

 

[Blues]

I've never seen the program or had any desire to tune it in but being a Traditional forum regular I am really enjoying learning things I never knew about my friend, Blues. :thumbup:

Hopefully nothing that will disappoint (too much).

 

[Str8ShooterEsq]

I've been watching this show since the beginning. Since Battlestar Galactica and The Shield are over, SoA might be my favorite, with Fringe a close second and Flash Forward coming on strong. When I watch TV, I want to be entertained. Sons of Anarchy is entertaining.

 

[338375]

I've never seen the program or had any desire to tune it in but being a Traditional forum regular I am really enjoying learning things I never knew about my friend, Blues. :thumbup:

Very true . Somehow I have a feeling he could write an awfully good book

 

[CDHumiston]

I'm a regular watcher of this show and I can't wait to see what happens now that the rape of Jemma has been laid out to husband and son! The SWHTF

 

[Blues]

Very true . Somehow I have a feeling he could write an awfully good book

Thanks, for the good thoughts, Mike. I've thought about it (very occasionally), but doubt I'll ever actually make a real attempt.

I've got a few good stories for over the campfire though. :thumbup:

 

[tyr_shadowblade]

Thanks, for the good thoughts, Mike. I've thought about it (very occasionally), but doubt I'll ever actually make a real attempt.

Change the names of most of the people involved as well as the names of the towns and post a disclaimer of such on the first page -- that's what is typically done.

Just spend an hour a night typing out the details of some of the more interesting stories you've either been directly involved in or were told about by trustworthy sources. Don't worry about your writing skills. Give it the once over for mistakes and let an editor polish it up.

UC memoirs are highly marketable. I'd buy a copy. And I'd be interested in hearing about the final disposition of those LEOs who were arrested. In most of the cases I've heard about when a LEO is arrested they end up quietly sweeping it under the rug and dismissing the charges in exchange for his resignation. Did those guys actually get a felony conviction and do time?

 

[Blues]

Thanks tyr...

I used to do a bit of writing on a recreational basis and have had a few things put into minor publications of various sorts. (Motorcycling, short fiction, periodicals etc.)

But, whenever I've given any real thought to a "major" work, for one reason or another I tend to balk at some point.

I will, however, take it under advisement and give it some thought.

Years ago I had a major case that was a lead story on 60 Minutes that I've often thought would make a good central theme for a book. (It involves narcotics, government corruption (domestic and international), three letter agencies gone awry and even a bad cop and federal agent or two. Also has a nice connection to an island nation south of us which has been in the forefront of the news over the past 50 years or so.) The best (or worst part depending on perspective) is that I don't even have to make it up!

Anyway, thanks for the encouragement. :thumbup:

 

[Blues]

UC memoirs are highly marketable. I'd buy a copy. And I'd be interested in hearing about the final disposition of those LEOs who were arrested. In most of the cases I've heard about when a LEO is arrested they end up quietly sweeping it under the rug and dismissing the charges in exchange for his resignation. Did those guys actually get a felony conviction and do time?

A South Florida police detective I arrested in the early/mid 90's received a 30 year sentence. (Given that he was already about 42, it was essentially a life sentence.)

After several years, he petitioned for a new trial based upon his failing health and also some fallout pointing at potential malfeasance by the federal gov't (think of some alphabet agencies involved in intelligence and foreign affairs, along the lines of the Iran-Contra scandal.)

He had been arrested for facilitating the importation of tons of cocaine by a Colombian organization operating as a freight airline. It took me two years after I had wrapped up most of the case to determine where the "leak" had originated. (Turns out he was also related to one of the players but that wasn't determined until long after.) There was also strong reason to believe that he was aided by a fellow agent from my agency, one I had served on SRT with.

It was a long investigation with lots of ups and downs but successful on most levels (but the political for reasons I can't go into here). Everyone brought to trial was convicted and sentenced to incarceration.

(My apologies for contributing to leading this thread awry...)

EDITED TO ADD:

If anyone is interested in doing a little reading, this is public information gleaned from the internet on the aforementioned matter. It's actually pretty interesting and gives a flavor of the intrigue involved:

http://openjurist.org/136/f3d/1434/united-states-v-fernandez

 

[Morrow]

(My apologies for contributing to leading this thread awry...)

No worries....this thread has turned out to be much more interesting than I thought it would.

 

[338375]

Thanks, for the good thoughts, Mike. I've thought about it (very occasionally), but doubt I'll ever actually make a real attempt.

I've got a few good stories for over the campfire though. :thumbup:

I'd like to sit around a campfire with ya and listen to some of your stories :thumbup: Your life has been a lot more exciting than mine

I had a very strong interest in L.E since I was a kid. I joined our local P.D's explorer program when I was 15, and loved it.
I guess two generations of truck drivers and loggers had a stronger pull at the time though... Not following through is one of the things I have really regretted...

Everyone else that was in the program at the same time, went on to be hired by the same P.D. They are all still there and have done well. One of my good friends was one of the guys that got the S.W.AT program started at the P.D.

That was a big thing at the time, because our little town only had about 25,000 people.

We did have a lot of excitement for a few years there. They hired a few guys that were from L.A.P.D, and they did things a lot different
After a few justified shootings, It didn't take long for people to figure out that Springfield was the wrong place to start trouble

 

[Blues]

I'd like to sit around a campfire with ya and listen to some of your stories :thumbup: Your life has been a lot more exciting than mine

I had a very strong interest in L.E since I was a kid. I joined our local P.D's explorer program when I was 15, and loved it.
I guess two generations of truck drivers and loggers had a stronger pull at the time though... Not following through is one of the things I have really regretted...

Everyone else that was in the program at the same time, went on to be hired by the same P.D. They are all still there and have done well. One of my good friends was one of the guys that got the S.W.AT program started at the P.D.

That was a big thing at the time, because our little town only had about 25,000 people.

We did have a lot of excitement for a few years there. They hired a few guys that were from L.A.P.D, and they did things a lot different
After a few justified shootings, It didn't take long for people to figure out that Springfield was the wrong place to start trouble

Well, Mike, I appreciate it a lot but if it will make you feel any better, I called my ex-partner for his birthday this morning and we both have decided that on the whole we are really enjoying being retired.
(The politics of governmental agencies can drive one to distraction.)

He's been retired for two years now and I've been out near six. Neither one of us would change a thing.

Oh, and if you haven't had a chance, check the link I added to my post above. You'll get a taste of what that caper I was alluding to was all about.