Eliot Jackson Launches Grow Cycling Foundation to Promote Diversity in Cycling

 Thank you for the work you're doing! I'm sure you're crazy busy, but if you had time, I'd love to read a semi-regular column from you about how this initiative is going (and what else went into getting it to this stage), and other thoughts on diversity, equity, and inclusion in mountain biking. A concerted push towards more inclusion in this sport is long, long overdue.

 Congrats Eliot! Can't wait to see Grow Cycling grow!! Thanks for your hard work and for being such a great ambassador for mountain biking.

 @steezysam: Yes! For sure thank you! We a newsletter that you can sign up for on the site that will give updates and info on all kinds of good stuff We should be releasing the first issue in the next few weeks

 @bobbys13: Thank you!! Thanks for listening and taking the time

 @EliotJackson: Sweet, I'll sign up!

 This is awesome! Congratulations on launching this and much respect for taking this up.

 This is an awesome initiative Eliot, definitely donating. Thank you!

 Way to go, Eliot, this takes a lot of work and a ton of guts. With everything going on, I've been thinking you would be a great leader when it comes to diversity and racial awareness in the mtb community. You're a great communicator and have that high-energy, welcoming personality that people are attracted to--I hope you get more opportunities to show that, be on screen at big events (if that's something you desire) and share your story and stoke for mountain biking. I'm damn near flat broke but I will make a small donation momentarily. All the folks who know what's good in the world appreciate you!!!

 Beyond happy to be in a place where I could make a small donation to Grow today and excited to see where this goes.

 Nice work dude. Real work that will grow the sport!

 Well Done Elliot and congrats and all the success with this opportunity. I hope you can take it global.

 If you're aiming to do work in Utah, hit up the Park City Community Foundation. They love to hand out grants to organizations which promote diversity. Good luck!

 Congrats on the new venture and I wish you all the best luck! I think you are doing amazing things with the right reasons behind them and I applaud you and your hard work! A real role model for the next generations to look up to! Cheers Eliot!

 @scott-townes: Thank you, Scott!!

 @Mattysville: Thank youuuu!!!

 @gemma8788: Thank you so much for the kind words, Gemma! It's OK if you can't donate! The FAQ question about what you can do if you can't donate is so incredibly important and we all have the opportunity in the little interactions we have every day to be a little bit more inclusive and empathetic to others Including me!

 @EliotJackson always a class act! Congratulations and bravo for doing something like this!

 Respect. You've got my support.

 This is really great and I applaud your initiative Eliot! I'd say to make a real difference, a person of your influence is needed in mountain biking. The hurdles are pretty big and will require a lot of support. I work with a nonprofit 501c3 organization to get at-risk youth involved in taekwondo in south Seattle. We have about 150 kids participating, mostly black, latino and asian. The local community center kindly donates space and all of us instructors volunteer our time. It's great but I'd really love to get these kids into mountain biking as well. Just being out in nature, especially with all the great trails in our area, I think would be life-changing for them. But mtn bikes, even cheap used ones, plus protective gear are out of reach for most. Not to mention the real trails are over on the east side, which is pretty far from south Seattle. Some big hurdles.

 Eliot, you are the best kind of human there is and sadly I’ve never meet you.

 Nicely done

 This is awesome! There are grass roots efforts being made in a few places around the SF Bay Area with the same goals in mind!
Dirt World BMX park was built by volunteers in the heart of Richmond, Ca. They are slowly getting to the point of sustainability with the dirt jumps and BMX race track. Here is a link to a story on that one:
www.mercurynews.com/2018/07/08/dirt-world-the-east-bay-gets-its-first-urban-bmx-park
And Bicycle trails Council of the East Bay is working to build a pump track near Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland.

Access to a good, well made and legal riding area is huge! The town I grew up in built houses on all of the old dirt lots we rode as kids and now the youth in that town have only a small skate park on the new side of town. I wish every city could have a pumptrack at a minimum!

 Wishing you every success with Grow Cycling Foundation @EliotJackson and given your obvious enthusiasm and love of riding bikes, I’ve little doubt that you’ll succeed.

 @youknowitsus: Yes the egomaniac bro riders are a problem, but are you really saying that Eliot (or anyone else on here) has lost the ability to see the difference between access and racism? Surely he has traveled more/farther, met more bikers/people, had more bike-related experiences than anyone else commenting here. He is also Black, which means his experiences have been different from yours. I'm only two hours away from you in Richmond, grew up in VA my whole life, and I've seen and heard plenty of racism in cycling. It may not be overt--for example, I've heard bikers talking about other bikers at trailheads, and while the POC may or may not have been out of earshot, you can't tell me these bikers are going to be welcoming/inclusive on the trail, drinking beers afterwards, etc. I think we have one of the best communities out there overall--I've always felt you can't be a biker AND an a*shole; like, if you're an a*shole, I don't care how good you are on a bike, you aren't a mountain biker--but it's not perfect and people who have had these experiences are trying to get people to understand it's a real thing. It isn't perceived; it's as real as the ego bros, people just aren't shouting racism from their sprinter's; it's a quieter kind of f'ed up. Just wanted to say my experiences have been different and it makes me sick to see it in a sport I champion to pretty much everyone I meet.

 @gemma8788: Hey man I see your point and I do appreciate it. What I'm against is people furthering an agenda while remaining willfully ignorant of the distinction between access ans racism. Basically, I'm for conscious thought in approaching any issue. I think it's easy to believe the strong feelings behind the fact racism does exist in the first place as an indication of a much larger problem. And in some ways you sorta proved my point: The people who ARE racist can get the f*ck out, but will they even bare any impact on a culture that simply doesn't tolerate it in the first place? What I worry about most is people creating a bigger problem that may or may not exist. Just because I'm not black doesn't mean I personally haven't witnessed my black friends fking CUT IN FRONT OF while standing in line at a convenience store. Racism obviously impacts us all, but we need to understand that there IS a distinction between access and assumed inherent racism. As in, can the fact that minorities may have not received larger access really just be because of assumptions they don't want to ride? Or maybe that activity just isn't prevalent in that area? We CANNOT assume the cause is racism by default, because in doing so we paint a more racist world, which is doing the exact thing we're fighting against....lessening racism. It just seems a bit backwards to me and we can position our efforts to promote equality without using the past as a lens of certainty for what in all honesty, may or may not be true. Can you see where I'm coming from?

 @youknowitsus: I think I see where you're coming from and I do appreciate that neither of us are being combative here. However, I am very clear on the fact that access and racism are different, but I think a lot of people believe they are mutually exclusive (not saying you, just lots of folks in general). They are NOT mutually exclusive, which also means: no, I don't believe the fact that minorities are not more involved is because they simply don't want to ride. MTB is so global now you can look to many countries (Central/South America, Asia, Eastern Europe, a few select parts of Africa, etc.) whose populations would be considered minorities in the US, where MTB is flourishing. So I see access and racism as very closely connected, which I think it what Eliot is trying to tackle here: more access (first pump track to be built in LA where there are tons of minorities), more inclusiveness, more bikers. Finally, bringing pre-existing racism to someone's attention is not increasing racism in the world, it's addressing the problem (which I believe to be true and real based on my experiences and certainly based on those of POC, such as Eliot). I'm guessing we aren't going to come to an agreement today, but I wholeheartedly agree with you that people who ARE racist can gtfo. I think we both need a ride now lol.

