He argues that publicity saved the club from extinction. Prior to the Lynch report, club fortunes were on the wane. The underworld Thompson reveals to us is a more familiar terrain than the shadowy nightmare world of the Lynch report. He doesn't find an effective criminal conspiracy, nor does he see an organization ground in Nazi ideology. He traces their origins to the Okies and Arkies and hillbillies who migrated to California during the Depression.
Most Angels are uneducated.
They survive in various ways. According to Thompson, a few have steady work, some pander, some steal, some live off their ladies. Some are married and faithful to their wives. Others have a predilection for gang love. Of course that don't go for outsiders because we have to fight fire with fire.