[Dwight Southerland]

This post may sound like it is off the point of this thread, but I want to do what I can to communicate the underlying points that I see are important.

First, all the talk about the Outlaws program being staged is not relavent. It doesn't matter if the events are staged, actual or cartoons, the legality of the activity being portrayed is not a question for any jurisdiction in the country as far as I know; auto racing on public streets is illegal, period. The fact that a media entertainment company can produce such programs is common. Heck, there is even a staged reality show about bootlegging and that is way over the top of any kind of illegal racing activity because it steps into federal jurisdiction, not just local or state. So, knowing that the racing activity is staged as entertainment is no more relavent to this discussion than saying that I portrayed a serial murderer in our community theater so I must be a murderer.

Secondly, the title of this thread mixes the issues. NHRA is not regulating anyone's behavior or even attempting to. NHRA has no authority to do that. Those guys can continue to play their roles on that TV program all they want. They can even participate in actual street racing as it is portrayed on that program if they want. But, they will then be subject to consequences imposed by organizations who do have authority to regulate their behavior. NHRA just does not want to be identified with people who do that.

Thirdly, NHRA does have the right to protect their purpose and reputation and that is what they are trying to do. In fact, a good argument could be made that they could be in legal trouble if they don't. Their organizational charter stipulates that one of their primary purposes is to provide a venue for drag racing in a legal, safe and controlled environment. If they stand by and allow members of their organization to do the exact opposite, then it can become a legal question whether NHRA is a purposeful organization or not.

Fourthly, all the talk about the jealousy of NHRA or the greediness of NHRA or the stupidity of NHRA is just distractions. We can all get emotionally charged when we form opinions concerning the intention behind people's actions, but the truth is that intentions seldom can be reduced to a single cause. Besides, if NHRA's purposes behind what they are doing in this case are just business related, they would not be addressing the racers.

Fifthly, do not put me on one side or the other of the "us against them" mentality. I am for protecting rights, both individuals and organizations. The "culture currents" that rule media and communications today seem to have blurred the lines (for their own benefit) between inalienable rights and protected behavior. As I said before, behavior is rarely a right. We have rights to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" within the framework of law that regulates the behavior we choose to exert those rights. When our behavior while exerting our rights steps on someone else's rights, then the law is the mediator. NHRA has the right to protect their organization. Those outlaws have the right to do their TV program. NHRA is seeing this program portraying NHRA and street racing as the same and that is their objection. Think of a member of PETA participating in a TV program about trophy buck hunting.

Maybe I have just muddied the waters more or stirred them again.