 I think its funny how you can have an entire mountain bike community that is wholeheartedly accepting of and wants more for Eliot, yet we are all racist. Don't buy into the BS, it only divides us further. Eliot, glad for you as always.

 We will support this effort and signed up... Cycling over the year has introduce me to so many new place faces and places... It is time to give back.

 @youknowitsus: Well said.

 @gemma8788: Yeah I think there is something in the middle that prevents full agreement but I will have to admit I do see new purpose in the whole discussion around combatting racism that does exist. In theory if we have more efforts to show we're against it while not excluding those whose minds need to be changed, THAT is something I can get behind!

 @gemma8788: When is the last time you have shared your number; inviting a person of another color to ride? Are you being Hypocritical and why would you not intervene those insinuating comments at the trailheads ?? Offering an opportunity to experience the sport of mountain biking, no strings attached, befriending and conversing with them without awkwardness??? This is the avenue which to introduce another person into any activity.
This sounds to me that maybe people here on PB having not made any efforts, nor boldly intervening in any wrongful activity, are doing nothing to promote this action of diversity and are merely pandering to the addressed atmosphere with bigotry. Thus, exacerbating this notion of inclusiveness of race; hence, creating animosity and division of race, of which is being perpetuated here.

 @likeittacky: And this is why your message will fall on dead ears. SHAMING OTHER HUMAN BEINGS who are not racists will NEVER be an effective path to change. Tearing down the human spirit with this powerful negative emotion is the only thing worth shaming. You should honestly be ashamed of YOURSELF for perpetuating such negatively and such an evil approach to creating change. I'd strongly encourage you to check yourself as you're only seeking to incite conflict when there are FAR MORE effective approaches to influencing people to change their behavior than shaming a good person because they don't act how you think they should! Can't even believe you'd be so brainwashed and hypocritical to think a negative approach to a positive movement is a good idea....so fall the f*ck back real quick homie.

 @likeittacky: Yes! "...go find a person of color..." like they are a Pokemon, and recruit them to the sport. It doesn't matter what color, just so long as they aren't white. Be sure to brag about it on social media so that you can claim your Diversity Points™ to be redeemed at a later date.

Absolutely gross, dude. Let's not treat minority populations in the US like they are devoid of any self agency. White saviorism is nasty. Maybe we can just agree to be kind, inviting stewards of the sport regardless of who we might encounter, yeah?

 @mikealive: Well have to laugh at that, because I'm a fan of raw comedy( Chappelle, Burr, Pryor,Carlin, Kat etc., etc..) but honestly your absolutely right and thanks for pointing out my error in wording ! Although the point I'm making remains the same, in suggesting to befriend people of other Race and invest your personal time entertaining them with this sport and nurturing that interaction. And Hey, if it is not their cup of tea or the friend ship doesn't work out than move on. It's not the the end of world; or maybe it is who knows!

 @likeittacky: Everyone is racist to a degree, that's a fact. Saying, "I'M NOT RACIST AND I DON'T KNOW ANYONE THAT IS!" because you don't hear people blatantly using racist slurs or minorities being rejected from businesses is an easy escape. Educating yourself on institutional racism throughout the history of the U.S. and recognizing your own prejudices is the hard first step towards achieving equality.

Your post is not edgy or unique. Its the same BS that's been played for decades to defend institutional racism by pretending it doesn't exist. I'm by no means calling you a bad person. You're simply someone who has yet to be educated and doesn't understand the extent of racism and what role its played since the inception of the U.S. to this day. You're just simply ignorant.

 @scott-townes: Well first off this education you speak of is currently being abolished by radicals in order to magically make disappear. Secondly, the assumption that I'm unaware of Jamestown 1619, Rosa Parks, Jim Crow, Malcolm X, C.R A.-1957,1964, Louis Farrakhan, Robert E.Lee, MLK Jr., Roots, Neil Young- "Southern Man" Tupac Shakur, The Roots, NAACP, Collard Greens and Chitlins (yes i attended an all Blk church only white present) but wait there's more - Rodney King-during which, me and blk coworker shooting pool together in Hammond, LA. at a bar with hateful onlookers.

Is this all Virtue Signaling? NO, Not by any means; but rather a rebuke to you vilifying your insidious comments.

Have a good day

 @likeittacky: "Well first off this education you speak of is currently being abolished by radicals in order to magically make disappear"


You seriously need to educate yourself.

 @likeittacky: No man, I wasn't arguing semantics, I was quite literally taking issue with the notion that any person should seek out any other person *on a primary identifier of skin color* to be recruited to any activity. This isn't a Diversity Bingo to be played with other human beings. That is quite literally the definition of Tokenism. How do you think that makes the other person feel? "The primary reason I invited you was that you are Asian". Huh? That's just gross in my eyes--what a perverse motivation. On the other hand, you're somehow being chastised by Scotty-Townes for not being woke _enough_, so what do I know, lol.

Maybe I just have a different point of view on these things because my entire adult life I've had friends of every skin color and ethnicity--such interactions are not foreign to me. But if I ask any of my friends to come do X activity with me because, as a primary factor, there is an 'under representation' of Y skin color in said activity, they are going to look at me sideways. And rightfully so.

Thought experiment: let's pretend you are a white person in a group of 10 people.. we'll say at a workplace. Somehow this group of people happens to be a direct reflection of the US demographic: 6 white, 2 hispanic, 1.5 black, but we'll round that to 2 for the sake of whole numbers (sorry to my asian friends, indigenous people, and others--I see you, but bear with me here). You have two spare bikes and weekend lift passes at Whatever Mtn. Who do you take?

If anyone reading this reaches a conclusion other than 'the 2 people who most want to go', then you are engaging in some form of racism, sexism, prejudice, etc. End of. Remember, nothing has been mentioned about skillset, ability to travel, whose company you prefer, or anything else. If you choose the two black people simply for the fact that they aren't white, you're perpetuating racism, the same as if you had chosen two white people for the sake that they weren't black. The actual truth here is that there is nuance in every situation, and choices to be made that are often relative. This truth is often lost in such discussions.

Let me be very clear here--I absolutely believe institutional racism was and continues to be a thing. It is getting better, for sure, but the effects of such policies are long lasting and thus, take years to overcome. I continue to learn about the fallout of such policies--it was 2019 before I knew redlining was a thing! The resulting suppression of generational wealth 100% has had an impact on the opportunities afforded to many black Americans, there is no doubt. That said, I don't believe it's a matter of institutional racism, or overt racism, that we don't see more black and brown faces on the trails. Common interests among peer groups and access to trails are a couple reasons, among many.

