German
Spanish
French
Italian
Portuguese
Japanese
Korean
Russian
ChineseGreen LA Girl Goes After the BRU Spin Machine
[tags]bru, eric mann, grist, green la girl[/tags]
The BRU will do whatever they can to get their outright lies out to the eager and gullible bleeding hearts of the world. Eric Mann’s race-baiting and enviro-baiting sob story made the front page of Grist, an online environmentalist publication (”gloom and doom with a sense of humor”). If you’ve followed the BRU, it’s the same old story, not even worth reading. What is worth reading is L.A.’s resident environmentalist’s take on the issue. The Green LA Girl has had just about enough of the BRU’s anti-rail tirade! She even wrote a letter to the editor of Grist, here’s an excerpt:
“As it is now, the LA subway system doesn’t even come close to what’s generally considered the wealthier areas of greater LA (Beverly Hills, West LA, Santa Monica). Basically, the BRU vilifies non-transit takers on the westside for not already taking public transit — then calls westsiders racist when they try to get more public transit in the area so they can actually use it.”
Let’s not forget my favorite image of anti-racism anti-rail BRU members joyfully waiting for the Red Line at Hollywood/Vine. If only our spin machine was as powerful as the BRU’s we could get that image on the front page of Grist.
Discussion
Both comments and pings are currently closed.
Please keep discussions civil: exercise Troll Controll.
Not to mention their intentional conflating of Metrolink with the Metro rail lines.
Yeah Don, that’s incredible, just outright trying to confuse and mislead people.
Here’s an idea…can we organize a protest rally outside of the BRU’s office on Wilshire/Western? We can get the media to understand the “common sense” side and listen to us. We’ll get more people on our side, see the stupid shortcomings of the BRU and we can gain sensible support for a mass transit system. We need to gain attention, much like how the idiotic BRU does.
The problem with people who use race-baiting to try to get their agenda across is that anyone who disagrees they just label them as racists, and since racism is such a hot button issue, no one wants to take the side of the ones who could be labeled “racists”.
Why can’t a copy of the photo the BRU member @ the red line station be sent to Grist?
I would join a protest in front of the BRU headquarters! In fact, I would happily open my apartment one afternoon for Metrorider readers to come and make signs and posters! We can order pizzas from the Numero Uno across from my apartment!
I’ll give the BRU “common sense” tips for when they complain that fares are too high.
1.) If your English skills are poor, learn the friggin language! Then the employer will have to listen to your complaints and maybe you’ll get paid more!
2.) Take some classes at an adult-education center to boost your mind and acquire some skills that will give you a better-paying job.
3.) Stop having kids. Or, if you’re a middle-aged parent with a skanky cha-cha daughter, get her on the pill so you don’t have a new baby to feed every year. Or kick the gangbang son out of the house so you don’t have to front his bail every six months.
4.) 25 cents is only 5 more soda cans to collect, anyway.
Yes, I am a total hater with equal hate for everything! But a racist? No! Never! I’m just a hard-working, law-abiding, tax-paying Los Angeles resident who is sick of people who don’t get off their asses, but demand entitlements like low bus fare!
My rant is over.
More light, less heat please.
Fuck you Erika. If I ever saw you on a bus, I would punch you in the face.
Brian, even if we think someone is acting like a douche, there are more productive ways to respond.
When BRU accusses people of “transit racism”, they are trying to avoid debate.
When Erika says those things she said, she isn’t trying to encourage debate either.
So, Erika: How about a REAL argument in favor of raising bus fares?
Brian: How about a REAL response to transit-racism?
There are a million and one blogs for flame wars. I hope this doesn’t become one of them.
This is exactly what the BRU wants and this is why there’s no rational way to argue the BRU. Arguing about the ills of transit-racism is like arguing about the ills of leprechauns riding unicorns. Any REAL responses or discussions to the subject of transit-racism is simply hot air because “transit-racism” is clearly a fabrication of a man and an organization only interested in sustaining itself, its agenda, and its executives.
One simply has to set foot on a train in Los Angeles to know that the BRU’s claim that Metro caters its service to affluent whites is bullshit. End of story. If Metro wants to cater to whites it needs to move to another city because lest we forget that Los Angeles is a minority-majority city.
I can see it now… because Metro’s clear goal is to cater only to white folks, they’re going to pick up and move to Vermont! I mean, seriously, Montpelier has really been in desperate need of 73 miles of subway and light rail.
Arguing with the BRU is a pointless waste of time. Mann is a power-hungry nut who appears to be so wrapped-up in his perverse fantasy that the only thing that will stop him is amnesia or a divine revelation. Or maybe being hit by a train, wouldn’t that be karmic. We’ll never be so lucky. Arguing with him is like wrestling a pig; by the time you’re done, no matter how well you did, you’re still covered in mud and stink to high heaven, and the pig really doesn’t care too much anyhow ;p.
