Dirt Bikes, Racism, and Dogs

Dirt Bikes, Racism, and Dogs.

Recently the City Council passed an “emergency” ordinance prohibiting the use and ownership of dirt bikes and ATV in Worcester. It was rammed through so fast that I still have not seen a copy of it on line. I suppose I will have seek a copy from the City Clerk.

Because I have not seen anything official on this “emergency” I think it reasonable to assume that most people in Worcester have not seen anything officially about it either.

When I was a soccer coach the dirt bike people used to upset me as they would wreck the soccer and other athletic field. At that time most of the off road riders were White kids. Not much was done, with the exception of the better securing the fields.

No one was injured by the kids on dirt bikes then.  I have not heard of any one being injured today by dirt bike riders. Although I have heard the number of 84 “incidents”, I have not heard of any injuries.

So what was the emergency? Why ram through another ordinance with little public input. The answer seems to be the bias of the people pushing through the emergency order. It is my understanding that Councillor Gaffney and a racist friend of his from Main South had a large part to play in its passage.

Many people, mostly Hispanic young men, have been arrested. Many had their property seized. The City and police have formed a special task force to make the arrests and take the bikes. Most people adversely affect did not know that the “emergency ordinance” existed. The ordinance went into effect immediately after passage.

Now compare this treatment of Hispanic young men to the treatment of the White dog owners who have for two decades defied City government by bringing their dogs to City parks where all dogs are prohibited. The City is working to accommodate these lawbreakers by doing nothing adverse against them. In fact Councillor Rosen has taken up their cause and is working on allowing dogs in City parks.

Please do not misunderstand me on this issue. I like dogs and I think there should be a dog park.

The facts are that there have been more people bitten by dogs, than have been injured by dirt bikes. In fact I cannot think of anyone injured by a dirt bike. Dogs are a noise nuisance with their barking.

The young men who ride dirt bikes have complained that there should be a City location where they can ride. Well that makes sense. There will be a dog park. There is a skate board park. There is a water park.

Instead of an emergency ordinance there should have been a phase-in of the particulars. There also should have been some outreach to explain the ordinance. There should have been a grace period for the bike owners to comply with the ordinance, instead of the immediate arrests and seizures.

It is pretty clear that Hispanic and Black young men are treated worse than White people. It is pretty clear that people who pushed this ordinance think that the police should deal with Hispanic young men, instead of community services.

 It is not a wonder why we feel alienated from the racist City government and its police.