Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More - View Single Post

06-29-2004, 10:07 AM

Mark Hickey <mark@habcycles.com> writes:

>>> If it's your contention that saying "some of the nicest people I
>>> know happen to be Muslim" is a "hackneyed metaphor", I'd say
>>> you're WAY out of touch with reality. Way out of touch.

>> Here in the deep south, racism is still a daily issue. I often hear
>> "Some of the nicest people I know are black." However, the people
>> saying that often don't consider black people nice enough for their
>> homes and churches. I hope your attitude is different regarding
>> Muslims, and, I think it is. You just happened to use an
>> unfortunate turn of phrase.

> I guess I'm living in a (partially) hopelessly PC world. I
> personally wouldn't feel offended if someone included some group I
> was in in a similar statement...

> ... some of the nicest people I know happen to be bicyclists

> ... some of the nicest people I know happen to be white males

> ... some of the nicest people I know happen to be Christians

> ... some of the nicest people I know happen to be tall, incredibly
> intelligent and good looking suave fellows.

> Errr, three out of four...

> But whatever - I've always been for equal treatment for everyone.
> That made me a liberal 30 years ago, and a conservative now.

> I've hired LOTS of people over the years (not in the bike biz), and
> I can say that if there was a group seriously under-represented, it
> would be white males. Not because I tried to hire minorities and
> women - I just had good applicants who happened to be Muslims,
> blacks, women, (and of course, Chinese... but in China that wasn't
> worth any extra points). Ooops, did I cross another PC boundary?
> ;-)

Please don't stop there, just say it. Some of them ARE my best friends.
It's the tone that makes the music, not the notes themselves.

Jobst Brandt
jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org

06-29-2004, 10:07 AM	#38 (permalink)
jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org Posts: n/a	Re: I was misled Mark Hickey <mark@habcycles.com> writes: >>> If it's your contention that saying "some of the nicest people I >>> know happen to be Muslim" is a "hackneyed metaphor", I'd say >>> you're WAY out of touch with reality. Way out of touch. >> Here in the deep south, racism is still a daily issue. I often hear >> "Some of the nicest people I know are black." However, the people >> saying that often don't consider black people nice enough for their >> homes and churches. I hope your attitude is different regarding >> Muslims, and, I think it is. You just happened to use an >> unfortunate turn of phrase. > I guess I'm living in a (partially) hopelessly PC world. I > personally wouldn't feel offended if someone included some group I > was in in a similar statement... > ... some of the nicest people I know happen to be bicyclists > ... some of the nicest people I know happen to be white males > ... some of the nicest people I know happen to be Christians > ... some of the nicest people I know happen to be tall, incredibly > intelligent and good looking suave fellows. > Errr, three out of four... > But whatever - I've always been for equal treatment for everyone. > That made me a liberal 30 years ago, and a conservative now. > I've hired LOTS of people over the years (not in the bike biz), and > I can say that if there was a group seriously under-represented, it > would be white males. Not because I tried to hire minorities and > women - I just had good applicants who happened to be Muslims, > blacks, women, (and of course, Chinese... but in China that wasn't > worth any extra points). Ooops, did I cross another PC boundary? > ;-) Please don't stop there, just say it. Some of them ARE my best friends. It's the tone that makes the music, not the notes themselves. Jobst Brandt jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org