[dc-critmass-list] CM is invisible to the public.

[Julia Salzman]

When the police came to all of the bikerides in march/april, the effect 
wasn't only that it was annoying/intimidating/dangerous, but it also had 
the effect of making the bike rides into Anti-Police/ Anti-Motorist as 
the primary focus/experience of the ride (what else could we think about 
when police motorcycles were trying to hit us)... and while I think 
maybe anti-police/motorists are components of CM, it also seems like 
large happy CM in other places is also a Celebration Of Biking, and A 
Celebration of Us Being Traffic (and these celebrations are better with 
more people).  
It seems like historically successful CM has been so because it is 
celebratory, and so can link anticapitalist and capitalist riders who 
all come out for wonderful group bike riding, and that one of the goals 
of the Police is to take away Celebrations that are either subversive or 
anti-Dominant Paradigm of celebrating by cruising around in an 
airconditioned 434523 pound SUV.

now the Police are gone-for-now, we can remember pre-police-CM and make 
things really celebratory... (and the next cm is conveniently located 
right before "Independence Day").



docguch at juno.com wrote:

> Even though I have been announcing CM every Friday, I am a hypocrite 
> for not being there, but it isn't my fault.  I have class on Friday 
> evenings @ UDC from 5:30 PM till &7:30 PM.  There are many factors why 
> participation has dwindled.  Many of the participants were college 
> students and now they are on their summer break, back in their 
> hometowns.  I noticed the largest participation was on the time after 
> the war started, and the S.S.(MPD) went on their Blitzkerig against CM 
> participants, which scared away many more potential participants.  
> S.S. District Commander Harold went on his Napoleon Syndrome--as if he 
> had a wild hare up his 855, threatening to arrest every CM participant 
> if we failed to ride by his totalitarian policy--I threatened to sue 
> him(not MPD or DC) if he arrested me.  The whether has chased away 
> many potential participants.  My situation, I have college class every 
> friday evening.  I will be back on the ride after class is over.
>  
> To do Critical Mass only once a month won't help.  If CM is only held 
> once a month, it would be inconvenience because I may have other 
> different commitments that one Friday.  Doing CM every Friday @ 6 PM 
> would help me because it would be more flexible for me.  The war isn't 
> over yet, and to do CM every Friday was to protest against Bush's 
> pro-automobile policies and his war to support his pro-automobile 
> policies.  There are still American troops waging war in Iraq.  Even 
> though all troops may pull out of Iraq, we will still be at war 
> against Big Oil, GM, inconsiderate car drivers, and bicycle unfriendly 
> policies in this country.  LETS CONTINUE RIDING EVERY FRIDAY!
>  
> Last Saturday, I went to DuPont Circle.  I saw more bicyclists 
> @ Dupont Circle, than I ever saw in any of our CM rides.  The 
> bicyclist were there for the Fifty State Ride.  I approached them to 
> let them know about Critical Mass, many of then heard about or rode CM 
> in other cities around the country, but none knew that CM existed in 
> DC.  I let them know about it, and passed out the flyers.  So that 
> shows, why we have a low turnout, it is because many in the Bicycling 
> community don't know about CM's existance in DC.  We also need to 
> update the website to announce the ride is every Friday.  Who owns the 
> website??--I don't know.  I will do my part and pass out more flyers.  
> I have made new flyers, and if anyone need a copy, I am willing to 
> forward a copy to you. 
>  
> Lets not become like the Fresno CA's CM  Only five people showed up, 
> and the participants allowed Fresno Police Department to put them in 
> the place.  That is why Fresno doesn't have a CM anymore.  Lets 
> continue our riding, and let people know of our rides.
>  
> David Yamaguchi
>  
> PS  Please yield to pedestrians and let the Metro Bus through when 
> riding. 
>
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