This reply is getting long-winded, I apologize. It's an important topic worthy of discussion, but I have work to do this weekend and likely won't be able to come back to the conversation. So lastly, anyone here ever play the game Six degrees of Kevin Bacon? You pick a person and try to connect them to Kevin Bacon in 6 moves or less. Sometimes I feel like people are playing Six degrees of Racism. As in, how can I tie this outcome to racism in 6 moves or less. There being few black or brown faces in mountain biking in the US is not the result of overt racism, and is a stretch to say it is due to institutional racism directly. There are absolutely barriers to entry for the sport, exactly ZERO of which are tied to the color of someone's skin specifically. Socioeconomic factors have to be the number one barrier to the sport of cycling, and if the correlation to a historically lower average household income for black Americans versus their white counterparts is being argued, I can meet you somewhere on that bridge perhaps. But if that's the case, why not just develop a program to serve all poor/underserved populations, regardless of skin color? You mean to tell me you have 10 kids in front of you, all from poor households, all who want to ride mountain bikes... and you tell a portion of them that they are not welcome because of the color of their skin?? This is racist on its face! This heals nothing! A missed opportunity to normalize kids from similar circumstances but different backgrounds having the opportunity to share interests and develop friendships (and understanding!). All for the sake of meeting some arbitrary 'diversity criteria' that remains undefined and ever changing. Look, give me a finish line. Give me a "When we have reached X number of mountain bike participants that meet Y criteria (race, gender, etc) we have achieved our goal" and I might be inclined to sign onto the mission if, for no other reason, we can attain said goal and go back to acting like the kind, decent community most mountain bikers already are. Until then, such initiatives come across as, at best, well-meaning but misguided and exclusionary.

Remember to be kind to each other, and happy trails.

 This might be the best news in 2020. Congrats Elliot for starting this new foundation and bringing our sport to even more people who will love it. I am feeling the deepest respect for all the work you had to lay down in your career. You are one of the rare but truly inspirational riders out there. My son is a hughe fan of yours. I wish you personally and for your project only the best.

 Well said.

 You are totally correct that decades (or more accurately, centuries) of housing and economic policies have negatively impacted non-White people, and limited their access to activities like mountain biking.

But those housing and economic policies are harmful to non-White people because they are racist policies, and racism is very alive and well in the mountain biking community (even offline).

 I always say, if I had stayed in my hometown I would have NEVER become a mountain bike racer. Not because I wasn't capable or because I didn't have the money to get a used bike, but because I didn't even know mountain biking was a thing. We take for granted that we all got introduced to it in some way. That's one of the things we are doing is providing an entry point for people. Bikes are a vehicle, physically and metaphorically and it's important for new people getting into the sport to see that!

 Both housing segregation and wealth inequality are because of racism stemming from white supremacy in the United States, so you can't separate one from the other.

 @matadorCE: Yes, but my point is that it isn't necessarily overt (used the wrong word in my original post SMH) racism that is the cause in the modern day, but historical patterns and legacies of racism. Racists are certainly still out there, but I have a hard time believing that is why most minority kids and adults don't participate in the sport.

 @EliotJackson: Rad dude. You are an awesome influence on the sport. Certainly doing for MTB what the Williams brothers are doing for road cycling.

 @EliotJackson: 100%. I hope you can succeed in creating pathways into the sport!

 @matadorCE: I live in the PNW, so I mostly see Tacomas, 4Runners, and Subarus, usually with Patagonia or Backcountry stickers on them. I can certainly see how this is a factor in the south.

 If you’ve never met a racist mountain biker you’ve def never rode in Orange County.

 While I don't encounter outright open racism frequently I can most definitely confirm it’s certainly happens as a minority rider

 @matadorCE: So Trump voters cannot MTB? Saying all Trump supporters are racist is no different than any other stereotype with black people,Asians etc.. I am sure I will be down voted into oblivion here. That said, it's BS assumption.

@EliotJackson what you are doing is Rad..you are an inspiration and an all around great guy from all I see. Kudos man!

 @bman33: Nah dude, one is basing your opinion of someone based on their political beliefs (which someone determines themselves) and the other is based on an inherent characteristic that you cannot change. Believe it or not, a lot of people don't like Trump supporters because of the shit that has come out of the man's mouth.

 @bman33: Not all of them but the ones it is particuarly referencing, with confederate flags and whom base their entire personality on loving a far right politician, are almost, if not all, racists whos predjudiced attitudes to outsiders of various socioeconomic and ethnic groups make it hard for mountain biking to embrace diversity, so yes if we want to share the love of mountain biking with more people and push for diversity then those particular loud outspoken trump supporting people and their mindsets should not be welcome in mountain biking.
@EliotJackson big love my guy, what your doing for the sport is really great

 @bman33: If the shoe fits, and it doesn't go unnoticed that those individuals at the very least are giving their passive approval. If someone goes out of their way to include a "Trump 2020" sign in their strava pictures, then yeah they're most likely racists.

 @bman33: all Trump supports support Trump - Trump is objectively racist - so Trump supporters are supporting racism, period.

 >I have never met a MTBer in real life (not on Pinkbike forums) that is racist

Come to Texas, we have plenty of those.

 I don’t know if money has anything to do with it. I’ve been to Bali and Thailand and in both places I managed to find local bikers to hit the trails with. These guys really didn’t have much money, but they did manage to buy a functioning bike. I think having access to trails is much more important. This is probably what’s mostly lacking for inner city kids.

 @matadorCE: i mean there even are some dumbasses in the forums here with trump 2020 as their profile picture. You can't tell you you agree with the incredible amount of SHIT that comes out of his mouth but not agree with his racism as well. He is the person that made racism more socially acceptable in the US than before.

 @Upduro: Yep, the plausible deniability excuse some people used in 2015/2016 is null and void now. This guy has put out exactly what he is and what he's about, so if you support him you're by default cosigning everything he's doing.

 @matadorCE: that is most certainly a Florida thing, not a mountain biking thing.

 LOL, your community sounds rad. Unfortunately, here iin Virginia there are numerous racist running around on mountain bikes.

 @HB208: So by your logic discrimination based on religious beliefs is cool?

 Aside from the usual comment ridiculousness, @EliotJackson this seems like a rad project to bring access to crucial exposure of the sport, to a wider range of people. Right on!

 @Anbrewski: Trump supporters act like it is a religion, but no. I would say that it is cool to discriminate against a cult though... which Trumpers are close to being.

 @HB208: Do you see how ridiculous this sounds? I would prefer a society where we don't discriminate against anyone!

Generalizing a group of people based on an external factor = no good.

 @Anbrewski: We all discriminate to some extent. You discriminate when don't associate with all sorts of people. Whats not cool is discriminating because someone is of a certain race, religion, gender, heritage, etc. It is totally fine to discriminate against people who hold views that you find abhorrent.

 @Anbrewski: It's the intolerance paradox. For example, you can't let even one Nazi start to hang out in your bar. Yeah he's come alone for the past few weeks, and he's polite to you. But pretty soon he's going to bring his other Nazi friends. Hell, maybe the first two Nazi buddies he brings are polite and keep to themselves. But eventually, you're in a Nazi bar and no one is being polite anymore.

 @jwdenver: Experienced the same thing in Texas, even within the local mountain bike club.

 @Anbrewski: Except Trump hasn't achieved good for this country. He's stirred up xenophobia and encouraged racist attitudes and caused more division in this country than any other political figure in modern american history. MLK might have had his flaws but he was fighting for an oppressed minority, Trump is fighting for the opposite of that. What are these great things you refer to, he inherited a strong economy but managed to drive the federal deficit (which had been shrinking) up more and more each year. He ignored and dismissed the risks of Covid and promoted conspiracy theories about it and now we are the world leader in Covid cases and deaths. The economic fallout from his mismanagement is only going to get worse.

 @HB208: lol. Do you see where this becomes dangerous? Allowing discrimination based on beliefs is hugely dependent on the people in power holding the same beliefs as you.

For an oversimplified example, your local government decides to levy an additional property tax on those that registered to vote as the opposing political party.
Still fair?