But what we can and should do is make rational, credible arguments to people who might be wondering. Well-meaning liberals who don’t want to be racist but can’t quite figure out how subway = KKK.
Not only that, but as a Koreatown resident, I’m always baffled (offended, really) by how the BRU thinks they have some special channel to connect to LA’s Korean community. I’m of the mind that Koreatown is what it is today because of the subway, not in spite of it, and our community will only become more affluent and more desirable when the subway expands further west. I think it’s also important to try and “peel back” those constituencies and point out Mann screws each individual constituency.
I don’t know much about South LA, but I know that already-rising property values and foot traffic through K-Town will only go up as more transit comes through here. This is an exciting part of town to live in, and if the BRU had its way, K-Town would still be some scary ghetto with no real light at the end of the tunnel; my uncle, whose LA knowledge is frozen in time at around 1990, thought that I had come unhinged when I told him that I lived in K-Town.
I find myself downright offended when they try and sell themselves to the Korean population, and that’s the sort of emotion we need to build on.
Brian, so what’s it like being a member or the BRU? It must be nice to show your class and intelligence by spewing cuss words. How many four-letter words did I have in my email? Oh, and nice to let everyone know that you beat up women and are proud of it. BTW, you don’t even know what I look like so shut up.
Raphael, have you not been to New York City? London? Paris? Tokyo? MEXICO CITY??? Their transit fares are steep, but look at their systems! Yes, it will take lots of time for LA’s system to be like those and lots of money, we need to help. We can’t just rely on someone else to get what is best for all of us. I go to those cities then come back here, get behind the wheel of my car and think, “it doesn’t have to be this way!” Don’t call me a “douche” because I’m not afraid to say things other people are afraid to.
I wasn’t for the originally proposed fare hike. I’ll only pay a fare higher than NYC’s for a system as good as NYC’s. But I support the approved fare hike. Anyone who wants a better rail AND bus system, but doesn’t want to step up to plate and pitch in an extra quarter is simply cheap and lazy.
Also, it’s obvious, Raphael, that you’ve never read my earlier posts. Whenever, I’ve supported something Aaron or Fred have proposed, I always respond and pitch in my two cents. I don’t have time to repeat myself right now cos I have to work. That’s right–work. I work hard and am working on my admission essays into grad school for which I’ll have to foot the bill myself. I’m not a rich trust-fund brat from the Westside. Oh, and I’ll be looking up earlier posts for your clear arguments.
I’m not afraid to side with the so-called “racists” on this issue. Gosh, even that is stupid. When will Americans learn the difference between conflicts between races and conflicts between the classes?
Erika, yes, yes, yes, no, and yes.
There is no subway system in the world with fares as low as Mexico City’s. It costs two pesos (about 25 cents, depending on the exchange rate). (This is my source)
I apologize for implying you were a douche. I didn’t actually say that, but my language was inappropriate (and keeping a civil debate was the entire point of my post).
Erika, I would very much like to hear your points in this argument. It’s awfully hard to follow them when you have to dig through offensive generalizations about “trust-fund brats from the Westside” or “skanky cha cha daughters.” Regardless of whether or not they are racist (or classist), they really distract from what you are trying to say.
I’d rather argue about how to improve public transit than about who is racist.
And when the dust clears the BRU has gone nowhere
Raphael, okay, I didn’t point out the rate exchange between dollars and pesos, but I do acknowledge the difference. The last time I was in London, my weekly pass cost me $80USD. With that, people here shouldn’t complain about high fares. Then again, the Tube is sooooo much more convenient. I’ll pay that $80 again next time I’m there.
I also tend to be very categorical and generalizing. It’s harsh, but having known so many people like the ones I described (shoot, I was pretty much profiling my relatives) who choose to not want to improve their living situations, I really don’t care if their feelings are hurt. But that beats throwing foul language and violent threats like Brian.
On my thoughts on improving public-transit. It begins with higher fares. No matter what. If we want it to improve for buses and rails, we’re going to have to dig into our pockets and pitch in. There can’t be any arguments about it. If there are no hikes, our system will be stunt. Also, for me personally, I’m all about paying taxes so long as I see where they go to. Unfortunately that’s nearly impossible. Scott Mercer made a great proposal that the people who live further from their jobs be taxed, with the money going towards PT, based on how many miles their homes are away from work. I commented that I’m in support of that. Especially if the people are making large salaries. They can afford the tax Mercer proposed, anyway. Someone also proposed on this blog once (I think it was this blog) about jacking up the taxes on gasoline. Nobody wants that, not even I, but if that can force people out of the cars so that they have to rely on public transportation, thus demanding improvements, then so be it.
I dont know what others may think on this, but if some lines were privatized, maybe the firms would do better marketing than the MTA to get people on buses and rails. They’ll want people to ride so they can make profit and improve their product!
