The Daily Campus

Issue date: 6/12/06 Section: Commentary

Over the course of the past few decades, environmental activists and other concerned citizens have been directly opposing the government-funded oil industry by way of independent bipedal locomotion. This past May, millions celebrated Bike-to-Work Week and, as part of the occurrence, a group called Elm City Cycling led people across this state to their jobs in New Haven. Later this month, an event called Critical Mass will be taking place in which people around the globe bike together, thrusting the earth's rotation forwards. Transforming themselves into something of modern-day Thoreaus, these self-reliant collectivists commit themselves to actual action, be it practical or symbolic, in an earnest attempt to help mold a better world for human progeny.

Bikes Against Big Oil, another group of cycling dissidents based here in Connecticut, departed from New York City on June 1 to begin a bicycle trip across the continent powered only by their inner determination and outward physical strength. The League of American Bicyclists is proudly endorsing the group's astonishing project, along with infamous underground publisher AK Press, the web site BikeFem.net, and many other local, progressive circles. Embarking on this "Car-Free Summer," those taking part are at this moment traversing everything from metropolitan megalopolises to open plains, towering mountains and desolate wastelands - their legs propelling them the whole way like a Lewis and Clark expedition for the New American Century. With enough determination and luck, they hope to make it to the Pacific coastline in Portland, Ore. within a few weeks.

Throughout this lengthy seventeen-state voyage, the bike warriors will be openly speaking with Americans of every type and background about global energy policies, environmentalism and the general condition of social affairs. Like Yankee Zapatista rebels, this squadron of activists will be notifying the locals who they meet along the way that driving cars only helps further empower an elite class that plunders the globe in an ironic attempt to have it dominated. Indeed, those involved with the protest are not ashamed of their distrust for both the petroleum industry and its vanguard politicians. Right on the toolbar of BikeWarriors.org, these activists proudly declare, "Boycott big oil - demand support for alternative mass transportation." Believing that true progress can only come from the bottom upwards, these dissidents are very proud to non-violently launch an assault against all forms of hegemony.

Continued...

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