Outside article on Rivendell's Black Reparation Pricing

[fiamme red]

https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoo...eid=d604e03244

Once Rivendell’s program hit the national media, Petersen began to receive threats by phone and email. Worried about his safety, he installed video cameras around the store. The company’s phones rang repeatedly with calls from alt-right podcasters, and their Yelp, Google, and social media sites were flooded with negative comments and one-star reviews. “Quit the political commentary BS & focus on bikes,” wrote one commenter on Instagram. “Those people, the majority of them, had never bought anything from us. They probably don’t even ride bikes,” says Will Keating, Rivendell’s general manager. “It’s like they just saw something that infuriated them on the internet and had to take the next step.” The program was shut down on the advice of Rivendell’s lawyers. “The whole thing—it was a grand plan that fizzled out,” says Petersen. “We were afraid for our physical well-being. It was really ugly around here. We were all miserable.”

The author quoted a post from this forum.

“It’s hard to tell where this falls on the spectrum of racism or just virtue signaling,” one user wrote on bike forum The Paceline.

[e-RICHIE]

It’s not always easy, or even pleasant, to do something nice for others especially for all the best reasons and wanting nothing or little in return.

[Blown Reek]

At least Rivendell got some press.

[ktakashismith]

I mean, yeah, I guess it is a quote from a user on this forum, and I guess it's fairly representative of the cul-de-sac demographic that likes to tell the kids to get off their lawn and "be nice".

Disappointing to say the least, but the story is a good reminder that you can have all the best intentions to right the wrongs of the past, but you'll have to put more money into the legal system than the actual philanthropic effort.

[tctyres]

This is really too bad. Grant had the best of intentions.

[erolorhun]

Originally Posted by tctyres

This is really too bad. Grant had the best of intentions.

I just learned about this. Agree, it´s terrible.

[Louis]

In hindsight, I guess there might have been more palatable ways to do somewhat similar things without the obvious race issues and controversy.

For example, supporting cycling activities (lean to ride for the young ones, racing for the older ones, bike maintenance, whatever) at area schools that met the target demographic. Heaven knows, some school districts are far, far, from "integrated" so it would have been easy enough to find some schools to help.

[desertoracle]

wow that locked thread has some dark posts. not surprising but disheartening nonetheless

[peanutgallery]

Sadly, Rivendell doesn't have 45% to give away. Interesting gesture, though

[marciero]

Not to make light of it, but my first thought was that Gilda Radner would be wondering what the fuss is over Blue Ridge Parkway pricing.

Originally Posted by Louis

In hindsight, I guess there might have been more palatable ways to do somewhat similar things without the obvious race issues and controversy.

To the contrary, much of the beauty of it is the directness- both the reparations and the white fragility around race issues.

Originally Posted by peanutgallery

Sadly, Rivendell doesn't have 45% to give away. Interesting gesture, though

Has to be more like a few percent.

[rain dogs]

I guess one thing we can take from this is that if you write, hmmm, let's say "questionable" things (I know, I'm being too nice) on the forum it may be quoted elsewhere and not stay on the forum.

And maybe that user doesn't care (because, yay! internet anonymity) but it does/may reflect/represent the whole forum in that piece, which is very unfortunate.

[charliedid]

Thanks for posting this.

[mcteague]

As they say "no good deed goes unpunished". So much hate in the world. I suspect it has always been this way but modern technology makes us aware of the inner thoughts of too many people.

Tim

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by mcteague

As they say "no good deed goes unpunished". So much hate in the world. I suspect it has always been this way but modern technology makes us aware of the inner thoughts of too many people.

Tim

Beat me to it...Yup, really ugly right now, for a variety of 'reasons'. Even during the VietNam era...late 60s, early 70s..and with all that was going on then..I don't remember it being this divisive, this ugly, this mean, this angry...

Yup, interweb..BITD, all you could do was call and leave a message on their answering machine or put something in a newspaper or some other 'rag'...

I just dont get why people care what others do.

Culture WARS with a capital 'W'.."I'm ok, you're so-so".."What's mine is mine, what's yours is mine" type crappola..Plus as mentioned, don't agree?...violence, via anonymity.

Geez, as much as I DON'T want to...I'll stop here...

[Spaghetti Legs]

I’ve never had much of an opinion either way on the Grant Peterson philosophy; to each his own. I respect and applaud him for trying to put his money where his mouth is. I’d be curious where the 45% number came from. I can imagine that generally, such a small percentage of his sales were to Black customers that any significant increase in volume might involve some effect on the labor overhead but overall margin wouldn’t be affected nearly as much.

I’m sure not as simple as that;I’m not a bidness guy.

There is a legal component also, but broadly this is a sad commentary on how violence, threats and fear of violence, inform American decision making now.