Photo by akabyam.

If you’re like us, you probably enjoyed DDOT Director Gabe Klein’s appearance on the Kojo Nnamdi Show earlier today, where he talked in depth about DDOT’s new Capital Bikeshare program, among other things. Klein told Nnamdi that the system — which will provide D.C. and Virginia subscribers with about 1,000 bicycles to share — will open registration next week. Klein told Kojo that he believes that Capital Bikeshare “will culturally change the way we think about the bike.”

Of course, if you’re Colorado politician Dan Maes, you probably believe that such radical sentiments make Klein no more than an anti-American dissident.

With a hat tip to friend of DCist Jason Linkins, the Denver Post reports that Maes — who is running for governor of Colorado — called the city of Denver’s bike sharing push an effort in “converting Denver into a United Nations community” which has been “very well-disguised,” and which will eventually be “exposed.” Uh, okay. So summarizes Linkins:

Denver is a member in something called the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives. They’ve been a member since 1992. It is an “international association that promotes sustainable development.” One of the things that contributes to sustainability and an overall pleasant quality of life is a bike-sharing program called “B-Cycle” which has taken donations and grant monies to make 400 bicycles available for the residents of Denver to tool around on when the spirit moves them. [Denver Mayor John] Hickenlooper has praised the program so Maes is trying to make the case that it’s a UN plot to deprive people of “freedom.”

Maes added: “”These aren’t just warm, fuzzy ideas from the mayor. These are very specific strategies that are dictated to us by this United Nations program that mayors have signed on to…Some would argue this document that mayors have signed is contradictory to our own Constitution.”

Washington, D.C. is also a member of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives and is obviously a proponent of bike sharing programs. Maybe we should let the Feds know that Mayor Fenty is planning to turn the nation’s capital into a U.N. stronghold? I’m sure we’ll get around to it as soon as we finish laughing.