by 
There are times that I realize how much different my life is now that I’m in law school. I made few friends yesterday in Property class when I said, “I can’t think of any rational or defensible reason why a same sex couple shouldn’t be able to get married in this country.” We had been discussing Goodridge v. Department of Public, and the professor started asking some pointed questions. Everyone sat and looked at their desks. So, being me, I spoke up.
And I meant it, too. There are no rational or defensible reasons. Full stop.
Some people clapped. Others gasped. Whatever. ‘Bout time they know what they’re looking at when I’m in the frame. I_am_nothing_like_these_people. I’m certainly not here to make any friends. I’ve got plenty of those I can’t handle as it is. Love you guys, really. High five later.
Today was also super weird. It has become clear to me that I now reside on a different planet entirely. I wore an Eddie Merckx hat (Thanks Jeff!). Nothing special really, the standard Merckx logo we’ve all seen a million times – an E and an M forming a bicycle. Two arched streaks of color above the logo, the World Championship strip and Belgian National Champion tricolor. It’s badass.
Here is where it gets weird. Not one, but two classmates of mine asked me what was up with “the rainbow.” They each asked independently, one guy and one girl, and each though it was a gay pride hat. A third meatball classmate (former college hockey player) merely said something about “fag” in passing, but didn’t really ask what the hat meant. He’s a sneaker head, so who cares.
Three people who had no fucking idea regarding a) Merckx, b) World Championships, or c) Belgian National. It’s unreal. A year ago, no one I worked with, rode with, drank with, or pretty much even talked to on a daily basis was confused about any of it. And, now, I’m surrounded with people who know more about damn near any topic you like than they know about cycling.
I am a fish out of water. All they see is “gay.” I need to put some distance between myself and these people. Not that there isn’t a huge gulf between us already, but damn.
Just for shits & giggles, here are a couple of links & a couple of vids with Merckx in ’em. I had to look at something to pull myself back from the idiots around me, and hard core porn seemed like a bad choice for the library. Strange, I know. It seems “responsible” or something.
Link dump:
Fuck my life: fmylife.com
Lie of Omission: abstrusegoose.com
Death to peeps: 100waystokillapeep.blogspot.com
by 
BuenoBueno BDJ.
You are not even a member of the bell curve. You are an outlier.
Be certain to keep it that way.
Live in Myopia only.
Keep your fiends close. Keep your enemies closer.
i think that used to be called ethnocentrism.
it’s even worse than a track racer at a bmx jamboree.
Not only do some folks not know about the cannibal or belgium, they don’t even know about drinking, I understand it’s known as sobriety or something.
really, it was just an excuse to throw some of those cool ol vids up, eh?
i have a bike with world champion panels & often wear a cycling cap with the same stripes & people often look at it & giggle as if i’m showing gay pride through my bike & hat. they’re haters in so many respects that i don’t even bother with them. (i only wish the ladies would take notice because all of my gay friends hang around the hottest birds on campus.) hail merckx & kelly.
So I know I’m gonna get flamed for this
but that first vid has some gay porn themes.
a shaved guy undressing in a hotel room
with another guy, they take a shower together,
the massage, the psychdelic rennaisance
fair music. I’m just saying…
There is something incredibly relieving to finally open your mouth in a roomful of law students and lay it out there. To finally throw down the gauntlet. It’s good you waited this long and chose this issue.
Now keep your mouth shut nine out of every ten times you want to speak in class, (keep a tally sheet) and you will be fine.
dude, i was living in portland last year and sportin the livewrong merckx shirt. the one with him wearing a hat with a star on it…had 3 people in one day that walked by and called me a commie, with an assortment of other words, under their breath as they passed. the ignorant are everywhere. one good thing, when the last person called me a commie her friend said, in a you’re a moron voice, “dude, that’s a cyclist dumbass”. gave me a bit of hope for society.
I feel your pain, Jonny. I’m on the east coast and I routinely get called a fag in passing whilst riding my bicycle decked out in lycra. Not to mention the strange looks I get with the livewrong stuff, a cycling cap, and any reference to any cyclist not named Lance Armstrong. It blows.
