A March on Washington... on Bicycle?

Well, since the revolution will not be motorized, it makes sense that
we go to Washington on Inauguration Day not on cars or buses, but on
bikes. And like the minority president that we inaugurate, we are also
the victim of discrimination and abuse.

I think we can ride the winds of change, making sure that we don't
escape the Democratic Party radars that seems to focus on "alternative
technologies," and yet fail to detect the most basic, cheap, and
democratic vehicle ever created. It even makes sense in light of the
deep economic crisis since there's "no dinero" ($$$) to fund such
alternative vehicles.

I'm leaving from Miami, and you?

(Riders from the UK are excused for not attending)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHY THE BANANA REVOLUTION?
(home of the Dutch model!)

http://webspawner.com/users/bananarevolution

Originally Posted by BarracksSi
'I guess part of the point I'm trying to make is that nobody gets to
see moderate, "respectable" cycling advocacy. The most visible cycling
protests are the CM mobs (all we see is when they get beat up by cops
or beat up drivers in front of their kids) and the World Naked Bike
Rides.

I'd put money on this kind of stunt ending up the same way. If it
doesn't, and I see a thousand average people on the Mall instead of a
bunch of loonies with body paint, it might actually be taken
seriously.'

***

No, this is serious stuff. The wild monkeys must be well behaved to
look like "we the People."

I think it's possible.

(notice the revolution is for nonviolent monkeys)

Originally Posted by BarracksSi

Simply "being televised" doesn't help.

It's the perception of what gets televised that's the important part.

Think about it -- what would you do in front of a TV camera that
would, say, make your girlfriend's parents proud?

A bunch of people screwing around in front of a national audience
isn't going to do cycling any favors. Even if it's "only a few bad
apples messing it up for everyone", what matters is what kind of
behavior actually makes it onto a news clip.

The problem you'd encounter is that the louder, more obnoxious
hooligans will draw more attention. That's just the way it is.

Now, what are you going to do to control the group's image? Remember,
not only would there be some TV crews tagging along now and then, but
also scores of people outside the media armed with cell phone cameras
and the ability to publish to Youtube even before they return home.

You're going to have to exercise very tight image control, with
prepared statements, guidelines for riding behavior, designated
representatives, and possibly even the active exclusion & expulsion of
troublemakers. And, you'll have to do this with a group big enough to
land a few inches' worth of article space in USA Today.

Think it can be done? Will you do it right, or not?

***


I'm well aware of your concerns. I witnessed such anarchic behavior in
the Free Trade Summit of the Americas in Miami, some years back. I was
nice and organized able to hand out my flyers, even to the police, and
the cop saying, "This in nice!" (he read the story below).

But the wild monkeys chose to clash with the police. You know what, I
think it was the same police. You must understand that the lion needs
the monkey to be stupid and violent...


THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE
Once upon a time, in the deep jungle, lived a Lion and a Monkey... One
day the Monkey, tired of the Lion always taking the LION'S SHARE, and
seeing that such injustice represented a danger to all, demanded
JUSTICE... The Lion, yawning and stretching, said, "You would have to
have paws and sharp teeth..." Then the Monkey, who was very clever,
devised a plan: He would go to the costume store, and look like a
lion...

When the HUNGRY LION saw him, noticing that the new lion wasn't a
match for him, and fearing COMPETITION, killed him on the spot --
before the indifferent look of the little animals of the jungle... And
that's how the Law of the Jungle was re-established one more time...
(NOTE: Other monkeys survived him...)

(my answer below)


Originally Posted by BarracksSi

I should address this, too:

You may think so, but if you're going to lead it, you have to take
responsibility.

Too many of these things lack a leader -- a face that the public can
attach to the cause. You need someone who can speak to the likes of
Tom Brokaw and address the inevitable counterpoints from the guy on
the other side of the split screen during the interview. You need
someone that the entire group can rally behind and will respect.

The instant you say, "I can't be personally responsible for what every
crackpot does," it's finished. Kaput. That will be the phrase that
knocks you off the high wire. That's the picture of Dukakis wearing a
tank driver's helmet or Howard Dean's velociraptor-like screech.

*add-on again* A leader, someone just like M.L. King.

But, please, don't equate the incredible efforts of Dr. King with any
cycling advocate. I've never even heard of a cyclist getting hung from
a tree and set on fire.

***


Back at that time blacks were denied equal access to buses, the way we
are denied equal access to roads. Actually I rather live with being
segregated on a road and having BIKE LANES, than with being killed on
a road as a result of reckless drivers and indifferent authorities.

BIKE DISCRIMINATION IS A MATTER OF ECONOMICS, and the main
beneficiaries of safe bike lanes would be blacks and other minorities.

As for the leader... WHAT DO WE HAVE OBAMA FOR?

In article ,
KingOfTheApes writes:
Well, since the revolution will not be motorized, it makes sense that
we go to Washington on Inauguration Day not on cars or buses, but on
bikes. And like the minority president that we inaugurate, we are also
the victim of discrimination and abuse.