Or for more fun, your LBS decides to give those that support their stance on politics a 30% discount on all bike purchases.

Or anyone that doesn't think vaccines cause autism is banned from Facebook and suddenly everyone thinks tumeric cures Polio.

There's no way to draw a line in the sand.

In conclusion.
Discrimination = still not cool

Disagreeing with someones beliefs = cool

 @HB208: Are you absolutely positive the word you're searching for is discrimination? If it is, your perspective is a bit of a case study in naive realism and asymmetric insight. We don't have room for any discrimination in this world.

The casualness with which people are throwing around systemic, racism, and discrimination these days is absolutely dangerous.

 @Anbrewski: Wait, it’s not universally accepted that Nazis are bad?

 @cuban-b: Yes, I would agree Nazi's are definitely evil scumbags. As are all racists, homophobes, sexists, etc.

 @Anbrewski: ok whew... for the record I do agree with the point you’re making regarding assumptions in a logic argument

 @cuban-b: thanks buddy lol.

 @Anbrewski: the article you just cited is an opinion article. If you look at overall economic growth under Trump it's basically just a continuation of the trajectory of the Obama presidency, not remarkable considering.
markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/9-charts-comparing-trump-economy-to-obama-bush-administrations-2019-9-1028833119

Besides that have you looked at unemployment rates lately?

 I havnt totally understood the mechanics, but hasn't trumps administration basically undone Obamas attempts at universal healthcare? Perhaps someone in the US can clarify?..but that seems like a big step back when trying to reduce income inequalities? If people didn't have to worry so much about their health costs, perhaps they'd feel more able to spend their little money on leisure activities.

 @nordland071285: the ACA isn't anything remotely resembling universal healthcare and Trump hasn't yet been able to undo those efforts, although he naturally has tried. The real trouble with this is our idiotic two party system that's hell bent on opposition vs building on what's been accomplished by the other side--unfortunately (and worryingly) Trump is just a symptom of this.

 @HaggeredShins: amen. You get the bigger picture

 @bman33: I’ll say it: all Trump supporters are racist.

 You cannot support Trump without being inherently bigoted. The only alternative is complete ignorance. @bman33:

 @bman33: all trump voter's are a-okay with Trump's racist actions. Whether you want to say that makes them racist or not depends on how thick-skulled you are.

 @Anbrewski: That's why it's called the intolerance paradox. You cannot tolerate ideologies whose intolerance of other is a literal existential threat to large swaths of humanity.

 @dratm: Can you give an example of how racism is alive on PB?
I can. Your comment above is racist just for fingerprinting and putting the racist label on us.
You just called yourself out too.

Land values are priced in a free market. There is a reason land in a flood plain is cheap. If you are suggesting we give people something for nothing then please tell me what philosophy that is or the philosophy you think we all should follow.

If you believe in karma and reincarnation like the majority of people in the world, then we all have chosen the lives we lead, and there is a reason and a purpose to our lives. Without suffering through problems, we will not learn, and we will not evolve. if you want to point a finger, point to the kings and queens and their belief and claim that they have the divine right to rule as direct descendants of the "gods" above. That's the real source of racism- king and queens, not Pinkbikers.

 @HaggeredShins: it seems you're right, it is a long way from universal health care.
But the point still stands, free healthcare would go some way to putting everyone on a similar starting line

 @dratm: Just because racist people exist in the sport doesn't mean that there is a problem of racism. That's called overgeneralizing and it's literally a psychological symptom addressed in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. You need to be clear on that distinction. It's because you WANT to believe there is a problem of racism to feel the safety of being in the majority. Snap out of it.

 @Anbrewski: Yes, some of them are 'genuinely fine people' much like the nazis marching in charlottesville, right?

 @Anbrewski:

I can think of several. He has a pattern of falsely claiming that non-white politicians aren't actually American or or US citizens eligible to hold their office. Now that his Obama boogie man is no longer a viable target, he's going after Kamala Harris:
www.oregonlive.com/nation/2020/08/trump-gave-credence-to-a-false-racist-conspiracy-theory-that-kamala-harris-isnt-eligible-to-be-vp-its-not-true.html

He took out full-page ads in the NYT calling for the conviction and death of 5 non-white youths in New York, where systemic racism lead to their false accusation and conviction of murder. They were later proven innocent. (This is a tragically short recap, please more about as the story illuminates much on systemic racism and Trump's overt racism): www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/feb/17/central-park-five-donald-trump-jogger-rape-case-new-york

He still hasn't backed down on calling non-white immigrants and asylum seekers from Central and South America "rapists and drug dealers":
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/totally-accurate-trump-defends-calling-mexican-immigrants-rapists

He continues to minimize or erase the generational trauma caused by the violent subjugation of our country's history of slavery by refusing to acknowledge that naming US military installation after traitors who sought to tear the country apart to preserve slavery is frankly, insane. abcnews.go.com/Politics/trumps-history-defending-confederate-heritage-political-risk-analysis/story?id=71199968

At this point I want to point out that the last point took me a long time to realize. I grew up in GA and had a generally positive view on confederate imagery and sort of a regional pride thing. The rednecks and racists at school bothered me, but that was separate from southern pride. Knowing what I know now and looking back on it, you can't separate the Confederate Battle flag, added to states' flags in protest of the Civil Rights Act, as a symbol of regional pride only. It has baggage. Own that baggage, or drop it.

 @pmhobson: Firstly, thank you for taking the time to craft a reasonable post without immediately attacking my morality for not agreeing with you.

Here we go:
1) In this instance, Trump was responding to being asked about a column published in Newsweek by Conservative legal scholar John C. Eastman. In the column Eastman questions Harris' eligibility due to immigrant parents. Trump's response to this line of questioning was, "I have no idea if that is right."
Racist?

2) At the time of taking out this ad, the alleged rapists had all confessed to the crime. Was Trump responsible for the behavior of the New York police department? Or just on the wrong side of history trying to take a stance against rape and crime in his home.
Racist and Sexist?

3) My interpretation of the quote you're referring to was that, a lot of crime and evil comes across our southern border. In the same sentence Trump says, "..some, I assume, are good people." It is a fact that crime, drugs, and criminals come across all of our borders. Why wouldn't we want to keep that out if possible. Perhaps if we curbed illegal immigration, we could allow entry to more people of the world that would like to be productive, good people, of our country.
Is having a front door on your house racist?

4) I agree on this that we could likely rework some of our nationally owned and operated institutions that bear the "baggage" of historic wrongdoings. I don't know if the best way to go about this is trying to erase their marks on history. However, here, I think trump was refusing to endorse the actions of anarchists hell bent on destroying any history of the United States they don't like the look of. For example, in Boston a statue of Robert Gould Shaw, a memorial to black soldiers, was destroyed. How is this productive?

 @Anbrewski: of course.

1) I view that as one of his many tactics to dog-whistle permission for people to be their worst selves. "People are saying", "I've heard it said", yada yada. In cases where there's clearly a lie to be told, rather than leaning into the truth, he won't even point out that something is wrong if people believing it serves him. Also that's just one example, go back and listen to what he's said about Obama's, AOC's and Ilhan Omar's eligibility to serve. I see a pattern there.

2) At the time of taking out the ad, it was well know that those confessions had be coerced and given under duress by psychological interrogation tactics that frankly, we should all be scared of. Again, DJT conveniently ignored what didn't suit his narrative.

