Obviously, catering to loudmouth special interest groups comprised of upwardly mobile, wealthy, white people is a top priority for the Funkhouser Administration . . . Recently, KCMO has made incredible progress on the completely unimportant topic of bicycle issues (bleh):
Kansas City, Missouri, recently created two brand new positions that are very important to improving the bicycle and pedestrian environment in the city. In one month we’ve gone from zero city employees with primary responsibility for bicycle planning to two. It’s a huge step forward and will hopefully result in some tangible results in the near future.Once again it's proven that the only way people take notice of any problem is when it kills a white person . . . Preferably somebody attractive . . . Over that past few years more than a 11 cyclists have been killed on KC streets and while that's sad it doesn't even come close to the number of young, Black men who have been wounded or killed due to gun violence on Kansas City streets . . . Yet, the bicyclists are getting city resources donated to their cause and the Eastside . . . Well, you know . . .
So, the joke is on you if you thought the Funkhouser Administration or the incoming City Council represented any kind of significant change . . . He/they simply have a different group of pet causes that still seem to benefit upper-class white people of a different social set . . . But not really much of a difference at all.
So, I for one hope that local bicyclists enjoy their new found standing because they've attained it by riding over the backs of any community in Kansas City with real problems.
None of the people I ride with are of the upper-class social set. As a matter of fact, a few of them happen to be BLACK. And they live east of Troost. You're gonna get your fat ass whooped one of these days.
ReplyDeleteI see plenty of non-white (easier to tell when no one wears helmets) people riding bicycles, too. On the east side. Around downtown. Midtown, too.
ReplyDeleteMy friend Kenneth Walker is doing wonderful things in the non-white-upper-class part of town through cycling. Ever heard of the Major Taylor Foundation of Greater KC? He is helping minority kids stay out of trouble, stay in shape, and let them know that somebody cares. They ride on the same streets that will hopefully be more bike friendly some day.
ReplyDeleteUnlike you, he is actually doing something for the community instead of bitching and complaining from your mama's basement.
You really need to lay off the cycling bashing until you get your facts straight. For someone who is supposed to be against stereotypes (re: hispanics), you are stubborn and ignorant about your portrayal of the cycling community. To say that cycling only benefits white upper class folk is a MAJOR insult to the efforts of Kenneth and all his volunteers and support. Big time. Asshole.
Do me a favor bicycle people- Don't turn KC into NOLA pre-katrina.
ReplyDeleteI don't need to be navigating back someplace at 1am and have an eastsider drunkenly swerve in my lane because he has a plastic bag on one side of the bike's handlebars. (This happened multiple times.)
So do me a favor. If you're going to give bikes away on the eastside PLEASE attach a basket to the front.
Tony:
ReplyDeleteHave you noticed haow many "day-laborer" types have to use a bicycle because they can't afford to go to one of the states that do issue licenses to folks who can't properly document their identity and their "cracker-jack" papers won't pass the PD's perusal?
Seems that you may have unwittingly joined the Minutemen... I guess there'll be no dinner tonight.
This is the Major Taylor website if anyone is interested. Not Tony of course because he likes to remain an ignorant asshole.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.majortaylorkc.com/
"Over that past few years more than a 11 cyclists have been killed on KC streets and while that's sad it doesn't even come close to the number of young, Black men who have been wounded or killed due to gun violence on Kansas City streets . . . Yet, the bicyclists are getting city resources donated to their cause and the Eastside . . . Well, you know . . ."
ReplyDeleteWhat a completely ignorant thing to say. I hate to be the one to inform you, but white people aren't going into the inner city and shooting young black men. Young black men are shooting other young black men so stop trying to make it sound like its somehow white peoples fault. The vast majority of the men involved in the gun violence related deaths are not innocent victims and are involved in a lifestyle where such things are a risk they are willing to take. The solution needs to start at home and throwing money at the problem isn't the answer. The communities where this is most prevalent have a well known "no snitch" policy that makes people unwilling to cooperate with those that have the ability to help them. You cant help people that aren't willing to help themselves and cash cant change a mindset. So when you figure out how to keep young black men from wanting to kill each other, you let us know.