This has nothing to do with that, but I go out of my way to ride the Major Taylor trail from time to time just because it's named after him. Sadly it is a glorified sidewalk but there is a rad mural along the way.

Btw here is his autobiography in .pdf/.txt format. I keep meaning to take it out from the library but I'm pretty lazy.

thought this was going to be a thread about this steel piece of shit. Shows how little I know about anything

I was at the Major Taylor Velodrome in Indianapolis on Friday... totally not on topic. We try to rep Major here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Taylor_Velodrome

wait black people ride bikes? were fucked now

img macro bait

almost made a bad bad joke

almost

dont judge me

It is true that there has never been an African/African American rider in the Tour. In 2010, that's totally crazy.

Maybe Rahsaan Bahati will move up out of crit racing? Or, a few of the cyclists a group has been training out of Kenya will get picked up by a team?

That said, joking, thinly veiled, or whatever else, racism doesn't have a place on tarck.

i'd be interested to see if/when/how cycling sees a groundbreaker like kip keino.

edit: pro tour, non-track cycling.

click bigger see helmet
fuckin whitey

Coming off the success of the World Cup, South Africa needs to pull a Team Sky, organize a team and fight to put an African in the Tour in five years.

Dunno much about Rahsaan Bahati, but he managed to pull out a 7th place finish in the Tour of America's Dairyland only racing 5 of the 11 days. It's a small time race, but still, nice work.

fast in 'murca, probably not a euro quality guy.. has knee problems?

Throws sunglasses.

black skin gives all of it

the power

going to major taylor velodrome on friday

I actually saw a movie on TV about Major Taylor not too long ago.

why? i think it's awesome.

Because it's racist if white people say white power but it's perfectly acceptable if black people say black power.
People want equality but when shit like that exists we will never have it.

do you really believe that those are two sides of the same coin? it seems to me that, given that white people have traditionally controlled absolutely everything in this country, and will continue to for the foreseeable future, that "white power" is just piling on. I don't see "white power" as being even remotely comparable to "black power"

I do in our current state. Ask me even 40 years ago and I would have been all about a strong black power movement. But we have so many opportunities in this country just because we are americans, regardless of skin color, that I see it as unnecessary.
Additionally, I don't understand why one race can get away with being proud of their race and the others can't.

I'm not saying black people shouldn't be proud to be black... quite the contrary. I just don't want to get called a racist when I say that I am proud to be white.

why are you proud to be white? it's a genetic accident. i'm no more proud to be white than i'm proud that i was born on a Tuesday

I agree to a point.
But you didn't address my other points... What are your thoughts on my entire post?

I get kinda pissed off because quite a bit of these American black power movements were spawned out of the slavery and subsequent racism that existed for some time in America... long before my family got here.
I have black people call me "whitey", tell me I am a "racist white boy" when I won't give a homeless black man money, talk to me about reparations, etc etc. But none of that I or my family are responsible for! My family didn't get here until the 40's and they kept to themselves. No racism, no slaves. So it pisses me off that all white people get pegged with the stigma that we are just a bunch of racist assholes.
And still I pay taxes that fund African American programs. Which I certainly don't mind... I just don't see the point in driving home the black power thing when so many white people in the states are so far removed from slavery and racism.
Know what I mean?

i know what you mean, but if you think we're living in some post-racial society, you're absolutely delusional. None of us is removed by any distance at all from racism or the legacy of slavery. We're white and enjoying the privelege of being part of the majority. We have opportunities that others don't; it's as simple as that, to me. We're not all equal. We're not all Americans regardless of skin color.

so, why are you proud to be white? what's so awesome about it? white dudes did some science and painted some paintings, but they also sujugated entire races of people, started world wars, etc. Pride in anything other than one's own accomplishments is pointless, to me.

I think the point he is trying to make is that, if white people say white power, they're racist. If a black person says it, they're not. I really don't care, because I hate everyone, it doesn't matter the color of your skin. If you're fucking a stupid douche, I'm going to hate you.

