How convenient. Now I don't even need a bike to ride in Critical Mass. <br><br>Fact is, at some minimal level, Critical Mass *is* about riding a bike through city streets. Anarcho-babble aside, exterior wannabe-unifying political messages like the one suggested don't generally have much effect in a CM ride precisely because they don't address the simple fact that it's kinda just a group bike ride. And if a political tag is added, it's generally bike-centric. Hence, the only chant I ever hear having much group sway is the popular "Whose streets? Our streets!" If you want to claim that there's no unifying principle to the rides, I suggest you walk the next one.
<br><br><div><span class="gmail_quote">On 4/2/07, <b class="gmail_sendername">John Hays</b> <<a href="mailto:jjhays2@gmail.com">jjhays2@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</span><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
Er, Critical Mass isn't "really" about anything. Critical Mass is<br>completely structureless and leaderless. YOU may have some concept in<br>your head about what Critical Mass "really" is - and that's entirely
<br>fine. The point is, every Critical Mass participant is equally capable<br>of divining for himself or herself what Critical mass is "really" about.<br>And if onlookers don't understand the 'nature' of Critical Mass, and
<br>attribute views held by a participating minority to the whole - well so<br>what? Are we obligated to change the nature of Critical Mass so as to<br>enforce conformity and group "approved" messages merely because
<br>onlookers don't understand that such an organizational structure is<br>PRECISELY the opposite of what Critical Mass actually I think not.<br><br>- John Hays<br><br><br>Terra Curtis wrote:<br>> seems simple enough, but it's not that simple. even if only 10 or 20%
<br>> of the riders adopt this chant, on-lookers who are unaware of what<br>> critical mass is *really* about will assume it's something that it is<br>> not.<br>><br>> the whole reason we take to the streets in such numbers is to make
<br>> those people who are unaware more aware of bicyclists. i don't think<br>> we want our one unifying purpose to be overshadowed.<br>><br>> i agree with ian: "if somebody wants to organize a ride that DOES have
<br>> partisan<br>> political affliations, and invite me along, I would be all for it."<br>><br>> we should keep the two agendas separate.<br>><br>> On 4/2/07, John Hays <<a href="mailto:jjhays2@gmail.com">
jjhays2@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>>> Critical Mass has always been "political" in the broad sense, and<br>>> has certainly been political in the narrow sense of favoring or opposing<br>>> particular political figures or parties. The unusually massive NYC
<br>>> Critical Mass on the eve of the Republican National Convention -<br>>> expressly attended by many of the extra thousands who were in NYC at the<br>>> time as an anti-RNC protest - is a prime example.
<br>>><br>>> I would encourage anyone that supports the Paul Revere/impeachment<br>>> idea to voluntarily choose to participate w/ it during the next ride by<br>>> getting in costume, wearing a sign, or shouting the name of the website.
<br>>> Anybody who prefers NOT to do it can just not do those things. Seems<br>>> simple enough.<br>>><br>>> - John Hays<br>>><br>>><br>>> ian schwartz wrote:<br>>> > Since when does Critical Mass have political leanings?
<br>>> ><br>>> > On 4/2/07, <a href="mailto:bostoncriticalmass-request@bostoncriticalmass.org">bostoncriticalmass-request@bostoncriticalmass.org</a><br>>> > <<a href="mailto:bostoncriticalmass-request@bostoncriticalmass.org">
bostoncriticalmass-request@bostoncriticalmass.org</a>> wrote:<br>>> >> Send Bostoncriticalmass mailing list submissions to<br>>> >> <a href="mailto:bostoncriticalmass@bostoncriticalmass.org">
bostoncriticalmass@bostoncriticalmass.org</a><br>>> >><br>>> >> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit<br>>> >><br>>> <a href="http://lists.bostoncoop.net/mailman/listinfo/bostoncriticalmass">
http://lists.bostoncoop.net/mailman/listinfo/bostoncriticalmass</a><br>>> >> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to<br>>> >> <a href="mailto:bostoncriticalmass-request@bostoncriticalmass.org">
bostoncriticalmass-request@bostoncriticalmass.org</a><br>>> >><br>>> >> You can reach the person managing the list at<br>>> >> <a href="mailto:bostoncriticalmass-owner@bostoncriticalmass.org">
bostoncriticalmass-owner@bostoncriticalmass.org</a><br>>> >><br>>> >> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific<br>>> >> than "Re: Contents of Bostoncriticalmass digest..."
<br>>> >><br>>> >><br>>> >> Today's Topics:<br>>> >><br>>> >> 1. Re: Paul Revere says "Impeachment is Coming" (Jym Dyer)<br>>> >><br>
>> >><br>>> >><br>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------<br>>> >><br>>> >> Message: 1<br>>> >> Date: Sun, 01 Apr 2007 09:56:50 -0700
<br>>> >> From: Jym Dyer <<a href="mailto:jym@econet.org">jym@econet.org</a>><br>>> >> Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Paul Revere says "Impeachment is Coming"<br>>> >> To: Boston Critical Mass <
<a href="mailto:list@bostoncriticalmass.org">list@bostoncriticalmass.org</a>><br>>> >> Message-ID: <<a href="mailto:Jym.01Apr2007.460fe433@econet.org">Jym.01Apr2007.460fe433@econet.org</a>><br>>> >>
<br>>> >> =v= In New York City, this group got very into the whole<br>>> >> Paul Revere thing:<br>>> >><br>>> >> <a href="http://www.greenedragon.org/">http://www.greenedragon.org/
</a><br>>> >><br>>> >> They met up with us bike activists, we got some puppeteers<br>>> >> into the act, but some horse-heads on our bikes, and warned<br>>> >> everyone, "The Republicans are coming!"
<br>>> >> <_Jym_><br>>> >><br>>> >><br>>> >> ------------------------------<br>>> >><br>>> >> _______________________________________________
<br>>> >> Boston Critical Mass mailing list<br>>> >> <a href="mailto:list@bostoncriticalmass.org">list@bostoncriticalmass.org</a><br>>> >> <a href="http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list">http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
</a><br>>> >><br>>> >> End of Bostoncriticalmass Digest, Vol 34, Issue 2<br>>> >> *************************************************<br>>> >><br>>> > _______________________________________________
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