Dear individuals involved: Questions seem to roll on, begging an answer. First, I thought that picketing outside the Chicago auto show provoked "unnecessary in-your-face aggravation, not needed by the bicycle community trying to enhance their position vs. the automobile." I was met with a reply that compared their demonstration with those of the civil rights of the 1960s and I didn't understand--and probably didn't understand the civil rights of the 1960s! Then someone else suggested that a demand be made that if Gov. Doyle extracts some sort of "excess profit tax" on oil companies, ten percent must go to bicycles. I questioned whether or not local bicycle groups should become involved to enhance State participation with bicycles and that this process could easily lead to a state-wide bicycle control empire with licensing. With that I was met by a reply that said I was beneath contempt and George J. Perkins addressed those remarked to "bikies"--c/o Bicycle Transportation Alliance of Dane County" in his header. Of course with such an address from that individual, I wondered if "bikies" was not actually a newsletter of that Dane County group. I went to their site and saw the name of many regular contributors to this site on the steering committee. The mission statement said the Transportation Alliance of Dane County was an ACTIVIST group. These individuals have used this newsletter for activism. But much as the applauded Chicago group advocated that those buying new cars should consider bicycles instead, I proposed we return to the horse and buggy of my Grandparents. I view both proposals as equally productive in advancing bicycle awareness and good will. But it seems that I am labeled the sarcastic one. And George J. Perkins labeled me not worthy of answer. But yet that is what he did. Any reader of this newsletter can simply join the viewpoints mirroring their own on these issues, but our discourse does reveal volumes about certain bikies contributors.
Eric Westhagen _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
