Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Juan Primo on December 18, 2012 at 6:43pm

I love it when white people hate on white people for being white.

Brent Cohrs said:

 but he seems like the typical angry white guy that can't accept anything progressive.

Permalink Reply by Dragonborn on December 18, 2012 at 7:22pm

I agree. I come to this site, which is dubbed "a chicago bicycling online community" at the top of every page, expecting to read up on and discuss cycling advocacy and not the Second Amendment. A thread like this only divides The Chainlink membership, not unite us.

If the OP is allowed to promote his anti-gun agenda here disguised behind a cycling blog, then I should also be allowed to promote pro-gun advocacy here as long as I include bicycling.

Please consider supporting the National Rifle Association and the Illinois State Rifle Association today and let's continue to fight for our country's constitution and our human right to defend liberty, life, and property.

Guns in the hands of honest and good people save more lives than a cop on the phone and two more on the way. Not enough cycling-related content in my promotion? Very well then. We have high crime in the city and a lack of a sufficient police force effectively patrolling the Lakefront Path and the streets of Chicago. With the recent federal court ruling that struck down Illinois' unconstitutional ban on right to carry, Chicago residents may finally soon have a chance to protect themselves no matter what method of transportation they choose, whether it be on foot, in a car, or while riding a bicycle.

Jason said:

This is a gun control piece, and off topic for this forum. I would debate you, but I have more respect for the forum rules than that. Take your anti second amendment hit piece elsewhere.

Permalink Reply by Brent Cohrs on December 19, 2012 at 2:50am

Dragonborn

I tried to separate my blog post into two parts; contrasting the scrutiny that cyclists fall under when we're branded a safety hazard to society and the lack of scrutiny a another product (that this year has generated 10,000 times the fatalities) doesn't fall under and my personal opinion about gun control.

It's possible to agree with part one and not part two, neither, or both.  Where the discussion goes - Kass and his unreasonable demands or gun control, I have no control once it's posted.  I'll try to be a little more discerning with the topics I offer up for discussion in the future.

Much of what we do - or need to do - as cyclists has to be political.  We have a lot of great advocacy groups to lobby on our behalf, but our invitation to the table is swayed heavily by which party controls Congress.  Yet on the gun side, there is a single organization with membership that barely crosses the threshold of 1% (which I presumed had to be closer to 30%) that holds the only seat at its respective table.  There was a post on Commute by Bike entitled Bike Advocacy from the NRA Playbook that was imploring cycling advocates to do a better job of controlling the message.  I found it an interesting perspective at the time, but didn't know quite what to do with it.

I appreciate the opportunity to be on the forum and receive a variety of opinions about cycling topics that affect all of us.  There will be disagreement on advocacy approaches within our group.  My opinion and my politics will clash with other members - as long as we have civil discourse, it should all be good.

Thanks for reading and joining the discussion.



Dragonborn said:

I agree. I come to this site, which is dubbed "a chicago bicycling online community" at the top of every page, expecting to read up on and discuss cycling advocacy and not the Second Amendment. A thread like this only divides The Chainlink membership, not unite us.

If the OP is allowed to promote his anti-gun agenda here disguised behind a cycling blog, then I should also be allowed to promote pro-gun advocacy here as long as I include bicycling.

Please consider supporting the National Rifle Association and the Illinois State Rifle Association today and let's continue to fight for our country's constitution and our human right to defend liberty, life, and property.

Guns in the hands of honest and good people save more lives than a cop on the phone and two more on the way. Not enough cycling-related content in my promotion? Very well then. We have high crime in the city and a lack of a sufficient police force effectively patrolling the Lakefront Path and the streets of Chicago. With the recent federal court ruling that struck down Illinois' unconstitutional ban on right to carry, Chicago residents may finally soon have a chance to protect themselves no matter what method of transportation they choose, whether it be on foot, in a car, or while riding a bicycle.

Jason said:

This is a gun control piece, and off topic for this forum. I would debate you, but I have more respect for the forum rules than that. Take your anti second amendment hit piece elsewhere.

Permalink Reply by Brent Cohrs on December 19, 2012 at 2:51am

For the last several years I have considered myself a self-loathing white guy...

Juan Primo said:

I love it when white people hate on white people for being white.

Brent Cohrs said:

 but he seems like the typical angry white guy that can't accept anything progressive.

Permalink Reply by dan brown on December 19, 2012 at 3:33am

sheesh.....yikes.....when did Troll season begin ???

 

I guess I was so busy waiting on the end of the world that I missed the hunting season schedule (again) ?

