Plan B Forum

Read the essay. Perhaps some people who bristle at the term because they don't understand it may finally get it.

An interesting essay that makes some very good points.

That's interesting, all right, but I think that the analogy ultimately fails...mostly because of what the author says near the beginning of the piece:

About five years ago I decided to start riding my bike as my primary mode of transportation. As in, on the street, in traffic. Which is enjoyable for a number of reasons (exercise, wind in yer face, the cool feeling of going fast, etc.)

I can just imagine people like--well...like some people posting here on this very board--yelling (at Mr. Dowsett, or at Michael Brown, or at Trayvon Martin [remember him?], or at Tamir Rice, or at the Ferguson protesters) "Fuck you and your decision to enjoy yourself! You're not in Port-fucking-land or Amster-god-dam! You can just decide to get that damn bike off the street and get in a car or a bus like everybody else!"

I have no problem with the term 'white privilege'. I am very aware that it's a great privilege to be Caucasian. One inherits a legacy of civilized social behavior - a relatively recent legacy that. One inherits the most inventive traits in the western world - or rather, the benefits of those. One is socialized to speak, read and think like a normal human being - although so many do not and ignorance is becoming the new normal. One has - or should have - no chip on the shoulder owing to past discrimination. The entire history of valuable art and arts belongs to white privilege. It must be crap to have to deal with that within the white privilege milieu. I'd not have nearly the same amount of white privilege if I chose to live in (say) China - or India - or... well that's about it. In fact, I'd have zero. I'd be wishing for a little yellow privilege or brown privilege I guess - if one must assign incorrect colours to the variant skin tones of all persons.

The black pride movement of the late 60s and the 70s was a correct and proper response to the unconscious assumptions of white privilege - we just never realized we were supposed to be proud of being 'white' or whatever this pasty pinky browny shade is. Whatever it is, I'm proud of it and proud to belong to it.

Cyclists are among the most arrogant and stupid road-users in the universe - so are motorists.

MajGenl.Meade wrote:Cyclists are among the most arrogant and stupid road-users in the universe - so are motorists.

Yes!! Many cyclists are extremely arrogant and stupid and are a glaring example of white privilege. I probably live a sheltered life because I don't recall ever seeing any people of color riding an overpriced bicycle while wearing the latest fashion in colorful spandex cycling clothes (complete with advertisements) and expensive bright colored helmets to cover their fat heads.

Around here I see many of them towing their privileged white brats...

Round here "twat bikes" are all the rage

White privilege is exemplified by the contrast between Bill Cosby and Bill Clinton.

Yes again!

Bill Clinton is Bill Cosby without the roofies.

Quite a difference there.

hey! I like being white and (italics) riding a bike!

I don t wear spandex tho... I don t break many traffic rules either, un less you count the helmet thing...

I think white privilege should be enjoyed by every one!


except those guys on the silly bikes. it s gonna hurt if they wreck. you can kinda jump off of a real bike