“Never before in motorcycling history has the need ever been greater than the present for all motorcyclists to join together for the common cause of defending our US Constitutionally protected civil liberties, our rights to live our chosen lifestyles without fear of discrimination or prosecution and to provide our local communities with assistance in times of natural disasters. The US Defenders program was created in an effort to accomplish those very goals.

Working together with the US Defenders program and the solidarity of all motorcyclists we can not only champion our constitutional rights today but even more important the rights of our children and grandchildren, from generation to generation.”

Gimmi Jimmy

National Commander

US Defenders

History

In the fall of 2007 a committee was commissioned by the State Chairman of the Texas Confederation of Clubs (TCOC), Gimmi Jimmy, to create a program that would stand a unit within the TCOC. The task was to form a body that would provide the “manpower” to implement a call-to-action in support of an authorized motorcycle rights organization’s campaign.  The unit should also be in a position to provide post emergency help in the case of tornado, flooding or “Amber Alerts” to local communities when called upon to do so by civil authorities.

The challenge was how to harness the incredible manpower potential that lies in the memberships of traditional motorcycle clubs, independent motorcycle groups and motorcyclists involved in sport and dirt racing while keeping the integrity of their different lifestyles and personalities intact.

Although many of these organizations are independent and recognize a shared responsibility in defending our constitutionally protected civil liberties most of these men and women did not take up motorcycling or the “biker” lifestyle in an effort to attend political meetings. The simple solution was to not try and change these men and women into politicos but to utilize the very nature of their free spirits and different lifestyles. In-other-words, go back to doing what we do best, being bikers!

A system of representatives from the memberships of traditional M/Cs, riding associations and Coalition of Independent Riders (C.O.I.R.) was created. These men and women became known as Texas Defenders and act as a liaison between their clubs and groups and the TCOC.

When a “Call-to-Action” comes in from a motorcycle rights organization (MROs) or association soliciting for support, and is recognized as falling within the criteria of the TCOC, the Texas Defenders are called in, briefed and trained on the “Call-to-Action”, and then the Defenders take that training back to their clubs and groups where the action, such as writing letters to legislators, phone calling, etc., is implemented and documented. With this system our motorcycle communities have learned to work smarter and produce far more productive results than we ever have in the past. 

The Texas Defenders program was unveiled at the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) Conference in Houston, Texas in May of 2008. Since then other states have expressed an interest in the Defenders program and the US Defenders was organized. The purpose of this site is to provide a basic understanding of the US Defenders program and how it works. 

We know the program works as we have seen first hand the results the program is capable of producing. In a Field Training Exercise (FTE) where the mission was to write our US Senators and Representatives individual stamped professional letters concerning the HIPAA Bill we produced over 700 documented letters from one TCOC region where in the past we would have been lucky to have sent out 50 letters. Outstanding! 

Definition & Mission

The US Defenders is a grass roots movement of manpower, “citizen biker manpower”, that can provide an efficient way to organize and rally a rapid response on “Call-to-Actions” when needed on legislative issues that are of concern to all motorcyclists and to assist local communities in times of natural disasters when called upon to do so.

Casey

US Defenders

Office of Logistics & Strategy