I guess I misread what you wrote (that we shouldn't be the political arm of the bike lobby, not that we shouldn't be the bike lobby), but I think I stand by my opinion that it is ok for us to be political about bikes- and to act on that. Bikes tend to lead us into the political sphere once we are using them for more than recreation. Bicycling is or becomes a politicized action for many cyclists once they begin to want to improve the cycling infrastructure, safety conditions, and general respect for cyclists using bikes for commuting or transport on the roadways.
And Thuy is an alderperson, not the mayor, governor or state rep. From the discourse on this site, it seems that a lot of us think that she ran unopposed not necessarily because she represents D20 so well, but because people tend to be lazy about running for local office. I am including myself in this half-hearted criticism- apart from a select few, we like to bitch and moan from the sidelines more than we like to step up and put our time/energy towards changing what could actually be changed. I am not a one-issue voter in general, but in local politics I definitely have my pet issues- and maintaining a high standard for biking-as-respected-vehicle is up there. So yeah, once again that is a challenge and a plea for someone in D20 to go for it! I don't know what you are basing your Doyle vs. Thompson debate on... it is a bit too hypothetical to really argue about. And at the level of governor I would consider more than just bicycling initiatives. But if there is a republican who wants to push forth great bike infrastructure, they might have me leaning toward them in an election. -India *********************** India Viola UW-Madison Stretton Lab 115 Zoology Research Bldg. 1117 W. Johnson St. Madison, WI 53706 608.262.3336 *********************** "How can we learn from our mistakes if we don't first acknowledge them?" -Anonymous "We exist in the bacterial world, not bacteria in ours" -Stuart Levy ----- Original Message ----- From: Eric Westhagen <[email protected]> Date: Monday, September 14, 2009 10:23 pm Subject: Re: [Bikies] Who voted 4 this person? To: India Rose Viola <[email protected]>, BikiesSubmissions <[email protected]> > > > India, > > > > I had a different point I was making. I acknowledged what you have > said that the listserv Bikies is for bike advocacy. And, I do not live > in the Madison area as you know from my past writings. Nevertheless, > it seems this woman does represent her constituents and in this group > it has been suggested she runs unopposed since her voters choose her. > I questioned whether a special interest--even one as close to our > hearts--as our own biking--should organize an overthrow of this > Alderman because she has opposed some bike position. But you have > made it clear that special interests are part of the process and that > a > function of this list is to organize solely to promote bike > initiatives. > > > > I would not be surprised that if one calculated all the bike > initiatives accomplished or on the drawing board before Governor Doyle > took office, that more would have accrued to Republican Tommy Thompson > than later under the Doyle regime? As I stipulate--accomplished or on > the drawing board. And if that is the case, this forum might become an > advocacy for the Next Republican candidate for Governor? > > > > Eric > > > > India Rose Viola wrote: > > Eric, > > I hear you, but do not agree. We actually ARE the bike lobby. That > is pretty much what bikies is, does, and wants to be- discussing, > debating, and above all promoting all things bike around Madison. As > far as politics go, I think it is completely legitimate (if not boring > at times) for us to tread as far as policy impacts bicycling. As a > loosely affiliated group on a listserve, what we all have in common is > that we are pro bicycle. Then it makes complete sense that we get up > in arms- en masse- when a local politician basically takes an > anti-bicycle stance, for (seemingly) no better reason than because it > is an easy target. From what I've heard of the recorded meetings, > Thuy's rants on bikes are off-base and extremely negative. You seem > to enjoy being odd man out, but I am not sure that it's worth it on > this one. > > -India > > *********************** > India Viola > UW-Madison > Stretton Lab > 115 Zoology Research Bldg. > 1117 W. Johnson St. > Madison, WI 53706 > 608.262.3336 > *********************** > > "How can we learn from our mistakes if we don't first acknowledge > them?" -Anonymous > > "We exist in the bacterial world, not bacteria in ours" -Stuart Levy > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Eric Westhagen <[email protected]> > Date: Monday, September 14, 2009 6:33 pm > Subject: Re: [Bikies] Who voted 4 this person? > To: Mitchell Nussbaum <[email protected]>, BikiesSubmissions > <[email protected]> > > > > Dear Group, > > I presume your excuse is that this Alderwoman in the Madison 20th > voted against some bicycle initiative? Is that the excuse for twenty > > post on the subject of unseating a woman who has been claimed popular > > in her ward? Isn't that what she is supposed to do? Isn't she > supposed to represent the average voter and not just the shrillest > special interest group--such as THIS BIKE GROUP? Put up your > candidate--that is fine. I don't think this listserve should be a > political arm of the BIKE LOBBY, though. > How long would it be before I might be cut off if I put up twenty or a > > hundred posts on how to get rid of THE DEMOCRATS RUNNING IN PLACE OF > GOVERNOR DOYLE? Just how long before I would be told to stick to the > > topic and off politics--even if I could show that a REPUBLICAN > GOVERNOR might have a policy statement favoring some aspect of BICYCLE > > TRANSPORATION. > > EW > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
