Re: [TheThinkTank] Volunteering time

Also, can I point out that there is a big difference between characterizing a statement or action as racist, and calling a person a racist? I think it's really important to be able to talk frankly about racism, and that is hard when bringing up the word at all is automatically interpreted as calling people racists. We all do or say racist things sometimes. It doesn't mean we're evil, horrible people. It means there's a situation when people could benefit from honest discussion and an opportunity to learn from others' perspectives. So can we try to be open to that without being offensive/taking offense? And make an extra effort to be clear when this loaded word does get put out there?

Race, gender, and class all definitely fit into this issue of accessibility, so it's great we're talking about it those terms. And it's complicated; we can probably all learn something from other peoples' experience.

-Jessica

----- Original Message ---- From: Erik Ryberg ryberg@seanet.com To: The Think Tank thethinktank@bikecollectives.org Sent: Thursday, February 7, 2008 2:29:22 PM Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Volunteering time

When I went to college I was a poor white kid from rural Oregon on a scholarship to a fancy East Coast private university.
Everybody I met there had more money than I did.

During the summers they all went off to unpaid internships in NY or LA.

I had similar offers, but there was just no way I could afford to do that, move to NYC for three months with no pay.

When my friends graduated they got jobs at these places and I ended up working at a bakery.

That's what Kyle was talking about.
And as an aside he made the leap, perhaps disputed by some here, that people who are not white are more often among those who don't have a lot of money.

Maybe you don't agree, but all he was saying is that if you pay people, then you will be more likely to find class and probably race diversity on your staffs.
True?
False?
Maybe?
I don't know, but it makes logical sense, and it seems possible to agree with him or disagree with him without being a racist.

Erik Ryberg

ien wrote:

I see Kyle's point as tunnel vision. Look at other areas reliant on

volunteers and you will see many females, in some cases overwhelmingly.

Case in point: the local chapter of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters

organization reported their volunteers by gender composition is 75%

female, 25% male. That should shoot the theory of white boys being

privileged and in positions to volunteer. It is the bike business in

general that attracts males to the sport. Don't believe me then take a

look at the staff at any bike shop for your random sample. Females are a

breath of fresh air to the sport of cycling and bike riding in general.

But look also to the junior ranks of any state cycling organization and

you will find many more males than females. Credit to those that

volunteer and here is wishing more would join us, especially females.

bikedad

*/Andy Dyson andy@neighborhoodbikeworks.org/* wrote:

BovineOaks@aol.com wrote:

Being white gives us privileges that might make it easier to

'donate' a

lot of time to a project you love. Nice racist statement.

Some great points in your post, Christopher, but it's the first line I

have a problem with. I think that if you're going to call someone a

racist you should do so in a more direct and clear way, for all of our

benefit.

Perhaps I'm just not smart, but sarcasm like the above leaves me

wondering exactly what about Kyle's post you thought was racist and

why.

There are various interpretations I could think of, but why people in

our community are calling each other racists is not an area where I

want

to jump to any conclusions. I do actually want to know what you think,

because I don't think that Kyle was denying that people of all

backgrounds volunteer, rather that privilege exists and it makes things

easier for young, white males.

I think that the whole point of Kyle's post is to draw attention to the

existence of privilege, something that, in my experience, is not

obvious

to all of us.

Peace,

Andy