Our online story about the protest over a removal of a city bike lane (“New Bedford bike protest will keep cops abreast,” Dec. 16) prompted plenty of controversy about whether the cyclists were right to protest with their bare bodies. Here’s a fair synopsis of the debate:
From one bike activist to another: please call this off! There are much more effective ways to rally for the Bedford bike lane. This plan may make you feel important but it will only serve to exacerbate the situation and win over a lot of people to your opponents’ side. Joining Times Up! or Transportation Alternatives or any other bike advocacy is a much better way to effect change.
Eliot from Brooklyn Heights
It doesn’t seem like riding naked through a Hasidic community on the Sabbath will help win back the bike lane.
Cyclist from Brooklyn
What is wrong with you people? The Polar Bear and Iceberg clubs meet on the other side of Brooklyn. Take your bikinis and ride over to Coney Island.
Moe from W
Is this worth getting into a big fuss over? We bikers don’t want war with others; we want love and want peace and friendly relations with the Hasidim in Williamsburg. I am biking down Kent Avenue now and its even better and more bike friendly!
Cindy from Williamsburg
I am a cyclist and an activist and a Jew, and I am entirely offended by this protest. What sort of movement for justice intentionally antagonizes and harasses a community on a basis of their belief system? Besides, the Hasidic community didn’t remove the bicycle lane, Mayor Bloomberg and the Department of Transportation did. Please stop being idiots and call this off!
Aaron from Bed-Stuy
In your story, Heather Loop says, “If you can’t handle scantily clad women … live in a place where you can have your own sanctuary, like upstate.” So now she is saying that Hasidim, who have been in Williamsburg since the 1940s, should leave? What about showing a little sensitivity to their culture? If she were to visit another country, would she not try to be a little sensitive to their customs? Why is this OK?
Anonymous from Brooklyn
Where is the reasonable conversation here? With the MTA cuts and increases in fares, bike lanes are a very good thing for everyone. While one wants to be respectful of other communities, we are talking about public streets, not a private walled-off community. Ms. Loop is expressing her civic outrage. Perhaps the other bike communities can help her and if necessary tone it down a bit so as not to enrage the Hasidim, but remind them that this is America, not Israel, and these are public streets. They’re not owned by any sect or group and many New Yorkers want bike lanes and need them, especially now.
Barbara from Clinton Hill
Would they do that in a Muslim neighborhood? These liberals are so afraid of another skyscraper being bombed they would even side with them to protest the lanes. But since Hasidim don’t do that, they feel free to blatantly disrespect their religion in their own enclave. Hypocrites.
Joe from Bensonhurst
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And our story about an atheist group suing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn over political robo-calls supporting Assemblyman Vito Lopez (“Suit: Church used its ‘Vito’ power,” Dec. 17) sparked more conversation:
Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio was quoted in a piece of campaign literature for John Heyer this summer. If I remember correctly, the piece had John standing outside a church right in front of a large crucifix. The inside of the piece had a quote from the Bishop about how John shared the community’s “values.” As a Catholic I do not like seeing priests involve themselves in political campaigns.
Wasn’t The First Time from Carroll Gardens
Why is it that Baptist priests and Christian leaders in general endorse political candidates all the time and no one says anything about that? It seems like your typical anti-Catholic rhetoric. It seems like separation of church and state only applies to Catholics.
Hypocrit! from Brooklyn
Clergy can personally (as individuals) back candidates, or speak about issues, but can’t turn their churches into political tools. They can’t tell people to vote for X, say that the church endorses a candidate, or even allow a candidate to speak without inviting other candidates as well. If they cross the line, they risk losing their tax-exemption, and non-Catholic churches definitely have been investigated for crossing that line. They’re all perfectly free to do political lobbying as long as they give up the tax-exemption.
Eddie from South Brooklyn
This is only the first of many such actions. The line between church and state has been crossed by Protestant and Jewish clergy as well, and they can expect to be called on it.
XaurreauX from Manhattan