If-you-see-something-say-something strikes again.
Sick and tired of motornormativity, I'm setting event notifications straight. Don't just tell people where they can park when they attend your event. Have some hope for humanity and believe we can step out of our death machines and get around in a more human way. Especially for an event that is pitched as a picnic.
This is what they sent:
So this is what I wrote:
I know you already have a lot of details in this message.
I know that realistically, most of your attendees will come in private vehicles.
But can you please add notes for bus and bike travellers the next time you send a message like this?
What constructs our view of “normal” is not only what we personally see and interact with but also how our world is talked about. When “where do I park?!” always gets top billing in event information whereas “which bus can I take?” and “is there a safe place to leave my bike?” are never even addressed, it reinforces the impression that private vehicle is the only way to get around.
And that’s pretty un-Mennonite (philosophically if not realistically). What happened to simplicity? Communal-mindedness? Spending less on self so there’s more left for others? Creation care? Etc.
It’s probably far too optimistic to think that the power of suggestion could actually cause an attendee to leave their car at home and ride their bike instead, just because your event invitation reminded them those are options that are factored in here. But it’s not completely impossible, and it sure is a hopeful possibility, for change generally happens one choice at a time.
I believe [your organization] prides itself on being counter-cultural in the Anabaptist tradition. That is sorely needed in today’s world, where our mainstream North American society is truly toxic and ill in so many ways. In just the tiniest of ways, you have the power to fight back against the evils of motornormativity in Winnipeg.
Let people know they're welcome to get to your event by bus or bike.
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