Thoughts: A Message from a Proud Los Angeles Bicycle Riding Resident!

Source: New York Times

We are living in a divisive society.  At least, that is what is conveyed by the popular news agencies lately.  Especially with the heightened divisive language used by the President of the United States.  One man should not be able to divide an entire nation. Admittedly, not all of the United States citizens believe that we are NOT a nation of immigrants.  We ARE a nation founded on immigrants from around the entire world.

With the above introduction in mind, I would like to share a personal statement from a fellow bicycle advocate who writes a daily newsletter "BikingInLA" -- Ted Rogers:

Let me start with a brief personal message today. 

Like many people, I’ve struggled to comprehend the incomprehensible in recent days, and make sense of a world that doesn’t any more. So let me say how fucking proud I am to live in a city made up of countless races, religions and communities.

Simply put, Los Angeles is richer for all of us.

I love being part of our rainbow-hued, multi-ethnic, multi-faith and multi-oriented bicycling community.

And I’m proud to be a small part of such a vital segment of our city — one that keeps riding, regardless of how much we’re marginalized, and despite those who would force us off the roads and elected leaders who turn their backs on us.

We’ve got a long way to go just to break even and claim even a small part of the streets for our own. 

But we’ll get there. 

And riding bikes helps it all make just a little more sense. 

As Ted noted in the personal statement, several aspects of human society already divide us as a nation.  Let us not let one man (President Trump) divide us further.

Let us stand up as a nation and stand for immigrants along with our citizens in these United States.  Hate and intolerance should be no longer an accepted practice in our country.  Let us strive to get along with one another and work through our differences.    

Have a good weekend.