Cycling Forums - View Single Post - Two cyclists attacked and beaten in Portland

01-16-2007, 09:55 AM

Stephen Harding wrote:
:: Gooserider wrote:
::
::: Nothing they could have said(and they insist they said nothing)
::: justifies a BEATING. What kind of bull is that, Roger? Even if the
::: two cyclists were n-word spouting skinheads, no words justify a
::: beating. Why are you so unwilling to believe this is what it
::: obviously is---a racial attack? Unbelievable.
::
:: While I believe there may have been racism involved in the
:: attack, there is also the aspect of the attackers just being
:: idiot teenagers.
::
:: Sometimes the behavior of teenagers toward non-members of
:: their group is amazing!
::
:: I typically use a bike path for part of my work commute and
:: have occasionally had to deal with knucklehead teenagers
:: walking down the path 3-4 abreast and refusing to share the
:: path whatsoever. They knew I was behind them: I rang my bell
:: and did the "trying to pass" finally giving up and riding on
:: to the grass off the path to get by them (muttering "it's a
:: herd of idiots" not too weakly under my breath in passing).
::
:: Sometimes teenagers [especially in groups] do really dumb
:: things and race doesn't really have any root cause in it.
::
:: But I agree that "racism" is largely defined as white persons
:: doing harm to black/brown/red/yellow persons in this country
:: now. "Racism is a white man's disease" was stated by a local
:: Hispanic city council member some years back; which only goes
:: to prove there really is equality between races: we're all
:: equally capable of racist thinking.

I find it amazing that people would so quickly jump to "racism" as being the
sole reason for this attack. Perhaps the people in this thread just don't
get around to the right places enough. There are plenty of people who will
attack you simply because you're in the wrong place at the wrong time doing
the wrong thing wearing the wrong clothes, etc. It won't matter much what
color your skin is. If you're preceived as an outsider, you become the
target of the moment. People will degrade you in any way they can, too.
Imagine if one of these poor ladies has been grossly overweight. I'm sure
the word "fat" would have turned up too.

As for racism...there has always been hater among minority people for the
white man. However, it has historically been the case that discrimination
based on race was something that only those in power could do. Hence, the
those without power could only hate, but those with power could hate and
discriminate.

But you're exactly right, everyone has the ability to be racist.

01-16-2007, 09:55 AM	#33 (permalink)
Roger Zoul Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Two cyclists attacked and beaten in Portland Stephen Harding wrote: :: Gooserider wrote: :: ::: Nothing they could have said(and they insist they said nothing) ::: justifies a BEATING. What kind of bull is that, Roger? Even if the ::: two cyclists were n-word spouting skinheads, no words justify a ::: beating. Why are you so unwilling to believe this is what it ::: obviously is---a racial attack? Unbelievable. :: :: While I believe there may have been racism involved in the :: attack, there is also the aspect of the attackers just being :: idiot teenagers. :: :: Sometimes the behavior of teenagers toward non-members of :: their group is amazing! :: :: I typically use a bike path for part of my work commute and :: have occasionally had to deal with knucklehead teenagers :: walking down the path 3-4 abreast and refusing to share the :: path whatsoever. They knew I was behind them: I rang my bell :: and did the "trying to pass" finally giving up and riding on :: to the grass off the path to get by them (muttering "it's a :: herd of idiots" not too weakly under my breath in passing). :: :: Sometimes teenagers [especially in groups] do really dumb :: things and race doesn't really have any root cause in it. :: :: But I agree that "racism" is largely defined as white persons :: doing harm to black/brown/red/yellow persons in this country :: now. "Racism is a white man's disease" was stated by a local :: Hispanic city council member some years back; which only goes :: to prove there really is equality between races: we're all :: equally capable of racist thinking. I find it amazing that people would so quickly jump to "racism" as being the sole reason for this attack. Perhaps the people in this thread just don't get around to the right places enough. There are plenty of people who will attack you simply because you're in the wrong place at the wrong time doing the wrong thing wearing the wrong clothes, etc. It won't matter much what color your skin is. If you're preceived as an outsider, you become the target of the moment. People will degrade you in any way they can, too. Imagine if one of these poor ladies has been grossly overweight. I'm sure the word "fat" would have turned up too. As for racism...there has always been hater among minority people for the white man. However, it has historically been the case that discrimination based on race was something that only those in power could do. Hence, the those without power could only hate, but those with power could hate and discriminate. But you're exactly right, everyone has the ability to be racist.