[*BCM*] Critical Mass Confrontations

[jasmine laietmark]

hi marc punk larocque,

i appreciate your enthusiasm, but i urge you to please do use caution when
painting a "kick-ass" portrait of critical mass, blocking traffic, and
taunting of drivers in the globe. not all cyclists are all for all of these
happenings - and it might be easy for a non-cyclist reader to read "all
people on bikes are aggressive" etc- -
perhaps an interesting article will critique as well as praise the
multi-layered phenomenon.

it is a sensitive time in boston--- a (long-awaited) (and slow) (and maybe
big, greeny) shift towards bike awareness in the works it seems--- if i were
writing an article that a lot of city drivers and pedestrians (cyclists and
non-cyclists) would read, i would try to win impressionable masses over with
clever honey. just my opinion // we all have a lot at stake right now, i
think.

one simple, flower encrusted daydream that has struck me while riding in cm
is: ::: "why aren't the angry drivers ecstatic to see such a wonderful and
unusual occurance: a huge crowd of excited people on bikes!" shouldn't they
be? maybe we can help get them to that happy place - - as opposed to
reminding them why they daydream of smashing humans on bikes.

with respect,

jasmine laietmark
bnb staff member
and
editor of the boston bicycle reflector

ps a bit of promotion: keep eyes peeled for january issue of the REFLECTOR -
a chart/article re: critical mass inside.



On 12/21/07, Marc Larocque <marc.p.larocque at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hows it going everyone!?
>
> This is Marc, the conspicuous reporter, once more. I can't wait to join
> the next ride, albeit an expected low-turnout because of the New England
> climate and unpredictable weather. I hope to write a nice, fun, fair, and
> positive article about Critical Mass. So far, I've talk to a lot of newbies
> and veterans alike. I'm going to interview Adam, who created the CM route,
> who was around during the origin of CM Boston, who knows people involved
> with founding CM in those locales. I hope to talk to more. If you think you
> have an idea that must be expressed in this piece, or just want to touch
> base, please reply to me.
> Some ideas have been ingrained in to my brain, like the fact that CM is
> leaderless and, generally, an unorganized movement, an "organized
> coincidence," as the Wiki entry describes it. The history and context is
> important, like the founding in San Fran and the RNC in NYC. The values.
> YouTube is a treasure trove for CM clips filled with conflict. But I want
> to let you all know, that I'm not going to take "one of these 'kinds' of
> events" and "have a field day" with it to smear CM. I love CM! It kicks ass.
> That's why I pitched the story for my first feature. The way I found out
> about it was when friends told me all the crazy, cool stuff CM does. For
> example, and this is something I'm going to include in my piece, the fact
> that participants hawked around a Hummer during the last ride. That's funny
> and kicks ass. In my opinion, there is absolutely no need for Hummers in
> Boston, that's just embarrassing and deserves lambasting. I think the
> "corking" or "plugging" of intersections is exciting. So please don't
> self-censor your behavior on the ride solely because of my presence.
> Seriously, if there is anything else you want me to understand before doing
> some prospective reporting and, then, writing, let me know.
>
> Marc Larocque
> Punk Journalist
> Boston Globe
> City Weekly
> 508-692-8164
> larocque.m at neu.edu
>
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