TC: I got a ear infection from swimming in Fort Worth, and I'm fucking pissed that I didn't leave today, because Ican't even walk straight

And I did say "when I say I am proud to be white" but I misspoke... I should have said "IF I WERE TO SAY I am proud to be white". I'm not walking around proud that I am white, chest out, nose in the air, looking down at all of the other races. No fucking way.
I like being white. But that is just because I think I rule and can't imagine myself another color. I've been white all my life. haha
But I certainly agree that one should be proud of their personal accomplishments more than the random occurences in life.

I feel like you are getting pissed, Ian, and that is not my intention at all.

And yeah Les, that's pretty much it. I fucking hate almost everyone. Just for being shitty human beings.

nope, not pissed at all. communication is just difficult on the interwebs, especially when people feel strongly about stuff.

high five.

heard that.
hi5

i gotta agree with ian on this one
we have discussed this before
and i have mentioned it before
but all white people benefit from white privilege
it doesn't matter when your ancestors got here or if they owned slaves or any of that

an example
alot of times when this argument comes up people like to talk about whites in west virginia who are poor as fuck
blah blah etc etc...being poor sucks dont get me wrong
but they can always dress up and look the part of someone else
they still have the benefit of white skin
black people/people of color can never have that and they will always have to wonder perhaps did i not get that job because of the color of my skin

i imagine on his helmet he wrote it sort of as a joke coz black and he gots the power legs

anyway i like this guys stuff

http://web.mac.com/timjwise/iWeb/Wise/Home.html

anyway i ain't for black power or any other people to have power i just am for equality for all
if it can ever happen

that font makes me hate white people

haha yeah
i think its marker felt

Nobody I know has said the term "white power" or "black power" around me, ipso facto I DGAF about the whole thing really.

As for Major Taylor, I thought we all moved on to Jens Voigt as far as cycling heroes for people who don't watch cycling.

ITT: Ian admits to white guilt.

Here's the big difference. If someone says, "white power" they are very likely a racist. If someone says, "black power" there's about a 50/50 chance that they're a racist.

native pride

suck it

jeez.

you wanna have "white" pride/power and be socially accepted? go to oktoberfest, st patricks day, little italy, whatever else. "white" is a bullshit term that's arbitrary and exclusionary.

now i'm not sure if it's any more historically accurate for people with egyptian/sudanese/algerian heritage to share some identity as "black", but that's the reality of current american culture.

1. yes

b. since minorities can't effectively discriminate on the basis of race, their racism, if it exists, is a lot less sinister and bothers me much less. it's still fucked up, however.

Are you riding? Why the hell are you in Indiana?

backin' ian and stiffy itt.

oh, and what was the major taylor movie on tv? i'm curious about that for sure.

i am rasist against everyone equally

all people are stupid and/or ugly in my book

so you're saying they all look the same?

Since I'm one of the like what... 4 black folk on this site, I have this to say...

i wish i was someones favorite anything :(

you're my favorite dougie don't.

Being a minority has little bearing on one's ability to discriminate effectively. Whitey is a minority in California presently, but he's still in charge and still capable of discriminating effectively.

ITT: Discussion of a movie about a famous cyclist who "happens to be black" results in white people navel gazing. LOL

(This is called "re-centering whiteness" and is an artifact of privilege, or so various articles/books/etc that I can't be bothered to look up right now claim)

TC: I can out white-guilt Ian all day long.

Tracks of Glory (1992) Aussie made tv mini-series about Major Taylor in Aussie-land. I've never seen it but I will be on the lookout for it.

TC: I read the majority of a biography about Major Taylor but couldn't finish it because I didn't want to read in excruciating detail about how he died in poverty after being left by his wife and estranged from his daughter and losing his fortune. Such a sad end for a man who was truly one of the most famous people of his day.

<3

can we go randoing soon please?

Yeah, I'll ride up there, then we can ride back here together, then you ride home? 1200k babby!