717 replies to this topic

[phx]

I watched the torch go past and it was somewhat anti-climactic.

I wish I had gone downtown to see the protesters:

The group has planned an afternoon festival that includes speakers, music and athletic events such as street hockey and jumping through the poverty hoops. There will even be mascots: Bitey the bedbug, the Rat Bastard and Seymour Salmon, who is eight metres long and will be accompanied by a flock of sea lice.

[piltdownman]

I'm at the community event at the legislature now. Its surprisingly good. Everyone seems to be pretty happy about this 20 minute song about coke-a-cola.

[arfenarf]

Legislature evening event was pretty good, considering it was pouring outside. The lawns were a mudpit. I can only imagine the late Sergeant-at-Arms spinning in his grave.

We were at Rockland and Cook waiting for the torch when the protesters arrived. They exercised their democratic rights and chanted and sang. Cool.

A number of their chants were unprintable and shocked my 12-y-o, who went from being interested in what was going on to being totally turned off and afraid of the mob. Uncool.

We walked over to the Leg when we learned that the torch was re-routed. The celebrations were going on and the crowd was having a good time. Once the cauldron was lit and the dignitaries had had their speeches, I could hear the protestors approach and then enter the grounds.

The children's choir walked onto the stage and were faced with the protestors occupying the east side of the lawns - who then tried to shout the kids down. Deeply, deeply uncool.

Good move, folks. Frighten and offend the youth who would be most open to your social justice messages. Boneheads.

[sebberry]

Good move, folks. Frighten and offend the youth who would be most open to your social justice messages. Boneheads.

You expect these people to demonstrate any understanding of logic? They are on a mission that failed before it even started. Their protests will do nothing to stop the Olympics.

[Baro]

Protests should offend and turn-off no one

[Holden West]

I saw the demonstrators tonight marching down Fort St. I was amazed at the seven Mounties on horseback. I can't remember the last time I saw a mounted police officer downtown.

I'm disappointed at the behaviour, especially towards children. Very poor class.

[Bingo]

I found the torch run brief enough to be entertaining as it passed by the Oak Bay Firehall. There were no crowd barriers, and no crowds when two runners exchanged the flame. The enthusiasm of the runners and their families and friends who posed briefly with the torch was a heart warming sight. This is the typical Oak Bay spirit.

Too bad there were some yahoos on the next leg of the run into the city, that forced the runner to abandon and get into the bus.

[Holden West]

C-FAX: PROTESTERS FORCE TORCH TO BE RE ROUTED

THEY ALSO SAY THE ONLY OTHER INCIDENT OF CONCERN WERE SOME PROTESTERS WHO THREW MARBLES AT THE FEET OF POLICE HORSES.

Not. Cool.

[Sue Woods]

An interesting story has been brought to light by retired journalist Harvey Oberfield on his blog - about members of the media being torch bearers. Not only were former medalists turned down, but journalists should never make themselves part of the stories they cover. Its the second item at http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog and I think well worth a read.


Also weird to see that Tavis Dodds (with red clown nose) was on TV tonight as an acredited (security clearanced) "member of the press". I didn't know he was employed by a media outlet! And in my experience one could NOT get accredited with a criminal record. Dodd was arrested a few times in Victoria last winter - and disrupted the last civic election by tampering with other candidate's signs. How did he get a press pass?

[Holden West]

journalists should never make themselves part of the stories they cover

That seems to be going the way of the teletype, with anchors participating (and making the evening news) in various charity events like Cops for Cancer, walk for breast cancer etc.

As for how Dodds got accredited--well, I guess standards have eroded.

[arfenarf]

Protests should offend and turn-off no one

Not sure whether I'm reading sarcasm here or not... so forgive me if I'm being a little dense.

I don't actually agree. A protest can be pushing a point of view that runs counter to the general opinion, which will, indeed, anger some sensibilities. That point of view has a right to be heard. I have very mixed feelings about the whole Olympic endeavour itself and was ready to hear the message from the protests:

But this was classless. You made little kids cry, you jerks.