3) And a lot of crime is committed at the hands of white people inside our borders. Look at all of the politically motivated killings of past 3 decades. Where did they come from? Look at who harvests our food at criminally low wages and in dangerous conditions (especially now). Where's the real problem? I don't doubt for a sec that this was an attempt at "othering" a large swath people, again, giving permission to bigots to be their worst selves.

4) I understand the sentiment, but disagree that renaming US Military installations and removing monuments celebrating the confederacy is erasing history. To erase history, we'd remove that era from text books, we stop teaching it school, we'd ban discussing it on the internet. That's not happening and I don't want it to happen. I think confronting the past should be done with an open mind and clear eyes, and definitely that didn't happen in RGS statute case. But that's kind of an outlier, isn't it? It's also unrelated to Trump's behavior and attitudes towards the preservation of honoring confederate leaders, which is what I'm really talking about.

 @Anbrewski: I think it is missing the point by requiring an example of a "racist action" to make an informed decision about it. If it was truly a matter of one or two awkward statements taken "out of context" that would be one thing but when it's a long running pattern of remarks that are overtly xenophobic or derogatory towards certain nationalities or ethnicities that's another. The problem with him spouting these remarks is that it encourages and emboldens people who have racist ideologies and helps reinforce their bigotry. Just for reference here's a list of examples:
gen.medium.com/trump-keeps-saying-racist-things-heres-the-ever-growing-list-of-examples-21774f6749a4
I agree we should work at understanding the viewpoints of those on the other side of the aisle and I think previous presidents both Republican and Democrat may have disagreed with their political opponents but did not attempt to vilify and belittle them. Even if I don't necessarily share their views I have respect for politicians who can work together. Unfortunately Trump ostracizes even the members of his own party who would like to do that, John McCain specifically comes to mind. He dared to disagree with Trump who ostracized him and went on to be extremely disrespectful to him even on his deathbed.
I don't agree with others here that are saying you are a racist if you vote for Trump but consider that by supporting him you are supporting those sentiments he is expressing.
Trump has adopted the extremely antagonistic language previously only used by extreme far right talk show hosts and the such, calling all of his political opponents socialists and insinuating they are criminals of some sort, his antics in the 2016 elections with getting the crowd chanting "Lock her up" exemplifies this as does his name calling of his political opponents: Crooked Hilary, Sleepy Joe etc..
It's hard to feel like we can have respectful dialogue when the leader of our nation cannot lead by example.
I appreciate the thoughtfulness and constructive tone of your post and do hope we can all have more civil dialogue in the future.

 @pmhobson: So, we have established different interpretations of Orange Man's rhetoric on certain issues. Rather than debate the semantics, let's jump to the point. Does the fact that you believe your interpretation is correct negate any opposing viewpoint? Does it make someone like me, who doesn't necessarily agree with everything you're saying racist?
For the record, I am one of those individuals that "harvests our food at criminally low wages." A group that is often "othered" by those with more left leaning beliefs, as unintelligent, ignorant, and needing of aid in order to see the "correct" understanding of the world around us.

Basically, are we okay with people having and formulating their own opinions, or do we "cancel" anyone that doesn't conform to our own beliefs.

 "China Virus"

 @Anbrewski: you're suffering from your own insecurity, unfortunately. who specifically on the "left" is calling you unintelligent, ignorant, and needing of aid? where is this sentiment that youre second fiddle coming from? no one is explicitly "othering" you personally. the idea that people adapt and pull themselves up by their bootstraps traditionally is espoused by the "right". if you consider yourself center moderate, these assumptions are in conflict with that stance.

 @Anbrewski: oh and BTW, using MLK's treatment of women isn't really a good comparison in this case, considering Trump's history of his treatment of women. there are plenty of documented examples: "grab em by the p****". since we brought it up and all...

 @shami: Another reasonable and constructive opinion. Thanks.

Once again, DJT can be an ass to opponents and party-members alike.
Probably not a guy I would want to hit the trails with, I assume he would ride an eMTB.

The reason we need concrete examples of racism in order to apply that terminology, is due to the seriousness of the accusation. We can all interpret rhetoric differently, so therefore, in this instance, as with many other aspects of life, actions speak louder than words. They're much clearer to interpret. For example, Joe Biden voting to oppose busing and school desegregation, is racist. This is a concrete example of political action to oppose people of color, ie. systemic racism.

However, I also think that the argument contesting his aggressive rhetoric should be applied to the other side as well. I have never seen a president, or other political official in the US attacked so viscously, and I think this is part of the issue with our current political climate. Having DJT as president is a symptom of large swaths of America being fed up with the way things are going. Hopefully, we can see more moderate political candidates in the future that we can all get behind.

 @cuban-b: Insecurity? Dude. Look back in just this comment thread to see what I am referring too when I describe "othering." I think it is fair to say that there is a general attitude amongst those on the left, and many commenters here, that anyone who voted for Trump is; too stupid to see the truth regarding Trump, too ignorant to understand politics, and in need of education on these topics by the wokest of the #woke. I know where I stand on issues and why I stand there. What's wrong with that?

Also, please reference where you got the impression that I think I am second fiddle to anyone or any group. I am an American, proud of it, and stand with any of my countrymen's rights to free speech and freedom to the pursuit of happiness. First-fiddle at least, if you ask me.

 @EliotJackson:
Absolutely!! I only got into mountain biking about 8 years ago! I was never aware of it. I was into street bmx riding. We had no exposure to the sport in my youth days. Certain schools, mainly private offer mountain biking and surfing as a sport as well as quite a few other sports that public schools dont offer.

 @Anbrewski: theres nothing wrong with that, but these are just opinions that we debate on an internet thread. nobody cares about cancelling you when we're just having a conversation here. you keep coming back to this idea that people on one side are tired of being told what to do and think by people on the other side - i.e. tired of being second fiddle. in reality both sides are doing this to both sides. ultimately this is a class struggle, the result of which is voting behavior.

 @cuban-b: To be fair, that isn't what he's talking about--what he is talking about is a cognitive bias called naive realism (I recommend reading on this), which yes, both "sides" (how sad is that to say?) are increasingly guilty of. "Second fiddle" isn't an appropriate description, condescended and patronized are.

This thread is really interesting because its a good demonstration of how we can become so incredibly entrenched in belief to the point of no longer being willing to come to the table with someone who might be considered opposition, even if fractionally. Its really quite disturbing but it is the norm in 2020.

Personally I agree that Trump is, motive aside, pretty overtly racist in action, but something I will agree with Anbrewski fully on is that people who try to take a logical approach from the middle out (as opposed to the fringes in) are totally f*cked and hated by both "sides"

 To all: This has been a largely constructive, civil, and logical "argument", no negative connotation implied there.

This is how we truly change the world around us.
This is what we need more of in this country.

 @Anbrewski: 100% agree. also agree with @HaggeredShins regarding my vernacular - you're pretty good at words n stuff. might have used the wrong term regarding this phenomenon. if you guys are ever in cali hit me up and we'll ride the santa cruz trails!!

 @HB208: Same here. However, even in the liberal PNW there are far too few people of color out on the trails and you have to start asking yourself why that is. And what changes should be made...

 @NWBasser: There aren't a ton of minorities in the PNW in general. Which is almost certainly due to historical prejudice.

