Some thoughts… I agree that this e-list should stick to bikes… But I also see how bikes connect to the rest of life.
I’ve noticed that the Bike!Bike! safer space policy is open-ended as to what organizers can do. "They will decide what constitutes a warning and what constitutes expulsion from the conference.” …They do NOT have to be up front or consistent. Is that ok? I suppose nothing is perfect. So expect surprises? On who?
On Nov 12, 2019, at 2:08 AM, Jesse Cooper jessecooper0@gmail.com wrote:
[ ] The take away here for anyone told to leave the host city Bike!Bike! is that just leave. Deliberate another day, with your own peers, and seek reconciliation within your peer's groups.
What’s a peer group? Should we create segregated groups? What about unity? Can we refuse labels?
Because really , white guy volunteer gets kicked out of a conference, goes back to volunteering, no real repercussion, but some hurt feelings,
There's basic functionality: a conference should say who is welcome so that people can know what to expect.
If I make the effort to attend a BB, and my entry fee is accepted, I’d want to know that I was welcome. Panels that aren't inclusive shd say so in their description.
Also, if organizers are going to use special practices — such as the “men go to the back of the line” practice that was mentioned — this should be mentioned. Apparently it was just forgotten, but some “teaching” practices can be considered extreme so forgetting isn’t always acceptable.
[ ] What's to question here? It's obvious to me that the needs of the oppressed are greater than the needs of the privileged. No questions.
I don’t think it’s ever final how we should handle the inevitable rankings and proportions of these needs. Always involves discussion. Events can discuss it themselves. The bigger scene can ponder the bigger picture...
Jeff Potter Lansing Bike Co-op (Michigan)