The time for words is over. Action is now demanded.
Two days ago I stumbled across one of the most insidious throttlings of personal freedoms to ever appear on this green earth. No, it was not in some new edict issued by North Korea’s Kim Jong Un nor was it related to China’s Politburo. It sprang, rather, from the World Surf League’s very own rule book. From behind Santa Monica’s Wall of Positive Noise itself and let’s read Article 189 together again.
Individuals bound by this Policy shall not engage in any conduct which could cause damage to the image of the sport of surfing. For purposes of this Article, “damage to the image of the sport of surfing” is defined as any act, regardless of time or place, which casts the sport of surfing or WSL in a negative light.
The words seared my eyes as I read and forced a groan from my chest. Professional surfers, our professional surfers, are gagged, bound, held captive. Forced to head to Lemoore, California yearly and forced to say they like it and no.
No, I say for if one surfer is enslaved then all surfers are enslaved. For once, I decided action was needed, not just words, so baked the World Surf League’s President of Content, Media, Studios and Storytelling a cake demanding that he abolish the article.
Yesterday, I rode it to the post office on my bike and mailed to him.
He now has nine days, or maybe eight days to respond before the next act of civil disobedience happens. I was thinking of going old-school and picketing the World Surf League’s Santa Monica Global Headquarters this on Nov. 16th until I realized it was a Saturday so we should shoot for Friday Nov. 15th instead. Would you join me there? We’ll set a time that works for you and I’ll buy the cocktails afterward plus will provide light refreshments during the picketing so we don’t cramp up. Bananas and such. Maybe coconut water.
After that, if President Logan’s ears remain closed, what should we do? I’m running out of ideas and so you should join with me on Discord, a new social media thing that pokes the World Surf League’s evil partner Faceboook in the eye. A private link is at the end of the video.
And keep professional surfers in your thoughts and prayers today. Julian Wilson, Kolohe Andino, Kanoa Igarashi, Gabe Medina, etc. may look like they have everything; looks, skills, beautiful wives and girlfriends, money but without freedom it is all worthless.
All but filthy brass.
Board shorts being made in North Korea and now rights (or lack there of) that reflect North Korea as well.
yeah…its complicated too. Nanny state versus costs of injuries. I should wear mine more going down to the meadow here…especially I know what can happen without one.
Personal young friend had to have to the whole brain surgery deal, he was lucky, 98% recovery due to young age. As you know, many dont recover from those hits, especially as you get older.
I have no idea about legislation about these things. People smack their melons just walking down the street!! Helmets for everyone! New growth industry!
I had a helmet on when I hit and somersaulted over a deer at night mid 80’s on a downhill MTB bike run at here. I had a full on generator light, and was going as fast as I felt I could, hangs on the brakes ready for some beer bottle etc….. but those guys are so spooky and fast….not a chance to stop what was happening. ( Ladera St here.) I was so mad! (at the universe, but then thankful after I got up)….. I got lucky, mostly, lots of rolling and tangling with the bike, so much much road rash etc, including big ring sprocket “tattoo”. haha. I was able to ride home, sort of, but then had to stay on the couch for a few weeks, no surf was a bummer.
I realized that surfing just had better outcomes for me when I fell. Nice soft landings!
I still love riding around though, and have tended to just have underinflated MTB tires, so ya know…I just have to go slow. I love bikes and biking.
PSmy helmet after the accident was scratch free!! But who knows what would have happened without it?
haha!!! that was good, made me laugh!!…nice house those guys had!!
Excellent research! This would be in violation of the First Amendment “…or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; …”
To arms!
Watched it
Enjoyed it
Went back and watched the other two that I hadn’t previously
Bloody good stuff
Aaanyway
My non surfing 57 yr old cricket, rugby and comedy watching brother considers you worth a mention (he grew up listening to and reading the great Richie Benaud, so that really is saying something) and has even subscribed to your YouTube channel.
He has a question for you if I may ask on his behalf…
“How long do you think it’ll take for you to to get more YouTube subscribers than poopies” ?
#BoycottTheFreshwaterPro
Yes!
you a helmut or non helmut girl Jen?…Aus is such a nanny state.
It’s a Lang answer.
Yess!, we had one like that that I rehabbed and my sister rode it at U.C Davis every day. Awesome bikes.
Cheers!…To Bill Brasky!
Chas needs to tighten up the edits if he is going to be making videos. And drop the banana and coconut water, Chas needs a daily large chocolate peanut butter milkshake and some gym time.
Fuck me sideways! Who gave them the right to mandate anything with regards to the “sport of surfing”, which seeing as though only .1% of surfers actually compete, isn’t even a sport. This is a capital offense.
Gentlemen, I have the solution. Rock up to that shit hole beach he surfs and burn burn burn him until he turns into an irrational crazy local. Dead set, everyone descend on that shit hole beach with soft mals and helmets and webbed gloves and go pros and booties and apple watches and whatever it is you don’t need and get this fire lit.
But apparently he (I presume this is Elo we’re talking about (and not Chas)) doesn’t surf in the first place though…
How about a flaming paper bag of non-VAL poop on the WSL porch ? A classic of the genre
It’s easy to distinguish, VAL poop only goes in a toilet, core poop is wherever it needs to go.
One word: DNAevidence
They should only have ya dna if ya got dodgy priors
Have to get a clean prospect to do the work perhaps…
A clean snap.
Hittin ‘ the grit
I can’t make it, got to wash the dog on Friday but I’m happy to send a small desert via the mail if that will help the cause?
Really like how you can ride a bike with no helmut in the US.
It’s pretty Kohl, huh?
That may change I heard.
Riders under 18 years old must wear a helmet in California. No Federal Law. Not sure on other states
It’s amazing that with how much I love and can listen to you for hours on the Grit Podcast – I really cannot stand more than a few minutes of your rants in these videos – (but I did enjoy your skit with Rob Machado)
“I sense great vulnerability. A man-child crying out for love. An innocent orphan in the post-modern world.”
“I see a parasite. A sexually depraved miscreant who is seeking only to gratify his basest and most immediate urges.”
“His struggle is man’s struggle. He lifts my spirit.”
“He is a loathsome, offensive brute. Yet I can’t look away.”
“He transcends time and space.”
“He sickens me.”
“I love it.”
“Me too.”
Even the NFL doesn’t go this far. While the NFL does have some guidelines dealing with when and what can be posted, these guidelines deal with posting of NFL I.P., especially videos posted. NFL do not infringe upon free speech. The NFL leaves it up to the Teams.
It should be left uo to an athlete’s sponsors to decide what is acceptable, whether postings hurt their brand etc. Not the fucking League itself.
At least they don’t hold them down and inject gold medals into their veins
Ala what certain socialist hellholes did.
Yeah like Lance Armstrong . You tell em boy …. ? Giggles
That looks suspiciously like a high performance mal/SUP leaning up against the back fence there Chas. Is this the true subversive wearing the uniform of his enemies?
How’s that one upright shifter? so sick.