[CMI-CM] Where Is Everyone?

[Zachary C. Miller]

> I know people have expressed an aversion to anything political in
> the past,

For me it is vitally important that Critical Mass take a part in
furthering political action. However it is hard to do political action
with only 5 people. 

My vision is that first and foremost Critical Mass be a neutral ground
for bicycle activists of all persuasions to come together into one
central place. I see Critical Mass as an organizing tool, a way to
bring bikers together so they can organize themselves around political
actions. I hope that before, during, and after every Critical Mass
people with specific ideas for political organization will distribute
flyers, cary signs, lead chants, and invite riders to join
organizations that will fight for various political causes relevent to
bicycle activism.

I've gotten an email but not responded to it yet (I will soon!) about
organizing a bike advocacy committee or alternate transit committee of
some sort in Urbana. I think this is exactly the kind of thing that
could be heavily promoted at Critical Mass.

Different people come to Critical Mass for different reasons so I
don't think we should have Critical Mass _endorse_ any political
programs as an organization because that will only alienate some
people but I do think Critical Mass should be a sort of Political
Bazaar of organizing and activism where different groups with
different agendas and programs can all come together and share ideas
and cross promote and get access to a big group of bikers. 

But we've gotta have rides full of large numbers of bikers for this to
happen. So we've gotta get out on there and promote the heck out of
these rides and then we have to _deliver_ on the promotion. We have to
provide the new people who come with a worthwhile and fun experience
so they will come back again. 

We need more gimmics and fun at the rides. We need more political
organizing at the rides. We need more 

But we are _all_ very busy. I know this. I really feel like if we all
give up an hour every month to ride and if many or most of us give up
another hour every month to do promotion (as simple as asking your
friends to come along) then we can make Critical Mass be meaningful in
CU without burning ourselves out. People who are _already_ affiliated
with _other_ bike advocacy or related (e.g. environmental,
anti-corporate, anti-car, alternative transit) programs can bring
their _existing_ organization efforts to the Mass, reuse the flyers
and organizations that already exist. 

I really believe there is an _easy_ way to make CM work if _lots_ of
people chip in just a tiny bit. I really beleive that if 100 people
show up to a ride that political action will be inevitable. And I
really agree with Ellen that the ride itself is political if enough
people are there.

(and of course, after saying all this, I must apologize for not making
it to this month's ride. I was working on my new house all day, was
exhausted and spaced out and slept through the ride!)

-- 
Zachary C. Miller - @= - http://wolfgang.groogroo.com/
IMSA 1995 - UIUC 2000 - Just Another Leftist Muppet - Ya Basta!
 Social Justice, Community, Nonviolence, Decentralization, Feminism,
 Sustainability, Responsibility, Diversity, Democracy, Ecology