Jym Dyer
July 11th 04, 04:18 PM
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/politics/ny-nybike233864661jun23,0,2487081.story?coll=ny-nycpolitics-headlines
=v= Sigh. So many inaccuracies, so little time. Lemme
interject a few facts here.
=v= Contrary to the Subject: header, Critical Mass isn't
"planning" anything. Critical Mass is not an organization that
makes plans, it's an event and a movement. Probably the most
accurate quote in that article is, "The ride has a life of its
own." Exactly. Critical Mass is traffic and behaves as such.
=v= Critical Mass in NYC takes place on the last Friday of the
month, as it does in many locations. (A new Brooklyn CM takes
place on the second Friday of the month.) This happens to be
shortly before the RNC. CM in NYC will go on as scheduled,
quite independently of the RNC, but of course there will be
many on bikes (as well as on foot and in subways) who'll have
something to say about the Republicans coming to town to further
exploit the 9/11 tragedy.
=v= There is an organization involved, but it's not "Critical
Mass," it's TIME'S UP! Details here:
http://www.times-up.org/
TIME'S UP! is an environmental group that organizes a number
of rides for self-propelled people. They help quit a bit with
Critical Mass, and every three months or so will come up with
a destination for an after-party or some other event.
=v= TIME'S UP! is organizing something called the Bike National
Convention, a number of events planned as a positive alternative
to the RNC -- including a presence at Critical Mass. See the
above website for details.
=v= There will be demonstrations on bicycles during the RNC.
These are called "Bike Blocs" in New York City. They are not
"Critical Mass," but they do share something with CM: they
are bicyclists taking their rightful place on the street,
and thus do not need permits -- any more than, say, cars with
political bumper stickers.
=v= _Newsday_ talked to some folks in TIME'S UP! and ignored the
vast majority of what those folks said. Context, nuance, and
indeed, most adjectives, were absent from the article. I hope
that some of what I've written here provides the context that
the article lacks.
<_Jym_>
P.S.: _High_Times_ just published a more accurate article about
the BNC and RNC demonstrations. Imagine _High_Times_ being a
better news source than _Newsday_!
=v= Sigh. So many inaccuracies, so little time. Lemme
interject a few facts here.
=v= Contrary to the Subject: header, Critical Mass isn't
"planning" anything. Critical Mass is not an organization that
makes plans, it's an event and a movement. Probably the most
accurate quote in that article is, "The ride has a life of its
own." Exactly. Critical Mass is traffic and behaves as such.
=v= Critical Mass in NYC takes place on the last Friday of the
month, as it does in many locations. (A new Brooklyn CM takes
place on the second Friday of the month.) This happens to be
shortly before the RNC. CM in NYC will go on as scheduled,
quite independently of the RNC, but of course there will be
many on bikes (as well as on foot and in subways) who'll have
something to say about the Republicans coming to town to further
exploit the 9/11 tragedy.
=v= There is an organization involved, but it's not "Critical
Mass," it's TIME'S UP! Details here:
http://www.times-up.org/
TIME'S UP! is an environmental group that organizes a number
of rides for self-propelled people. They help quit a bit with
Critical Mass, and every three months or so will come up with
a destination for an after-party or some other event.
=v= TIME'S UP! is organizing something called the Bike National
Convention, a number of events planned as a positive alternative
to the RNC -- including a presence at Critical Mass. See the
above website for details.
=v= There will be demonstrations on bicycles during the RNC.
These are called "Bike Blocs" in New York City. They are not
"Critical Mass," but they do share something with CM: they
are bicyclists taking their rightful place on the street,
and thus do not need permits -- any more than, say, cars with
political bumper stickers.
=v= _Newsday_ talked to some folks in TIME'S UP! and ignored the
vast majority of what those folks said. Context, nuance, and
indeed, most adjectives, were absent from the article. I hope
that some of what I've written here provides the context that
the article lacks.
<_Jym_>
P.S.: _High_Times_ just published a more accurate article about
the BNC and RNC demonstrations. Imagine _High_Times_ being a
better news source than _Newsday_!