On The Subject Of Policy And Placards

Let's start on the hill.

My sister and I had just dropped into the Harmony Bowl on Whistler Mountain and were flying through fields of fresh powder. The sun was blazing. The view was a spectacular panorama of mountain tops sprawling out to the horizon. Skiers and snowboarders were hiking ridges, dropping chutes and careening down the slopes. It was like a new section of the resort had opened on a cloud and everyone was welcome to check out the new lines. Just stunning.

I imagine it was the closest thing to what winning Olympic Gold must feel like.

It is with this thought in mind that I want to hold onto as I attempt to weigh in on the 17 Days Of Games about to begin. And everything that goes along with them.

Admittedly, there is an element of internal conflict I hold surrounding the Olympics. I'm a huge sports fan on one hand, yet on the other I'm a product of the punk rock practice of questioning those matters that need to be questioned.

When the bid for the Games was first announced, I couldn't bring myself to support it, no matter how much I wanted to see the games here. Do we really need two bobsled tracks in Canada? In Western Canada? Two speed skating ovals? The overall costs seemed to be pretty extravagant for just a two week shin dig.

And with the 6 bill price tag that BC is now facing, maybe they are too extravagant. Those are the challenges that will have to be addressed in the future, after all the hardware was been handed out and the brooms go through BC Place. What the total costs will be end up being, we don't know. We could break even. We could make the Montreal Games look like a case study in investing for Forbes Magazine. But for now, I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty damn excited the Olympics are here.

What I do know is that included in this hefty bill are some quality, big ticket items. A much needed upgrade to the Sea To Sky highway. The Canada Line, which runs out to the airport and alleviates traffic congestion. We don't have eight lane 401 style freeways running through Vancouver, and I would attest that most locals don't want them. A boosted transit system is not a bad thing. Nor is adding lanes to a previously narrow, winding and incredibly busy highway that has seen far too many deaths on it.

Then there's the issue of poverty in the downtown east side. Many have asked how we can justify having a Games when the poorest neighbourhood in Canada is blocks away from the Olympic Village. A legitimate question. As are concerns about displacing people that live in the single room occupancy hotels in the notorious area. (Which to my knowledge has not happened.) Our current Mayor, Gregor Robertson was elected on a progressive platform, with homelessness in Vancouver being one of his central issues. The city has not tried to hide and has even set up a media centre at Woodwards to attempt to explain the cities ongoing struggles with these complex issues.

Should they be the only ones to speak for the city? Probably not. However, at least Robertson and company are light years ahead of previous City Councills that would've stormed Hastings and Main with bulldozers pushing everyone out to Burnaby. At least he's facing the international media dead on.

Unresolved land claims are also being highlighted. And while I can sympathize, I have to question the Olympics as a forum to bring about this debate.

I have no problem with creative resistance and protest. I supported the Battle In Seattle and many of the other G8 protests. But protesters, petitioning during the Olympics have to be very careful as to how and where they tread, lest they lose many of those who would support them.

Why? Because as I said at the top. You are trying to evaporate the feeling of the collective "Cloud 2010'" that many are on right now. And with doing so, garnering new support is going to be a very difficult thing to do. In many cases you will quash in people the innate hopefulness that is the core of the Olympics Contest, which will only foster resentment towards you, no matter how noble your cause appears.

So am I turning my back on my radical roots and saying shut up completely? Of course not. To put it forth the best way I can, if you've got something to say, don't do something inane like this:




Instead, think more like this:



And now I will take my own advice and use my own damn forum to address a few things before we ignite the cauldron.

1. The VANOC Thought Police. Fuck off and don't tell what I can and can't say. If I want to walk around Robson with a shirt that says "VANOC THE FOC OFF" than I should be able to do it without worrying about Johnny Law.

2. The Corporate Racket. I've seen less thuggery on a full season of The Sopranos. This, this, and if you can believe it this are just a few examples of this corporate gangsterism. Who's really running VANOC? 50 Cent?

3. Stupid Protesters. Like I said above. If you've got something worth saying, don't get your dreadlocks in a mat and accost some athlete who's been training his or her whole life, most likely living pretty slim while doing so. Get creative, be effective. I don't know... go get a blog or something.

4. Bitching Local Yuppies That Are Inconvenienced By Road Closures, Noise, etc... It's two weeks. Get over it. At least the dreadlock guys have some legitimate shit to get worked up over...

5. The Weather. I am petitioning the Olympic Gods for no rain on Cypress over the weekend. Sun...ok sure. If you must. Just no rain.

Since I've rambled long enough, probably leaving much out in the process, and not truly nailing my point, I'll leave you with some words from my Ma. Who left this on my e- wall after I asked my on line friendsters to point me in the direction of some links regarding resistance and the Olympics.

After reading this I can only mumble to myself and bump into the walls of HQ since while I've always known that I'll never be able to write half as well as she can, reading this just seals the deal. See for yourself;

"As a lifelong socialist and proponent of justice for the disenfranchised, my words may suprise and offend, and because we are Canadian I apologize in advance. Protest is a worthy activity. But to be effective, it must be strategic. To attempt to draw attention to the miseries of our imperfect world in the midst of the greatest celebration our country has seen -- and needs-- is akin to throwing a birthday party for your child all the while reminding him that his grandmother is dying of cancer.

What good comes of ill-timed faux conscience? By drawing attention to the inequities that are an inevitable piece of our sorry existence at this time, we do injustice to those who suffer as well as those who have gathered to demonstrate what the best of our intentions and hopes can be.

There are two avenues to human perfection on which we travel. One is music and the other, sport. Let's forget about lip synch and steroids; cost overruns and spending. Let us celebrate the best in us all. I will pay my taxes willingly; donate to charity and continue to advocate for social justice. But for two weeks, I will celebrate and I invite all to join My Olympics."

Hey, those Olympics sound like pretty alright games to me. Real good ones in fact. Get the butane ready because the torch sparks up soon.