Saturday, September 27, 2008

REPOST危ない自転車クラブ

Saw this on 407FIXEDGEAR:
I'm sure everyone knows how i feel about voting and shit, but this sounds fun and is in a direction, or perhaps better said, shares our beliefs that oil is bad, and to combat this are riding bikes against it. I don't personally believe for a second, however, that there is any hope for a president not to be financially implicated in oil war infinity. What thinks ye about a YABAI BLOC in solidarity against oil?

ryan!

i vote lets


"Attention: Everyone who rides a bike in Orlando

“The Ride Of Your Lives”

When: Nov 4th 5PM

Where: TBD

Why: A massive bike ride is being planned for Election Day, Nov. 4th. If you ride Critical Mass, race in an Alley Cat, commute to work, or just ride downtown to throw a couple drinks back, your support is needed. A HUGE turnout is needed. Our goal is to gather at least 300-500 riders. We want to grab the attention of both the local and the National media, to show the whole country that the bike-riding energy conscious youth of Orlando is aware of the impact of this election, and we are ready to have our say. We will not sit back and watch another election fall to the wrong man. We will ride in mass to elect Barack Obama as the next President of the United States who clearly has the vision, and the plan to break America from its oil addiction.
This is The Ride Of Your Lives…

As election day draws closer and closer and the race for the Presidency is virtually a deadlock, we have the responsibility of living in one of the most vital, if not THE most critical swing state in the country. Florida is exactly where the race was lost the last two elections, and this state put George W. Bush, the worst criminal disaster to ever sit in office into power. By not showing up to vote, we gave him the power he wields today as he carelessly missteps and fumbles our wealth, our well-being, and our reputations. His current approval rating is the lowest in American history: at 28% (the closest anyone has ever come to that was Truman at 67% in 1952)! The stage is set for the same atrocity to occur with the possible transference of power to Senator McCain, who holds dear and true virtually the same policy, and belief system as the administration of the last 8 years. In John McCain’s own words he has voted with George Bush 90% of the time.


If you are as tired as we are of the American reputation being pulled down to the dregs as an irresponsible, spoiled, greedy, abusive super power then now is your chance. Your only real chance to make a difference. We get ONE VOTE to make that difference. ONE. To be heard. To Count. To Matter. For most of us, this power has not been embraced because as a youth culture we largely believe that we don’t count, and can’t make a difference. We have been MADE to believe this. The constant fear mongering and blow after blow of hammering us down has worked to the advantage of the powers that fear change more then anyone in the nation… the Good Ol’ Boy network must end. We have been subdued and held down for the last 8 years. We have heard stories of Bush stealing the election. Our state continues to drop the ball at polling stations… and somehow out of the lower 48 states, we remain the only state that can’t seem to fix their ballot system. All of this is frustrating, and corrupt, and criminal. But the most irresponsible thing we can do, as the most crucial demographic in the race, is bow to the fear tactics, to buy into the belief that we do not count. We have to vote.
WE HAVE TO!

The 18 to 35 demographic are largely swing voters, or straight democratic voters. For some of you paying attention to the world right now you know just how bad things have become. The decisions that have been made and the endless onslaught of fear pouring from the White House has put us in a devastating illegal war, has robbed us of our civil liberties, and now is trying to stick us with the $700 billion price tag of their free wheeling greed and abuse of our financial institutions. That’s our money.


The last day to register to vote in Florida is Monday, October 6th Are you registered? Are your friends and family?

Each and every vote in Florida is absolutely critical to victory on Election Day.


In 2004, 1.4 million registered voters stayed home on Election Day, and Bush won by less than 381,000 votes. If you haven't registered yet, do it RIGHT NOW. It's easy.


Just go to:www. voteforchange. com

For those of you without a printer, or for various reasons can’t mail the registration form in, you can register in person at Bar-BQ-Bar starting Monday night, and if there are any rides or get-togethers going on this week, let us know and write to (adamhudgins@yahoo.com) and he’ll drop by with some forms.


