8.21.2007

I'm not a rebel.

I'm listening to talk radio yesterday and I hear something that drives me nuts every time. I'm sure you've all heard the argument - having our cars is what makes us American. It's a popular right-wing notion, so much so that even in the middle of a war who's most obvious benefit will be protecting our access to middle-eastern oil, people still say it without irony. And, those of us that choose not to utilize cars, be it for their gas-guzzling, or greenhouse-gas-belching, because they're too expensive or just because riding in cars is boring and anti-social; we're routinely classified as unAmerican, rebellious, or simply faggots. And while I'm sure this note will do no more than ring true to a few sympathetic ears and fall on the deaf ears of the masses, it must be said: I'm not a faggot. I'm not particularly rebellious. And I love apple pie. Heck, that's one of the reasons I ride a bike. At the end of the day when I'm pulling my bike into my garage and wiping the sweat from my brow, I can rest comfortably knowing that my trip to-and-from work didn't contribute to global warming. And the soldiers that are dying in Iraq are not doing so to protect MY ability to drive a hummer without having to shell out $7.00 a gallon for gas. Sure I use electricity that comes from oil - but as soon as I have a feasible alternative I'm there. Yeah, this is the country that cars built. It's also fattest country on the planet. Coincidence? North America also claims the highest cancer rates in the world. Could it be??? Here's the kicker: I don't care if you drive your car. Frankly I'm not expecting much to change in my lifetime. But what I would like to be able to do is ride my bike without you telling me I'm an unAmerican, faggot, rebel. Oh yeah, and get off your phone, put down the make-up and pay attention! I'm a person. I have a family. I don't want to die just so that you can read the newspaper while you drive.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

RIGHT ON!

Anonymous said...

I heart Biodiesel!

Yokota Fritz said...

I'm not exactly a right-wing reactionary, but I love that cyclists (even transportational or utilitarian cyclists like me) span the political spectrum. It annoys me commentators lump all of us into a single category.

Dr. Logan said...

Precisely. And I'm certainly no left-winger, which is another assumption about cyclists.

Ed W said...

I've had the 'faggot' epithet thrown my way too, as if the act of riding a bicycle in traffic was some unmanly thing to do. And it comes from people who wouldn't dream of doing the same - it's too scary. Someone please tell me - which is the 'masculine' one?

And I've posted a suitably skewed piece on liberalism and cycling on CycleDog. I really gotta cut back on the coffee.

Anonymous said...

Great post!

I agree with Fritz!

This Conservative BikeBlogger is so jealous that you get called such names, hee, hee! ;-D

You have been added to my Blogroll. ;-D

amidnightrider said...

I agree with you because I am a lot of those things people accuse me of being. A left wing, tree hugging, football hating, chardoney drinking, Democrat, working on Hillary's campaign.

Actually I prefer Reisling. with my shrimp croquets.

So what are you reading currently?

Da' Square Wheelman, said...

Cycling Dude alerted me to your post. What's more American than being cheap, getting somewhere fast, and relying on yourself to do it?

You're definitely going on my blogroll!

dsm

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