 @HB208: Oh I agree. Portland, for example, has a horribly racist past. Even so, I'd say that minorities are very much underrepresented on our trails as a proportion of the population. I'm not going to dwell on the past, but would very much like the future to have more people of color on our trails and in our communities.

 @Anbrewski: Yes you are a racist. I'll come out and say it.

 @radiohedwig: based on what?

 @radiohedwig: No sir, you’re a racist. Prove me wrong.

..such a ridiculous thing to say.

 I shouldn't have to preface my following comment with the fact that I did not/will not vote for Trump, or that I think he is a buffoon...yet here we are.

The idea that if you support a political candidate that you are signing onto *one hundred percent* of every action or stance they take is absolute nonsense. Period. (And this goes doubly so within a broken either/or system like the US has). To say that if a person voted for Trump they are vis-a-vis a racist is reductionist, lazy, and dismissive. Did some proud racists vote for Trump because Trump has, at times, been racist? Surely. Does that make every Trump voter racist? Hardly. Ohhhh you're such a hero of the common man for bravely proclaiming the socially accepted narrative! Knock it off, lol.

Thought experiment: Are all these would-be Biden voters willing to accept that the man is an accused sexual assaulter of women? A blatantly obvious uncomfortable-toucher of children? Can I make the leap in logic that any Biden voter is thereby a rapist/rape apologist? Of course not.

A wise person once said, 'When faced with poor choices, one cannot be blamed for choosing poorly'. Donny or Hilary was a poor choice. Don or Joe is also a poor choice. I would love nothing more than for ol' Donald to be put on a rocket and shipped off to Mars... but that doesn't fix the inherit problems in this country, and calling people racist by default for making a lesser of two evils decision is divisive and helps no one. A year from now Kamala Harris will be the president, and the vast majority of Trump voters will be no more racist for it. Feel free to check out the Unity2020 movement, or in the mean time at least *try* to find some common ground with your fellow Americans. Thanks.

 @dratm: Not in the UK buddy

 @nordland071285: @nordland071285: No. Obama tried to get universal healthcare through the door - and succeeded. However he made too many compromises because at the end of the day the health care industry in the Usa wants to make money. right now they are struggling because of covid. No patients no money = bankrupt hospitals. Trump has tried to improve the deal but it is still not perfect - its a big fight with too many vested interests. The biggest cause of bankruptcy in the USA is a result of medical bills which cant be right in a civilised country - please correct me if I am wrong.

Income in equalities are growing all over the world - you are right to highlight this but Trump is not the cause of this. Fiat money and the city/deep state vested interests across the world have caused this.

 Well said! I’m trying to phrase this correctly...
The discussion should really be, “How do we fight income inequality?” Not, “How do we get black people on bikes?”
Income equality is a major issue. Black people not riding bikes is a problem the industry made up to sell more bikes.

 Thank you for your balanced perspective. I work side by side with various minorities. We all make the same wage. We all have trails five minutes from work. It's accessible and affordable for them, just as it is for me. We are taught to view minorities as poor and disadvantaged(arguably derogatory stereotype), which may be true as an average, but is by no means universal. Millions of Blacks and Hispanics achieve greater prosperity than I, and can certainly afford the sport, but choose not to participate. It's not that they bought a bike, showed up at a trailhead, and realized we were all racist. It's that they never would consider buying the bike to show up in the first place. Our local group has some Asian, Black, and Hispanic representation, in numbers you'd probably expect. They're some of our most enthusiastic members. I won't try to speak for any group, but there are obviously a multitude of factors at play. Mountain biking certainly isn't the most practical, visible, or accessible activity where large populations of blacks tend to reside. And there's a lot of politically motivated, and tragically simplistic, messaging about causation that inhibits honest conversation and understanding. Anyway, I hope Elliot can find successes in this endeavor. I suspect if I asked a thousand black youth who Elliot Jackson was, I'd get a thousand blank stares. And that's a shame.

 @skelldify: Ok i agree. here we go.

Got to have a tight range of interest rates to have money equality within a single country or currency.
Low interest rates for bankers and high ones for everyone else is the problem.
Rates should be 5% minimum for a government bond and 10% max on a credit card.

Money changers at it again. We need to turn over the table and a world digital currency is exactly the opposite of what we need. The bankers have already started pushing the idea and calling it a way to money equality. Don't be fooled. A world digital currency removes the sovereignty of every nation and will have negative rates attached. Goodbye freedom, hello communism. game over.

Think the Chinese voted for communism? haha. read about the 1960 Chinese revolution and you will see the 5K HD writing on the wall.

 Also donating now!

 @yesimaddicted: Thank you!! We have been talking with them at least once a week because this needs to work for people outside AND inside the industry. We couldn't be more proud to have them as a partner.

 that being said, my experience has been that MTB has brought people of all colors and backgrounds together in a very positive way.

 @tremeer023: Yeh minorities tend to be very worried about bike geometry, when they buy their first bike.

 @IntoTheEverflow: can confirm!

Dentists: Yeti or GTFO!
Minorities: less than or equal to 64 degree head angle or GTFO!
Joeys: Walmart bikes
Dads: New balance sneakers w/ white socks

 @IntoTheEverflow: LOL, fair enough. My point wasn't very well made. Was trying to say that mtb has become more mainstream, partly due to the trickle down effect, and this should lead to more diversity generally (there are a lot more female riders nowadays for example).

 This notion that black people can't do anything because they're so broke just sounds like racist generalizations to me. I grew up in a very diverse environment and essentially everyone my age, regardless of color, had the same or better chances to buy bikes/tents/sleeping bags/whatever outdoors crap... because I was basically one of the poorest people in my school. My black friends were never into the outdoors because they had other interests, not because they couldn't afford it. As an adult one worked with and been friends with people of every race and color, all with the same opportunities as me, and no black guys seem to be into outdoors sports, again not because they can't afford it but because they have other interests. There are many black people outside the hood! I wonder if you've ever known a black person in real life, or if all your knowledge comes from a professor feeding you the standard line.

 @TheLoamDeranger, way to completely miss the point.

First off, nice one assuming I'm talking about black people exclusively.

My comment referred specifically to minority participation in mountain sports. I can only speak to my experience in Canada, but basically everyone is white. Lots of reasons for that, but the fact that minorities aren't represented in ANYTHING doesn't exactly help.

Look at the Pinkbike staff page for example: www.pinkbike.com/about

Every outdoor company basically looks like this.

If you don't think that's an issue, great, carry on, but it leads to systemic barriers for minorities to access and feel welcome in mountain sports. That's just the truth.

 @byfan: It's all good, I just see lots of folks parroting what their university/the media taught them with no real experience. Makes me a little frustrated because I get the impression that all educated white people think that all black people (plus Asian, Latin, and everything in between) are poor, inept, uneducated, helpless beings who need the white knight to come in and represent them in every facet of life. It's insulting to me and to lots of ethnic people as well. My wife is Latin and is a very capable woman, my brother in law is black and runs a private high school, and my best friend is Laotian and is a respectable, responsible family man. Those are three people you can take off your list of incapables, and I suspect there are more!