I think we can ride the winds of change, making sure that we don't
escape the Democratic Party radars that seems to focus on "alternative
technologies," and yet fail to detect the most basic, cheap, and
democratic vehicle ever created. It even makes sense in light of the
deep economic crisis since there's "no dinero" ($$$) to fund such
alternative vehicles.

A while back you started a thread titled "I saw Critical Mass".
Here's a blast from your past:

In article ,
KingOfTheApes writes:
and didn't like what I saw.

What a hypocrite, talking through yer hat.

If you're going to run a disinformation campaign, you should
at least learn to cover your tracks. You're not only a
hypocrite, you're incompetent as well. Then again, that's
what I like about disinformationists -- they're so readily
identifiable. "By their fruits shall ye know them."

I'm leaving from Miami, and you?

Keep heading east. Always, ever east.
Second star on the right, straight on 'til morning.

And by the way, there's lots of money with which to fund
transportation, booze, cigarettes, The War on Drugs,
the penal system, international affairs, Christmas &c.

There's not so much money with which to fund residential
construction, 'cuz developers/investors cut their noses off
to spite their faces by "dynamically" financing their
developments as they go along and build. Bottom falls out
of the real estate market, the bubble bursts, and now
there's much bitter wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Boo-hoo.

Shove your disinformation where the moon don't shine.

I'm on you like **** on a blanket.


--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

In article ,
"Edward Dolan" writes:

Tom Keats and I are both a bit eccentric at times,

Speak for yourself.

but we are not a poor
crazy loon like ComandanteBanana.

Speak for yourself.

Frankly, he is more to be pitied than
condemned.

No, he is to definitely condemnable.

Let us be thankful if we still have our wits about us.

Yes, let us gird our loins with our wits.


cheers,
Tom


--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

"Tom Keats" wrote in message
...
In article
,
KingOfTheApes writes:
Well, since the revolution will not be motorized, it makes sense that
we go to Washington on Inauguration Day not on cars or buses, but on
bikes. And like the minority president that we inaugurate, we are also
the victim of discrimination and abuse.

I think we can ride the winds of change, making sure that we don't
escape the Democratic Party radars that seems to focus on "alternative
technologies," and yet fail to detect the most basic, cheap, and
democratic vehicle ever created. It even makes sense in light of the
deep economic crisis since there's "no dinero" ($$$) to fund such
alternative vehicles.

A while back you started a thread titled "I saw Critical Mass".
Here's a blast from your past:

In article
,
KingOfTheApes writes:
and didn't like what I saw.

What a hypocrite, talking through yer hat.

If you're going to run a disinformation campaign, you should
at least learn to cover your tracks. You're not only a
hypocrite, you're incompetent as well. Then again, that's
what I like about disinformationists -- they're so readily
identifiable. "By their fruits shall ye know them."

I'm leaving from Miami, and you?

Keep heading east. Always, ever east.
Second star on the right, straight on 'til morning.

And by the way, there's lots of money with which to fund
transportation, booze, cigarettes, The War on Drugs,
the penal system, international affairs, Christmas &c.

There's not so much money with which to fund residential
construction, 'cuz developers/investors cut their noses off
to spite their faces by "dynamically" financing their
developments as they go along and build. Bottom falls out
of the real estate market, the bubble bursts, and now
there's much bitter wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Boo-hoo.

Shove your disinformation where the moon don't shine.

I'm on you like **** on a blanket.

Tom Keats and I are both a bit eccentric at times, but we are not a poor
crazy loon like ComandanteBanana. Frankly, he is more to be pitied than
condemned. Let us be thankful if we still have our wits about us. To end up
like ComandanteBanana has got to be the worst of all possible worlds.

Regards,

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota

"Tom Keats" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Edward Dolan" writes:

Tom Keats and I are both a bit eccentric at times,

Speak for yourself.

but we are not a poor
crazy loon like ComandanteBanana.

Speak for yourself.

Frankly, he is more to be pitied than
condemned.

No, he is to definitely condemnable.

Let us be thankful if we still have our wits about us.

Yes, let us gird our loins with our wits.

Tom Keats is a Canadian, but I won't hold it against him unless he brings it
up. There is nothing wrong with being a poor cousin to Americans.

Regards,

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota

In article ,
"Edward Dolan" writes:

"Tom Keats" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Edward Dolan" writes:

Tom Keats and I are both a bit eccentric at times,

Speak for yourself.

but we are not a poor
crazy loon like ComandanteBanana.

Speak for yourself.

Frankly, he is more to be pitied than
condemned.

No, he is to definitely condemnable.

Let us be thankful if we still have our wits about us.

Yes, let us gird our loins with our wits.

Tom Keats is a Canadian, but I won't hold it against him unless he brings it
up. There is nothing wrong with being a poor cousin to Americans.

Our banking system is more resilient than yours.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

"Tom Keats" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Edward Dolan" writes:
[...]
Tom Keats is a Canadian, but I won't hold it against him unless he brings
it
up. There is nothing wrong with being a poor cousin to Americans.

Our banking system is more resilient than yours.

Jeez, the US sneezes and the whole world comes down with pneumonia. Go
figure!

Regards,

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota