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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>If you don’t get to hear from a real journalist….</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>So’s I go to the hearing last night to lend support and it turned
out to be a good experience overall. It appeared, and I can only go by
what I observed, that a political ‘trick’ was pulled. Instead
of addressing the concerns of the biking community over the death of Ms.
Malone, they (the politicians) turned it into a meeting about crosswalks and
pedestrian signage. Councilor Consalvo, the guy running the show,
insisted repeatedly that bikes were not the topic of the meeting. He
insisted so many times, that we could have talked about bike safety without
extending the meeting.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>The public was allowed to testify and many bikers courageously spoke up
in front of the crowd. They mostly stayed on topic, but mentioned bike
safety and pointed out that the crowd was packed with bikers. It was
sweet that we were there in force.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>We were promised a meeting with the planners at BTD, we will see and I
hope MassBike will share this meeting with Critical Mass. BTD are the
same people, who in my opinion, ALLOW so many drivers to double park. If
I can go, I will share this with them and use the strongest language possible.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>I recognized other Massers there, in fact I believe one
testified. I was so proud. When one biker (Mr. Ferris) testified he
welled up with much of the emotion that we share in regards to the city’s
inaction on our behalf. It made me wonder, why he doesn’t go to
CM. Wait, don’t answer that, I think I already know….</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Was it Alexander Hamilton who said: “if you set the agenda, you
set the outcome”?</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>-Lee</span></font></p>
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10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'> </span></font></p>
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