 @TheLoamDeranger: rad anecdotes

 @TheLoamDeranger: I think that is hard generalization to make though given what we know about the disparity of opportunity to engage in these sports. Absolutely there are examples across all cultures of people showing different recreation preferences. Across a random sample of 100 white guys in an urban area only a one or two might be into mountain biking. However, it appears likely that across samples, the opportunity to participate is likely higher for whites whether it be due to socio-economic factors, community mentors, peer engagement, geography, etc. I don't think the goal is to have equal numbers of riders from all races/genders forced to participate but rather to make sure that opportunities to engage in the sport are equal and promoted. I love @eliotJackson thoughtful approach to this and focussing on opportunity vs. outcome. I look forward to the sport being more inclusive and would love to support efforts to make it so. This is something I often find hard to do living in a middle/upper class mountain bike community in semi-rural BC with a fairly homogeneous population of melanin starved folks.

 @byfan: The point is that there are plenty of non whites who have the chance to get into the mountains by have little desire to. If we're taking inner city folks in bad situations, a bike between their legs isn't going to replace a stable home life and good upbringing.

Everyone on the PB staff is white? It's Canada, I'd be surprised if they were all Mexican.

 @TheLoamDeranger: wow! So many assumptions!

 @TheLoamDeranger: visible minorities make up 22.3% of the population according to the last census in 2016. That number is only increasing.

If mountain sports have a much lower participation than that from visible minorities and the companies that support those sports have like 1% visible minorities working from them, what does that mean?

Systemic barriers to access.

Non-whites love the outdoors, you don't have a bloody point, just a bias.

 @byfan: I really hope he thinks I’m actually Cuban. Should make for an interesting but awkward exchange

 @byfan: YOU are part of the problem because you're trying to fix damaged people and damaged communities you've never even seen using worthless tools from your over-privileged life.

 @cuban-b: You being Cuban would be no affront to me. More likely though, you're another over-opinionated, over-privileged white person out to save the poor brown world with the rest of your white knights.

 @TheLoamDeranger: lol, the leaps in logic you're making are hilarious.

All I said was there are barriers to entry for minorities to mountain sports and now you're to tell me I'm trying to be a great white hope who thinks mountain biking is going to lift people out of poverty?

f*ck off. I'm a minority myself. I love the mountains and just think there needs to be more opportunities for people to get exposed to mountain sports.

You only think people don't have interest because they aren't given the chance.

 @byfan: Ah, you're right man. Not sure why I flew off the handle like that. Sincerest apologies.

 @cuban-b: No need to be rude, I was wrong and I apologized. We've all got biases in our lives due to our various upbringings and world views, and this discussion somehow got under my skin. After some reflection, I think I was approaching it the wrong way and making some pretty stupid presuppositions. I'm pretty sure we're all on the same side here, as I detest racism.

 @cuban-b: Sure thing buddy.

 @byfan "Mountain sports have a textbook systemic racism issue. All the companies and all the products are designed and marketed towards a single demographic. I'm heartened to see this changing slowly, but we've a long way to go."

Do you actually think that mountainsports companies are actually racist ? Maybe they just know their target and are marketing for them ? It's bussines, you point your marketing to direction where most potential clients are located. If you profit, have enough money to pay your employees and prosper then you might think about making world better place. Ofcourse there are companies like let say Benetton which were always promoting race diversity and other positive values. But i don't think that not being so active in that area makes you racist. And not diving into history just looking at geography and demographic shows that many mountainsports areas are lived by white people, like Alps or north America. How exactly enduro bike is designed for whites more than any other race ?

You said that you have never experienced racism on a slope or on a trail... me neither. And i don't think i have seen actually single racist comment on pinkbike either. So maybe reason for such state of this particular sport is not racism ? Saying it't racist is actually easy explanation. I think it's more complex. Don't get me wrong. I would love to see more diverse MTB scene. Especially black guys, seeing how they performe in many other sports i bet they would do wonders in MTB. But i think it's up to them and nobody from MTB scene is holding them back.

And if we are talking about economic aspect, that is whole different topic. It's more about general politic and not sport itself.

 @TheLoamDeranger: what part of my post are you confused about? I’m quoting directly what you wrote and truly believe.

 @akozz: you're not discussing in good faith regarding the comment you quoted. There's clearly a difference between there being systemic race issues in the outdoor industry and mountain sports companies being actively racist.

And even if it were true that "nobody from the mtb scene is holding them back," it doesn't mean we can't also take active measures to help.

 @brianpark: I would say the opposite, that i have good faith but in MTB community and industry. My point is that just because there is lack of diversity this odesn't mean racial issues by default. There is plenty of mondain reasons for such state imo and ignoring them and pointing straight to racism is not fair. There are many areas that are dominated by one race, gender, or nationality and it has nothing to do with discrimination. It's good to consider other factors before assuming bad intentions or wrongdoing. Ofcourse that having more diverse MTB community would be great but it not being diverse is not inherently wrong either.

Having said that if there are any disadvantageous groups, no matter their race, skin colour, ethnicity, gender etc. that are interested in MTB and have troubles starting their journy then by all means they should recive helping hand. Just like Share The Ride helps poor kieds starting their bike journey. But once they start, MTB can be pretty demanding leisure activity. It's expensive yes, that is one thing. But also it demands certain lifestyle. It's hard to ride MTB if you live in huge city in mostly flat area, you need to organise your life around it to a certain degree. But i guess some pumptracks, dirt jumps and skill parks for kids in urban areas would help to get them going.

 @akozz: Happened to see your post and I agree with a lot of what you're saying except one part: just because you live in a city doesn't mean you can't be a "mountain biker"! I grew up in/around a city and I'd say I rode MTB as a kid--I didn't have any money and wasn't given any so I had to work for my first bike, a shitty, used Raleigh M80. We started a MTB club at my highschool in my freshman year, which out of my less than half white school turned out mostly white, whatever that tells you (it told me nothing then and tells me nothing now, YMMV). We more or less just rode dirt jumpers around for the next four years, periodically did our best impression of trail riding, and enjoyed whatever our version of the MTB life was, inclusive of anyone with any bike who wanted to have a good time and hang with friends.

So, do you need world class trails to be a mountain biker? No. Do you need wealth to be a mountain biker? No. Does it benefit this sport and community or any other to be truly inclusive? Absolutely. Do EACH OF US need a good attitude? Its complicated.

If we want to fix problems in this culture, we can start with the ridiculous judgement riders casually pass on others for their gear/equipment and riding ability, the former which typically has an obvious tie to financial standing, race irrelevant, and the latter a disgusting disparagement of natural ability and athleticism. The number of times I've witnessed riders overtly or behind someone's back belittle another for not having a "real" mountain bike, not having the talent to match the gear, or being a "bad rider" outnumber the race issues I've observed dozens to zero. Not saying there aren't issues with race, but this community doesn't need any more scapegoats for its wide-open, non-race related bad behavior. Riders build a barrier to entry with their judgement and 'hArDcoRe' self-image, which I'd bargain (and have been told by quite a few directly) is the overwhelming reason people--of any race, nationality, religion, upbringing, or background--don't get more involved in the sport.

What EJ is doing is 110% what this community needs, but everyone still needs to be individually accountable for their attitude and willingness to include.

 @akozz: that's not what "in good faith" means. You're misrepresenting your "opponent's" arguments. There's still a difference between overt racism or discrimination, and systemic racial barriers existing.

All this whataboutism is essentially saying "I don't believe you" to black mountain bikers that are saying there's a problem, and that seems well, pretty awful.

 @TheLoamDeranger: Cheer and beers to you. It likely took a lot to admit that you were wrong and it looks like we all have more in common than we think at first.

