shen,

You MUST be blind then.  There is NO white majority in CA.  The minorities total 51% now.  Sure glad I don't live there.  And yes, I have lived there.

San Bernardino 80-85, it was beautiful except for the smog.  Now, well lets say it's gone to hell (I drove though there in 1998, checked out the old neighborhoods).  Everything looks dirty, unkept, like crap.  There is grafitti EVERYWHERE.  I heard that gangs were rampant.  No thank you.  Glad I'm gone.

Also lived in Monterey (1985-1988), my wifes from Carmel.  We'll be visiting this July.  I'll keep you posted.  Even she couldn't stand all the Mexicans "invading" back then.  I hear Salinas is 90% Mexican now.  And NOT a very pleasant place to live.

I can't for the life of me understand why you people stick up for and have so much love for a group that is destroying your state and your country.  Is there something they put in your water?

o im not standing up 4 them but theirs just as worse like asians, I know theirs no white majority in california I never said their was.  But being a Vietnamese member of my community, I see families with fathers as gardeners that actually do make good money but at the same time take advantage of the welfare system, I do admit that im some areas the living conditions have dived down, I currently am with my parents over the summer in Salida just north of a city called Modesto, modesto has grown and many say for the worse.  but no offense being traveled to texas, new york, arizona, oregon, and kentucky, california has been the most diverse and friendliest area ive been to.  What i stand up for is the diverseness of it all and not for one particular majority.  but almost all areas that ive been to ive faced racial issues surprsingly in oregon as well (which other then a few areas, were very friendly)

My experience has been that almost every area that ive been to with a white majority i've seen it just as bad and the racism is intolerable.  I blame the current state of california as a whole to the political stature that it holds. (comon we have the terminator for a governor lol) one would also have to argue though that diverseness is what brought california to the success that it is in american history.  maybe it has run rampant I find myself to limited to give a direct response to it.  with gangs n such, I used to be poor, we lived in a ford aerostar van for a year and a half until a family took us in n helped us and a gang almost became my option, my dad also became a gardener himself though and was partnered with a hispanic friend or mexican and now to wat u may think asians do he owns 2 nail shops lol.  but becuase of that I try to diversify myself as much as possible. some people say its their own fault and most of that I agree with, but their are others who try. gangs though I cannot speak for I've known friends who've died or been arrested and dont know why it had to happen or why gangs became their lives.

also, I've noticed that alot of hispanic workers have taken over alot of the gardening jobs of many of the asians around here at least, though I could argue that they are stealing our low paying hard jobs with no benifits or fancy vacations, but i noticed that they are trying to eat and buy food for their kids.  I am agree that many people I know must work harder now but i am also happy that the stereotype of "hello Mr.Lee have u mowed my lawn yet" is about gone, my only true argument here is can we not let them live and for all to try their darnest make that living clean and comfortable?  lol or maybe its im so far gone that I've just given up on the entire situation? I'm still young and plan to take a cross country trip.  Maybe its just wishful idealism to say Can't we all just get along?

Reflecting on the title of this thread, I have to ask

"

joerocker bias, Why does he cover some stories and not others?"[/list:u]I'm not trying to be flippant; this is a serious question.  My followup question is:

"And why does he feel like he has to cover them on a motorcycle message board?"[/list:u]I've tried to figure this one out, but I'm sure I haven't nailed it yet.  Here are some of the possibilities I have considered:
1) Perhaps he truly cares about his fellow GS owners and wants to make sure we are informed about important stuff that affects (or will affect) us?  :dunno:

2) Perhaps he believes that the discussion of politically divisive topics on a motorcycle message board has the potential to bring about real change?  :dunno:

3) Maybe he doesn't like to compartmentalize who he is, so no matter where he is he will say what's on his mind?  Maybe if he were on a political message board he would also talk about riding and fixing motorcycles?  :dunno:

4) It could be that he may not have much to SAY about the GS500, but he likes to participate, so...?  :dunno:

5) Perhaps he has had a hard time finding open forums that will let him speak freely, and he knows a good thing when he sees one? :dunno:

6) Perhaps he can't stand knowing that there are blissfully ignorant people in the world, or blissfully apathetic ones?  Perhaps he can't let them find things out for themselves, but feels the need to open their eyes to "reality" on his schedule and at his pace? :dunno:

7) Maybe he is an honest seeker after truth, and he thinks that by asking such questions he will get to learn from others who know more about the topic? :dunno:  And he thinks that "political truth" will be most easily (or most likely) found on an MC message board?  :dunno:

8 ) Or perhaps he just likes to be the center of attention, of whatever group will "listen" to him? :dunno:[/list:u]
Joe, I don't begrudge you your knowledge or experience or even your opinions.  But I do question your motives.
1) Do I feel like you really care about me?  You have said several times that you don't care what anybody thinks about your opinions.  So why post them?  Would a reasonable corollary be that you don't care about anybody

period?  :dunno:

2) DO you hold out hope for change as a result of the issues you raise?

3) I have to believe that you possess the ability to discern the appropriateness of one forum of discussion over another for a given topic.  I just haven't been able to figure out the criteria that you use yet.

4) It would be hard to turn my back on someone just because they wanted to participate.  I hope this is the true reason.  But surely you are resourceful enough to come up with more "legitimate" forms of participation (for an MC message board) than you have been engaging in?

5) As much as I favor open forums, I think that with freedom comes responsibility.  Yes?  You have made a similar point about the USA's more-or-less open borders, and those who enter with no intention of fitting in.

6) If this is the reason, think about how YOU feel when someone tries to push you in a direction of THEIR choosing.

7) I honestly don't see much evidence for this possibility.

8 ) I hope there's more to it than this statement suggests, but is it anywhere close?[/list:u]
Please, in your response choose one or more of the possibilities I have provided.  If all of the real reasons aren't listed, please add as many additional BRIEF entries as you need.  You often say that we should open our eyes, see things for ourselves, and make informed decisions.  I agree.  Inform us enough that we can "know" why you follow your current course on GStwin, and decide whether we want to follow along.

Quote from: joerockerI can't for the life of me understand why you people stick up for and have so much love for a group that is destroying your state and your country. Is there something they put in your water?

I can't for the life of me understand why you refer to all of your "readers" as "you people" (as though they were all the same and all shared the same opinions - which are supposedly diametrically opposed to your "correct" ones).

Or where you got the impression that those few who have spoken actually "stick up for" and have "so much love" for people they haven't met.  But even if they DO those things, I would prefer that over having them "run down" and have "so much hate" for people they haven't met.

As for your last line, I get the sinking feeling that you have been putting something unwelcome "in the water" of GStwin.  You of all people can understand my desire to keep divisive/corrosive/destructive influences out of this place that means so much to me.

Quote from: KerryReflecting on the title of this thread, I have to ask

"

joerocker bias, Why does he cover some stories and not others?"[/list:u]I'm not trying to be flippant; this is a serious question.  My followup question is:

And why does he feel like he has to cover them on a motorcycle message board?"[/list:u]

i'm betting his hair doesn't actually look like that.