 

DB

 

Permalink Reply by David Barish on December 19, 2012 at 3:57am

Police responded to a call of mayhem at a neighborhood intersection this morning.  Joe Shibilski was found under his bike.  He had run a red light plowing into a group of senior citizens taking their morning constitutional.  Witnesses heard Shibilski screaming,"take that mom. You never loved me." as he ran over an elderly woman.  Shibilski, after injuring six seniors and killing three others then took his bike to himself. He ran over himself and was found by police with spokes protruding from his chest.  Paramedics were unable to stop the bleeding. 

 

Local officials decried this latest evidence of bike violence.  Councilman Duffass told members of the press that he will initiate legislation to ban the sale, possession and use of two wheeled vehicles.  "How many lives must be lost due to this senseless violence."  Local cycling advocates planned to demonstrate by riding with their children.  Duffass commented, "They are teaching their kids to ride. What will come of this world?"

 

Shibilski's family refused comment but an unnamed source said that Shibilski had been riding bikes for years and had quite a collection of them.  He was often seen running over squirrils and other varmints in his neighborhood.  "We always thought he was a little strange, but hey, he rode a bike. What do you expect?" said one neighbor.

Permalink Reply by dan brown on December 19, 2012 at 4:13am

can someone p-u-l-l-l-l-e-e-e-z-e (?) second the nomination to close this thread. please ?

David Barish said:

Police responded to a call of mayhem at a neighborhood intersection this morning.  Joe Shibilski was found under his bike.  He had run a red light plowing into a group of senior citizens taking their morning constitutional.  Witnesses heard Shibilski screaming,"take that mom. You never loved me." as he ran over an elderly woman.  Shibilski, after injuring six seniors and killing three others then took his bike to himself. He ran over himself and was found by police with spokes protruding from his chest.  Paramedics were unable to stop the bleeding. 

 

Local officials decried this latest evidence of bike violence.  Councilman Duffass told members of the press that he will initiate legislation to ban the sale, possession and use of two wheeled vehicles.  "How many lives must be lost due to this senseless violence."  Local cycling advocates planned to demonstrate by riding with their children.  Duffass commented, "They are teaching their kids to ride. What will come of this world?"

 

Shibilski's family refused comment but an unnamed source said that Shibilski had been riding bikes for years and had quite a collection of them.  He was often seen running over squirrils and other varmints in his neighborhood.  "We always thought he was a little strange, but hey, he rode a bike. What do you expect?" said one neighbor.

Permalink Reply by Joe Guzzardo on December 19, 2012 at 4:17am

Banning multi speed, high end, lightweight, composite framed bicycles is not the solution. A deranged bicyclist will always find some means to pedal. The only solution is to make bicycles more publicly accessible to all law abiding citizens so that pedestrians have a fighting chance. Pledge whatever you can to the National Bicycle Association in support of these efforts.

David Barish said:

Police responded to a call of mayhem at a neighborhood intersection this morning.  Joe Shibilski was found under his bike.  He had run a red light plowing into a group of senior citizens taking their morning constitutional.  Witnesses heard Shibilski screaming,"take that mom. You never loved me." as he ran over an elderly woman.  Shibilski, after injuring six seniors and killing three others then took his bike to himself. He ran over himself and was found by police with spokes protruding from his chest.  Paramedics were unable to stop the bleeding. 

 

Local officials decried this latest evidence of bike violence.  Councilman Duffass told members of the press that he will initiate legislation to ban the sale, possession and use of two wheeled vehicles.  "How many lives must be lost due to this senseless violence."  Local cycling advocates planned to demonstrate by riding with their children.  Duffass commented, "They are teaching their kids to ride. What will come of this world?"

 

Shibilski's family refused comment but an unnamed source said that Shibilski had been riding bikes for years and had quite a collection of them.  He was often seen running over squirrils and other varmints in his neighborhood.  "We always thought he was a little strange, but hey, he rode a bike. What do you expect?" said one neighbor.

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on December 19, 2012 at 4:24am

I'll review the constitution later today. I'm still not sure about the intent of the original framers.

Permalink Reply by Brent Cohrs on December 19, 2012 at 4:40am

Thanks to all who read my Chicago Now post and took to the discussion. 

I've been a supporter of The Chainlink since I started my blog and rely on it for taking the pulse of area cyclists.  I have just recently started using the forum for soliciting feedback on what to write about.  My hope is that I can reach beyond the cycling community with Chicago Now and start bringing more of our issues to the public.

I apologize if this thread devolved into an off-topic discussion.  My intention was to draw a contrast with our scrutiny and the lack of scrutiny for something that has shown to be a bigger problem to society than running a red light and spooking a Tribune columnist.  I tried to separate the cycling point from my own view on gun control and was mainly looking to see if anyone else saw the irony in how our group of one-percenters is perceived against another group with similar membership.

Upon request, I'll close the discussion.  

My goal isn't to divide, it's to gain consensus on cycling topics to make my posts stronger.  I'm always open to discussion and debate about anything I've posted whether it's in the comments section at Chicago Now or via email.  

 

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