Get me back to AZ now! I’ve had enough of the east coast. It was a mistake to leave! I admit. Flagstaff is great. I want to be there again…
Jonny,
I know the feeling, it’s a different world. When I used to walk into the county law library(even though it’s the popular daytime hangout for the homeless) I see the suits look up and stare as I walk to a table to do my thing like I am not supposed to be there, almost a distraction to them as I sit there going for book after book creating a mountain of jurisprudence books. It’s funny how some of the most ignorant people you will ever meet make their way to law school.
Just stay up, git er’ done, and then spank them in court later on.
one of the reasons we do this (ride bikes past the age of 12 and follow “professional cycling”(?!)) is the fact that others don’t get it. unfortunately, that which is not understood is at least mocked, at worst vilified. Forza Big Jonny, “W” Drunk Cyclist.
Count your blessings, jonny. I’m a commercial electrician. Construction workers as a group are among the most homophobic.
When people come to my apt. I oft’ times get comments about my giro d’italia edition diadoras. They’re white with some pink on there, I just quit explaining anything about it.
I could probably even name a few folks that call themselves ‘cyclist’ that wouldn’t even understand 90% of the shit we talk about on here.
Seriously, people need to broaden their horizons and get some culture of some sort. Eventhough, ‘AMURICA’ is a way of life!
“AMURICA, CHEVRELET, AND TITS!” -Actual quote from one of my redneck kentucky friends.
I got the same thing when I used to wear my world champion socks to work, and someone would see a little shaved leg, and a rainbow on the sock, they just KNEW I was a homo. Then we would party, and I’d introduce them to my smoking hot wife, and well, ’nuff said. I never bothered trying to explain. It was more fun to NOT explain it to them.
Keep up the good fight, and where can I get one of them hats? It is bad ass.
hence: Bike Fag.
Way to go Jonny,
When the boatful of lawyers sinks, make sure you’re on your bike. Fuck’em.
Gee, that’s what my first year of Med School felt like…all these fuckers who drank about 3 beers in the 3 years of college (yes, because they didn’t do anything but fucking study, they finished their degrees earlier while I took 6 years to graduate) who didn’t understand why my legs were shaved, why I would spend more money than a semester costs on bike equipment, why I ate like a maniac but was a buck fitty, and why I could still drink them under the table while they stumbled after one light beer. I was lucky to find about 5 in my class of 130 who could drink like fish and loved coming out to races all tuned up dancing and screaming every time I came around on a lap.
It will be over shortly Jonny, and then you can kick their asses when you are going against them in a courtroom some day
Why should only heteros experience divorce? Let gays marry.
“The great masses of men, even in this inspired republic, are precisely where the mob was at the dawn of history. They are ignorant, they are dishonest, they are cowardly, they are ignoble. They know little if anything that is worth knowing, and there is not the slightest sign of a natural desire among them to increase their knowledge.”
-H.L. Mencken, June 29th, 1925
Way to go DC! I worked my way through a Boston law school in the early 90’s working in bike shops. I’d show up for class on my bike after pulling a full day wrenching, and then stay up late night studying after class. It was a grind but keeping a foot in the bike world kept me balanced and helped me avoid killing people over Civil Procedure and Evidence rules. Had some pretty interesting conversations with classmates, you can imagine. I agree with the commenter who said you should hold 9/10 of your comments, that way each time you speak you’ll have a much bigger impact. I used to hate – not too strong a word – the asshats that had to chime in with a comment EVERY time the prof asked for input. I’ve been practicing 12 years know and I can tell you that knowing when to speak (and when not to) is one of the most important things to learn.
…hey…yer livin’ ‘your’ life, yer gettin’ yer degree & yer standing up for others…
…sounds righteous to me & fuck the rest of ’em if they’re too ignorant to see you leading by example…
You guys said pretty much everything except: How cool is it that Eddie had a miniature saddle attached to his top tube so his daughter could roll a little with him?
Class.
Jonny, give them hell, or at least something to think about. Remember, a generation ago it was illegal in many states for blacks and whites to marry. Now we have a multi racial president, and I have 5 multi racial neices and nephews. I am damn proud it was my home state that was first, and in another generation people will look back on these idiots like we look at segregationists now.