Critical Mass Panic

Gosh, I am the worst at keeping this up. Its like feeling nauseous but being unable to vomit. Only through the sheer discomfort of gagging my errant thoughts can I semi-coherently rant online about subjects such as group bike rides and police over-reaction to such events. Writing this also requires resisting sweet allure of constant riding due to Bike Month . Today, however, being rainy and cold, I spent a three hours watching " The Power of Nightmares ," a BBC documentary from a few years back about how the "Global War on Terror" is just a fantasy created by a handful of people. I highly recommend it, and if you're able to see it perhaps you will better understand why it is that NYPD continues to fantasize about Critical Mass being populated by "professional anarchists" who pose some vague threat to the city. Note the vile emphasis on that phrase as Pat Lynch of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association reacts to the recent Pogan verdict. Try not to ...

Mr. Conners (Prosecutor) Q: How many times have you viewed this video ? Mr. Pogan (Defendant) A: Too many times. Last Tuesday, April 20th, the NYPD deftly executed a humiliating blow to the good reputation of an anti-authoritarian, veteran, pot-smoking, deadly-driver but merely-reckless cyclist in the guise of a "criminal" trial against the doe-eyed Patrick Pogan. This case has had wide coverage in the media due to sensational aspects of the case and the above-mentioned, apparently not-so-damning video footage. What most reportage is missing is the clear case the defense has made that a larger conspiracy against the NYPD is being played out. The proof of anarchist-infiltrations of Critical Mass has at last been laid bare by the vocal maneuvering of slick, archetypical lawyer for former-officer Patrick Pogan, Mr. Stuart London. A quick aside: As a human being, I occasionally suffer bouts of empathy and compassion. Just as all who view the video of the inertial-halting-vector-...