 @byfan: I agree with the barriers to access. I'd like nothing more than to identify those barriers and kick them down. Any step towards a future with more people of color out in the mountains is worthwhile.

 @NWBasser: it’s called backpedaling. Much easier to do behind a screen in moms basement.

 @cuban-b: You are incorrect on both fronts, but it's OK. You surely reap the consequences of your actions and conduct as we all do, and I'm content in that.

 We do have plans for this! All people deserve opportunity around the world We will get there, one step at a time.

 I think you nailed this perspective. As a minority, you often find yourself trying to establish an identity. Picking up something that isn't outright 'cool' can be difficult, especially when there is zero representation in the sport. That makes you the oddball minority in an oddball sport. Besides some confidence and self assurance, you really do need to be taken you out for a ride first in order to fall in love with the sport. Then add the layer of accessibility. That's why it's not something most will seek out.

For me, the stars kind of aligned. My mom was a road biker, a friend took me out on my first mountain ride, I lived 5 minutes riding distance from a hard core mtb shop and 20 minutes biking distance from a trailhead. And yes, I came from an affluent background with parents who cared enough to take me to races and shuttle from time to time.

I did face overt racism a couple times in the dirt jumping days.

And at the end of the day, girls still thought skating was cool but biking was nerdy. Too late, I was already obsessed. Little did they know I was sending 15 foot drops in a full face on the weekends.

Long story shot, I appreciate everything you do for the sport @EliotJackson and I know you'll make some waves!! Will be donating

 On another note though, people seem to think mountain biking is way cooler these days. Could just be an age related thing, but I'm sure the exposure of rampage does help.

 It's not racist. At the same time, it's not very diverse compared to some sports. Would it be a better scene with more different types of people in it? Well I reckon yes.

 @Dobbs59: I bet it would, we are on the same page with that. And it's true that is not the most diverse sport. Still you can find hundrets of photos and users from Asia on PB. I think blacks are mostly underrepresented in MTB. But my belief is that reasons behind it are more mondain. Or related more to general race/minorities issues present in the world rather than some specific MTB industry/community negative attitudes towards those groups.

 Thank you!! We are so excited!

 I agree with you completely. But would you say this is rather world issue in general and it is affecting mountain biking or any other sport in fact. Or have you actually experienced any form of discrimination from MTB community or MTB industry ? Because while i belive that Eliots motives are right, he in this post give false impression that MTB community and industry have some big racism issues and MTB is somehow racist by design which i strongly disagree with.

 Also, nowadays bikes that make sense for the more urban disciplines (DJ, street trials and the like) seem to be almost nonexistent in most of the major brands' product portfolios and marketing efforts. This wasn't the case 10-15 years ago, was it?

 Back in the Europe of the 90's, I didn't need TV ads, the internet, support movements or anything in particular to have the desire to ride a bike. That just probably came naturally by the fact I had the chance to ride a tricycle when I was 3 y.o. Then, from a middle-lower class family of 5 members, you can easily imagine how hard was for me to get my first MTB as such (A Walmart-like 90$ bike). And I used to love it! I remember how creative we teenagers were to get out the most of our humble equipment at that time.

I am lucky enough though to have worked my ass off to get a high end enduro bike these days. I know that I won't be ever able to ride it like a pro though... an who cares? I like both sides of the coin. I am older now and can appreciate a good quality product and I pay for it. Folks who want to get into this sport can surely be happy with a second hand MTB/BMX, they will learn and enjoy!

Ah! and my "riding group" when I was a teen was as diverse as it gets, with other really poor teens and some foreigners. Teenage girls for some reason weren't that interested in getting dirty and breaking her bones with this kind of stuff. We did play exotic sports with them in the countryside though. I am talking about baseball ;-) (as an European, that is exotic for me)...and I would have been more than happy to have them beetween us in that for biking. You going to force them to do what they don't want?

That, in particular, is what I think people are wrong about these days. Maybe I am an old fashion mindset that believes everything that you really want to put and effort in it. So, you only need a driving passion and perseverance with things... who is gonna stop you to ride your bike (or whatever you have that resembles to one!) the way you want otherwise? In fact, there is much more bullying and humilliation in a regular high school. Why not to address that first? or it is just it is little human's condition while growing up?

Now, the non-p.c bit. This kind of movement is perverse as it manipulate things, using false stereotypes and problems to try to convince(endoctrinate) people to think the way they want, and ultimately make them be on a side(political) or to make whatever profit from it. You pick the wrong side and then you will suffer the discrimination for sure. And that, is fundamentaly wrong!

If you are really commited with a cause like this, why not to focus in where the help is really needed, i.e. poorer countries? I pay a monthly fee to an NGO to help poor kids in one of these poor countries, so to me I do the most I can / feel like doing, and respect other people approches.

That said, I like the fact that they are people interested into supporting communities without resources, but I don't think what these minorities mostly need is money to get a bike, get a pump track built, let alone one with new geometry. As nice as it sounds.

Buy them a bl**dy tricyle and leave them do! :-)

 @carldg: Words of wisdom man. Also i don't get how nowadays everybody have to do everything and if they don't the very first explanation we get is some related to race or some other privilege. I find this kind of thinking to be very pro conflict oriented. And at the end of the day MTB is still leisure activity, it's not like we are talking about education, healthcare or jobs.

 Pump tracks in underprivileged areas and manufacturers making inexpensive pump track bikes. It would be huge, even better than the BMX track formula of the 80's because pump tracks can fit anywhere.

 If someone really wants to ride, they don’ need a $2000 bike. That’s a lame excuse when you can get a used bike for $200...the price of many of the basketball shoes I see kids wearing. Maybe it’s possible that mountain biking isn’t of interest to kids brought up in the city.

 @bchampig: I always wondered why a lot of poorer kids in the UK all have the latest £200 nikes.. And one article I found suggested that it was a way for kids from less fortunate backgrounds to hide that they had less money and avoid the stigma of being poor.. A bit like having a nice car but struggling to pay the rent.
Ever since I read that, I've seen kids in those shoes and understood it a bit better.
That's why I'm a big supporter of mandatory school uniforms until the age where kids can earn for themselves.
The fact that 200£ shoes for kids even exist is a travesty imo

 I think a lot of people here are confusing racist with exclusionary to people who have low incomes..many of whom are in racial minorities I have never seen any evidence of racism in mtb, and the fact that it excludes those with less money is tricky because those on low incomes are normally in that situation because of all sorts of factors that aren't in their control.. And it's often imposed on them Can't really hold the sport to account, when wealth inequalities need working on as a whole

 Thank you!! This is just the tip of the iceberg

 @EliotJackson: donating and checking out the shop, I'd rock a t-shirt if there was one...just sayin

 Yep we will have that up soon!

Edit: it's up.

 What world are you living in where the top of the sport isn’t overwhelmingly white

 @Whatajohnny: *turning to my black son as we look at the World Cup DH series results*

“Check it out son, there’s white people from over 30 countries in this list”

 @kleinblake: that's not a racist observation. any Asian, Indian, Latino, etc could all say the same thing without a hint of animosity. Don't buy the white vs. black distinction just cause you're white doesn't mean your "racist" anymore than being black makes you a "thug". My ancestors came the the US from Germany after emancipation... does that make them (or me for that matter) complicit in systemic racism just because they're white? No - The "narrative" is false.