Will the H.A.M.B. be a political force?

The Primemedia/ young guns really got me thinking.
We are over 4300 members strong, our membership has alomst doubled in the last year alone!
We will very soon if not presently have they power to influence the product market.
Whether its the magazines, suppliers or manufactuers,
we can be a force to be heard and make a difference.
How well would speedy Bill do if he got boycotted by 4300 custumers until he rectified the sittuation with Vern?
Or primedia got subscritions cancelled or boycotted?
Like it or not money talks and we spend a lot on our little "hobby"
Think about all the Lurkers out there that have not signed up yet...
Think about that we all have a few friends that should be on the HAMB ...
Our demagraphic is amazing.
We are worldwide.
We are multicultural.
Our age group ranges from 16 to the "elders"
Our income level ranges from "Can I borrow some gas money to Jay Leno.
We will have the power, it will be ours if we would like to take it....


Scary isn't it?

 

Oh god ,lets not go there.

 

Yep, we could truly be a massive and unstoppable force promoting truth, justice, and burning rubber, but you've already hit the first snag, apathy.

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Oh god ,lets not go there.

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Face it, even cool people are lazy.

But I'm all for boycotting speedy Bill, anything I need from there I could get from another HAMBer, or ebay, or heavens forbid, make myself. (BAD consumer, BAD!, BAD!)

 

[ QUOTE ]
Yep, we could truly be a massive and unstoppable force promoting truth, justice, and burning rubber, but you've already hit the first snag, apathy.

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Someone whom I consider very knowledgeable told me once that the two things that will bring down any democracy are:Apathy and Ignorance to which I replied."Oh really? I didn't know that;but then again I really don't give a s**t!"Just kidding.

 

No

 

This is way too not cool.Let's just all concentrate on having a great Christmas,and remember the reason for the season!

Chuck Fish

 

is this a joke? or do you really think any of the guys or gals on this board could ever agree on one subject long enough to really make a difference.

 

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This is way too not cool.Let's just all concentrate on having a great Christmas,and remember the reason for the season!

Chuck Fish

[/ QUOTE ] I'll second that motion...HRP

 

It's already happening. Maybe not a "political force" (whatever the hell that is) But an influence in the hobby / industry. The only question is where it will go from here.

 

i don't know about politics, but i'd be the first one to sign up for the HAMBilitia!

 

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i'd be the first one to sign up for the HAMBilitia!

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YES, fun!

We can get someone to write the HAMBunist Manifesto(TM), we can take over the world and ban lame cars, and raise all the speed limits by 50mph...

***
HUH? man I was asleep and just had the wierdest nightmare, that HAMBers took over the world....

 

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i don't know about politics, but i'd be the first one to sign up for the HAMBilitia!

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maybe we can agree on something

 

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We are over 4300 members strong

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3909 to be exact (thats what it says on the main index)

 

I agree with most of what you said but look through the screen name list and you'll see it looks like people just register names and dont use them. theres a few hundred with 0 posts. I'd say theres a couple hundred people here that would step up and make a difference and then could we get them to agree?

 

Well, we don't have a political agenda. And we don't have a party. We're not all of one mind.

However, if a HAMBer needs help, the guys on the HAMB provide it. That's all, and that's enough.

 

As far as being a force, you gotta remember, everyone is just here because we love rods. Instead of tryin to boycott that or rectify this we need to realize that it is best to just be cool and let everyone do what they like. We can all just do our own things and not worry about issues like this. Too much bad talk about any one person would not just change circumstances, but could also really harm what they do. Enough bad mouthing could topple someones job/dream/whatever. Why take that away from someone...

Although i do like the Hambilitia, hehehe, no rice burner is safe once we mobilize...

 

DeuceRails if you think the HAMB doesn't have a party, show up at the bend in the road next August!

If I wanted a political agenda tho, I'd just join a car club...

 

Its not easy bein a BAD INFLUENCE........BUT thats about it.

 

time spent on politics to REALLY make a difference,would be less time on building rods,and THATS what this site is about,we'd be best to keep it fun and stress free for us and especally RYAN. quickrod

 

See here's the thing. We already have a political force that uses it's weight to medle in the affairs of private businesses. It's called the Democratic Party.

If things aren't going the way you want them, don't try to force somebody into submission. Do it yourself and do it better. Don't like the way Primedia is doing business with R&C? Start your own mag. Don't like the way a manufacturer treats a shop owner (or vice versa), start manufacturing your own stuff.

This Unionized mentality would eventually bring a feeling of animosity toward HAMBers instead of friendly welcome. Those of you in California know exactly what I mean every time you go for groceries.

 

Really, I am surprised to read what some of you guys are sayin'! I never would have guessed so many of you would be so apathetic. Yeah, really, who cares what they do... it doesn't make a difference to us.... right? That's not apathetic... that's pathetic... Who cares if the british wanna run the US? Who cares if tthe CSA wants to seperate from the USA? WHo Cares if Hitler wants to take over the world? Who Cares if the federal govt wants to crush all old cars??? Who cares if we all have to meet strict emmissions regulations? Who cares if we have no voice to speak up about anything we feel strongly about? Let's just be pacifists and let the world dictate how we live our lives....

 

what's worse?

Apathy or Cynicism

it's a toss up for me, I think.

 

I like cynicism, took me years to get good at it...

 

Sometimes the Cynics are right.

Few things are worse than Apathy,
and Incompetance.

 

Someone said we are 4300 members strong then another corrected that with 3900. We have a 500 discrepancy right off the bat. Now out of that 3900 how many support this board by posting on a regular basis? I'd be surprised if much over 200/250. If you don't believe that get a pad and pencil out and jot down who posts for a day or two. I did that awhile back and was kind of surprised at how few people there are that sign in regularly.
The last time I checked 2-300 people no matter how passionate they are don't make up much of a FORCE.
Lets do what we do best, talk, build and drive HOT RODS AND CUSTOMS and give each other a helping hand when we can.

Frank

 

I think the point that fastsporty is trying to make is a valid one. Nobody is suggesting that we become lobbist and have somebody in D.C. But any manf. would be stupid not to give this site some attention. Lurkers were mentioned earlier, and you can't tell me, with all the press Ryan and some of the members of this site get, that people are not intrested in what is said here. Yes, with growth even the apathetic would have a say so in some subject matters that concearn our "hobby". It is inevitable. We have all seen a popularity in our intrest that is growing everyday. Those that have been involved with rods for a while refer to the new and intrested (and sometimes appropriatley so) as scenesters, and posers. You have to face it, old school rods, rat rods, retro rods are all becoming very popular. And with that, more people are and will be joinging this sight. So yes, you will have some kind of power that will be given by those that are after your dollars.

 

If you don't think this place is a "force" then you are wrong.
Are ANY of us going to order parts from Obsolete Ford Parts out of OKC? Not after the way I heard they do business. I think GM Obsolete was another one alot of people bitched about.
I don't recall any of the GOOD businesses, wasn't there a post about that a while back?

 

Good point. Just think, if even 1/10th of the members of this site were to write/email R/C about the recent cutting of their Young Guns ( as per previous post), what kind of attention would be earned. I know that more than that would write if an actual request for this response was made here on the board, as this is something that we pretty much all have an intrest in.

 

Politics are gay.

I like driving Hot Rods and "Breaking" stuff.