[G-Man]

Yeah these protests about 6 years too late. They will accomplish nothing. I am no fan of the money spent and really don't like many sporting events but at the same time it is too late to change it so might as well let the party go on.

I feel bad for the 10 runners that lost their chance to carry the flame due to them as it must have been quite disheartening,

[Bingo]

Many protestors are the same people that get in on whatever is cause of the week. It's like a cult. They don't have any solutions, they just disrupt the people that contribute to society in a meaningful way.

[Holden West]

Zoe Blunt has had some interesting things to say regarding Langford but with the Olympic issue Blunt and her supporters have been remarkably inarticulate.

Their protests come off as sadly impotent. What exactly are they trying to achieve? They said nothing we don't already know. The idea that social services should come before games? I guess, but as G-Man says, it's kinda late now; they should have had that protest about seven years ago.

Are they wanting to inform us that social services shouldn't be ignored? Yet most people are already well aware that the games are being held during a time of restraint and cutbacks. Some regret the Olympics but canceling them now is virtually impossible and would be an economic catastrophe. So what does Blunt want?

I heard Blunt on the radio a couple of times and she came off as being somewhat delighted at the thought she would be making mischief, not as a believer in justice. Even clinging to the mistaken hope that their signs with Olympic symbols would be confiscated, despite the clear message that the police weren't interested in protest signs, only trademark theft used for guerrilla marketing.

As for the games on stolen land aspect--well, everything we do is on stolen land We all live, work, shop and have sex on stolen land. So what should we do about it. Blunt and ourselves could right this wrong by emigrating to the original ancestral homeland, which for some of us is Europe but to be on the safe side, let's say southwest Africa on the Angola/Namibia border.

The protesters could have made their point plainly and gained sympathy but instead, the leaders of the protest--including Zoe--happily allowed the professional complainers to control the event and succeeded only in making children weep and turning what should have been a community celebration into one of intimidation and fear.

[gumgum]

I was at the protest. Not to take part - just trying to get my My Thai fix they happened to be at the same place.
I suspect the most inconvienience the protest caused was the fact that I had to park 2 blocks away and walk through the crowd, cops and the horses.
The presence of the horses was quite the site. I walked right in front of them and felt more than intimidated.

I've been involved in my share of protests and I support our citizen's right, but I can't help but think these people must have little better to do in their lives than cause a ruccus. As mentioned before, it's a little too late for protest - why don't they move on and focus on more possitive endeavors?

Fine, we get it - you don't like how our moola's being spent.
Get over it and move on already.

[Mike K.]

they should have had that protest about seven years ago

Perhaps they did but obviously there wasn't much of an impact.

[Holden West]

Perhaps they did but obviously there wasn't much of an impact.

Maybe so. But shortly after the Games were awarded to Vancouver in 2003, the anti-Games organizers responded by saying they would be changing their tactics from protesting to being a watchdog--informing the public and making sure money was spent wisely.

Somewhere along the line a new group entered and instead decided that mild acts of sabotage would accomplish something.

I think about people who were against Expo 86 who now acknowledge it was good for Vancouver and that it had a positive psychological impact.

[arfenarf]

I was at the protest. Not to take part - just trying to get my My Thai fix they happened to be at the same place.

Gumgum, I may have inadvertently crossed paths with you. DD and I bolted a plate of Pad Thai there, next to a somnolent elderly lady, just before the torch was due there. The crowd assembled soon afterward.

I felt compelled to ask the lady, who was progressively slumping closer and closer to the floor, whether she needed help. She brightened up, told me she was fine, and resumed her slide. Hope that wasn't you

[victorian fan]

A Zombie march - how befitting

[gumgum]

Gumgum, I may have inadvertently crossed paths with you. DD and I bolted a plate of Pad Thai there, next to a somnolent elderly lady, just before the torch was due there. The crowd assembled soon afterward.

I felt compelled to ask the lady, who was progressively slumping closer and closer to the floor, whether she needed help. She brightened up, told me she was fine, and resumed her slide. Hope that wasn't you

Ha!
I was there to pick up my food and I saw that poor woman. I was going to see if she was OK, but then someone else beat me to it. It must have been you!

Small world.