We are organizing in conjunction with local businesses and the local Obama campaign headquarters in Central Florida to launch the “The Ride Of Your Lives.” Press releases are being sent to all local print and television media as well as to the National press in an attempt to put a spotlight on Orlando. Florida will be closely watched as usual as the nation awaits the results.


Details are pending on the actual ride for Nov 4th The main focus right now is to spend this final week making sure that all of you are indeed registered and can participate in the voting process. Do your part and start spreading the word and motivating your friends and fellow riders to organize and come together.


What we know so far is that we have a goal of at least 300 riders to come together as a united front. A unified voice, to show the Nation that at least in Central Florida, its youth came together and voted in mass to make a difference. At this point we know that we will be meeting at a centralized location around 5PM on election day, organizing in groups according to voting precincts, and riding out to get the job done! Then we will meet back up and celebrate, with drinks and food. Specials will be offered to anyone wearing their “I Voted” stickers.


This is our chance to wake up our community and matter.


See you at the ride


All the Love in the Universe – Community Organizers"

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry ryan, but the underlying "goal" or message of this ride seems to be that "being part of the process" (as i just heard in a McDonald's sponsored Obama ad in Philly) is making a difference. That process of course being voting and not necessarily the impact of commuting in any way shape or form on bikes.

While, I understand completely the aspect where we, Yabai, reject the systematic depletion of our world's natural resources you know as well as I do that no authoritarian force that especially feeds off the profit of said resources gives a poop, unless it is on our chest's.

If the ride was simply a mass exhibit to tell the current and future powers that be that we as people (not necessarily all being "young") do not wish to participate in the war machine that is fueled by oil I would be in to support this fully. But hey, to some people that's what Critical Mass can stand for, while for others it could be something else.

"BE the change you want to see in the world", don't hope for a politician to live up to false promises.

ryanfromdeland said...

that's where i'm at too, i'm glad we see eye to eye.
ryan!

Unknown said...

I'm not sure I understand the opposition to this ride. Am I right in understanding that if the ride were just a ride, to promote bikes in general, than it would be okay? By injecting it with prObama sentiments, thus connecting it with politicians, thus making the ride less attractive?

Not that I disagree with anything that you're saying, Steve, and that Ghandi quote is among my favorites. Nor am I saying that this ride may also be supporting a bandwagon type of thinking that was mentioned on another blog.

Is it that, Orlando having such a large young biking community, using it for political gains (whether we agree with them or not) is a perverse underhanded way of swaying public opinion? For instance, leading Critical Mass to a political rally of sorts, and then bragging about the high young cyclist turn out?

Or am I missing the point entirely? Not the point of the ride, but the point of how people are opposing it. I just saw Nathan and Catfish's comments on 407 and now Steve's, and am just trying to figure it out.

Anonymous said...

I think the the Emma Goldman quote on 407 said it nicely, while I also feel Gus put it nicely on the alienation part reminding everyone that not all of us wish to participate or belong to the current system that is in place. While I can speak for myself I'll tell you that I will never support anything that raises followers for a system that prides itself on gentrification, genocide, capitalism, and the general disrespect for the world in which we live.

In other words anarchists will never want to support a ride that is PRO-american government. A government, or system of laws that goes against many anarchist values.

SO, with that said I'll repeat an earlier point by saying that if this ride was to establish the point with witnesses that we as the bicycling community disagree with the ongoing abuse of the Earth's resources and combat the current laziness of citizens by us taking "direct" action and utilizing bicycles to help further our point....*takes breath*...I'd be totally down for it, but as I said earlier for me Critical Mass can mean that too.

So, if we, Yabai, discuss the proposal for participation in this PRO-Obama event I'd like to be on the phone if we take longer to reach consensus on this matter because supporting the system that is, is supporting oil...and death, captilism, castes, etc., etc.