Q: “Did u hear the one about the changes to the White House since Obama got elected?
A: Him and Michelle did some gardening and replaced the rose garden with watermelons!”

Wow, usually I don’t get to hear this type of humor but I was privy to it tonight @ the local gas station a few blocks from work in Blaine, WA (just south of the Canadian border). I was tellin the clerk about Michelle Obama planting a garden in England last week and how well she got along with the children. And the man behind me in his dirty coveralls and work boots says “watermelons?!”
I kinda did a double take and told them that I don’t usually get to hear those jokes. I guess its a different world to be ethnically ambiguous at times. And to hear that we’re still usin Jim Crow imagery in ‘09 is fascinating and disturbing! Its still a very racist place that we’re livin in.

So what does Obama’s presidency mean? I believe it will just become more concealed and covert than it has already been.

Your thoughts?

I guess I’m a product of what is fast becoming the Twit-generation,  as short messages are all that keep me in contact with not only my friends on Facebook, but the many others who follow this site.

Anyways, two Saturday ago I rolled down with my buddy Tope (you may remember him as my best friend who also got his bike stolen a few weeks back). 

We got there towards the very end of the event after it seemed like a myriad of issues sprang up en route, included 4 de-chaining incidents (all on my part…I was working with some pretty banged-up parts on my ‘new’ bike).  It was just enough time to connect with the chair of the Los Angeles Biking Commission, as well as Professor Robert Gottleib, the event’s coordinator and leader of the Urban & Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental College. Both were pretty excited to see me, as they had followed my trip to DC.

I met a lot of other folks who were holdin it down for the bike advocacy scene too…including Damien of Streetsblog as well as the “Bicycle Planning” Masters student Nate Baird.  Check out his informative blog at ensie.blogspot.com.

I’d have to say that the best part of the Summit was the networks that were built upon, the opportunity for like minds to come together and share their passion for a better biking future in the best city in america.*

The ride back to Highland Park was fun, as I was joined by a couple of cycling friends @ Oxy.  Much props to women holdin it down on bikes! Way to lead by example.

*strictly riding weather-wise at least

Update:

Here’s a video from the Bike summit:

While sitting at a bar having some fried catfish and chips, a man approached me indicating his interest in my bike and asked if me and Gonzo were bike messengers.

Being the “down”type of white-boy he told me that he loved Obama and that we have a Black President and that Black people in general were the most beautiful race on the earth.

I was flattered and downright touched…up until he dropped the bomb. “You know, I could tell when I first seen you that you was cool peoples, you know you my nigga!” He paused, and then added, “you know but its aight if I say it with the n.i.g.g.a and not end with the ‘E.R.’ ”

Anyways, I was obviously a little taken back, however, seeing as how this gentleman had just paid for my dinner, I felt a little hesitant to argue his point that in Louisiana “all the black folks are cool with it”. Anyways, we walked outside to take a picture by the bike and were greeted by a black man riding on a mountain bike who took claimed he wanted to purchase my touring bike! Next thing I know ol’ cool white boy has greeted the man sayin “whats up my nigga?!” The outcome of the ensuing conversation was bleak. After trying to explain that his black friends in Louisiana are “cool with me sayin nigga,’ he claimed ‘man I’m a nigga too!” An argument and some macho positioning went around until I convinced the black man not to try and beat that “fat white motherf***az ass” . “Well F*** you too then, NIGGA!” the black man he finally said dismissing his newfound foe.

So in turn for not fighting the man over their miscommunication I bought the man a beer and asked him to tell me about his life. Turns out that he’s a Desert Storm Veteran, not receiving the services he needs as an plastic artery in his left leg clots often. “The government has really forgotten about us”, he expressed. When asked about Obama he said he was hopeful that the vets would be treated better for their service to the country.

Then he was kicked out of the bar. Apparently the owner thought that he was trying to work his hustle. According to the bar owner, he had a poor reputation for hustling folks nearby.

What do I take from this? Well, at this point just hours later I am still trying to process just what went on. I see one more example of how the Obama-era Post-racial society concept is bogus. People are hurting and neglected, and many of us can’t communicate beyond our differences.

Some more food for thought from my favorite cartoon, EVER! What do YOU think???