I would like to know your ideas, too. Let’s chat!
I love this blog. Fred, Scott and Aaron are fantastic writers who have researched public transportation well. I wish I was as knowledgable as they, but I’m probably considerably younger and need years more of studying.
Man, I love this blog. Impassioned, but in the end reasonable people. Bravo guys for keeping it reasonably civil. I think everyone gets something out of this in the end.
Hey now! Watch it Erika. I’m starting to get sensitive about my age now that I’m officially in my “late” twenties. 26 isn’t that old is it?!?! Ahh who am I kidding.
old boi fred. and don’t forget to throw wad into the mega knowledge mix.
My take on the fare situation:
We cannot let service deteriorate, but we need to maintain ridership. Revenues are required for that.
The burden should go to those who benefit from public transit: riders, the drivers on the freeways, and the corporations who need employees to commute. The taxes Erika discusses (creditted to Scott Mercer) are a good place to start.
If I were in charge (thank god I’m not!), I’d start with an outrageous gas tax. About $7-8 a gallon (my guess is that would be the cost if we stopped subsidizing the oil industry). I’d also revoke the licenses of the numerous bad drivers. With so many people unable to drive (or to afford to drive) the need for public transit would be clear.
That said, I think burdening the riders is inevitable
In SF (and in most cities with extensive public transit), fare hikes hit the casual riders hardest. That is, if you pay per ride, you will pay the biggest increase. People who get passes or multi-ride cards, who are presumably the most transit-dependent, have the smallest increases.
I think the recent increases followed the same approach, which means that the people hit hardest are those who rarely ride the subway–not the transit-dependent.
I’m not sure how I feel about this in Los Angeles. I would REALLY like to encourage more casual riders, who may balk at the increased cost.
By the way: Fred, you’re old. And I’m a decrepit 29. I’m off to clean my dentures. :-B
Raphael, it looks like we agree on just about everything then! And when you mention that people who benefit the most from public transit should carry a chunk of the burden, that would include the BRU. But they don’t want to help and that’s what gets my goad. They demand entitlements!
Revoking the licenses of bad drivers isn’t a bad idea either, but then the Asians would be calling us racist. THAT’S A JOKE (admit it, though, you laughed)!!!
I tell all my friends who live in the city, but still use their cars that as they troll through the streets every morning, I’m happily reading my manga books on the subway.
Wow Fred! I guess I’m older than you after all. I’m 28. But to my Mexican grandma, I’m an old hag. HAHA!
I want to point out the oddness of us having this discussion on this blog (Metrorider LA) about another blogger’s comment (Green LA Girl) on a third blog (Grist)…..
Haha Erika. You’re funny. You a ccuse me of being a BRU member. To tell you the truth, I made a shirt that says “FUCK THE BRU” right on the front of the shirt.
But I take back what I said. I should’ve been more adult and not said anything at all because in the end, opinions don’t matter and you can never change someone’s opinion.
But back to the topic at hand….the BRU sucks. Why don’t we ever see advocates for rail on these newspapers, blogs [news blogs] and things of the like.
Brian, I suggested you were a member of the BRU cos BRU members are irrational like that. And okay, my “tips” were not kind, but on the other hand, they wouldn’t damage the lives of the people they were directed to either. But let’s make positive of all this by banding together. I want an anti-BRU shirt! Also, my boyfriend joked that the photo of BRU members at the rail station be converted into a stencil drawing and spray-painted at every bus stop.
That would be hilarious.
the problem with this idea is that many “casual” riders would probably just buy a single pass for a $1.25 and therefore not be a affected by the increase at all. i agree with all the fare increases (”fare hikes” is a BRU term in my opinion) that came this july except that one. no reason y the single ride pass couldn’t have gone up too. so really wuts happening is “casual” riders are buying the single ride passes and not the day passes anymore so boardings on buses are considerably longer. its noticeable too. just think back to a month ago; doesn’t it seem like more people are paying up at the front than they used to? I’ve noticed it on the several different bus lines already. no reason y $1.25 didn’t get raised just like the rest for and the people benefiting most from this part of the fare increase are casual riders, not the other way around. and of course we all get screwed cuz the (bus) boarding times are that much longer now.
In case anyone wants to read it, I did a “guest columnist” opinion article in yesterday’s Daily News on the BRU:
http://www.dailynews.com/theiropinion/ci_6399237
Great article Kymberleigh.
The reason why base fares are so low is that stupid Formula Allocation Procedure, which penalizes agencies for raising base fares. A $5 day pass is appropriate when the base fare is $2.00. When it is $1.25, it is unworkable as more people would rather pay cash for each leg rather than buy the day pass and be sunk cash if someone gives them a ride home or they decide to walk from the bus stop instead of catching that second bus. Thus, the longer lines.