Olympics

Thanks for leaving a comment Jessica! I'll do my best to respond...

First you comment that the Olympics highlights differences and intense nationalistic fervor. I completely agree, but I dont believe that this is a negative. What is wrong with being positive about your nation? It does not mean that we are negative towards others, simply that we are proud of our society and culture, and that we want to show that off to the world.The same goes for every nation that has held the Olympics, and I have always found it interesting to see and hear about their own pride.

You are absolutely right that we should focus on international turmoils still, and who says that we aren't? Couldn't the Olympics bring about attention to other nations and issues around the world? Or bring together political elements to plan to helping nation wide? I wouldn't say that the Olympics turn attention away, but can bring people together. Would they have gotten together on other terms?

Your disdain for the having the Olympics for the "mere sake of exhibiting athletic ability" can be understood with the exorbitant amount of money spent, but I think it is necessary. Those athletes have worked for years, if not their entire lives to make it to the Olympics. Should we deny them that life pursuit?

I would argue that the Olympics are the only international movement, where nations come together (And perhaps the World Cup as well). Nothing else brings so many nations from around the world under one roof. How else should we celebrate it?

Of course nations want to hide the... "filth" that is demonstrated in their cities. I dont like it, but I cant really blame them for it. If nothing was done, the image of Vancouver to the rest of the world would be mass protests, homeless people laying on street corners, drugs, prostitution. I dont agree with the method of removing it, but is there a better way you would care to argue?

We have to remember that there is a global recession, so government not funding social programs is not entirely due directly to the Olympics. The Olympics were chosen awhile ago, before Canada realized just how dire the world's economic position really is, therefore the Olympics were going to happen regardless. It should not have cost as much as it does, but thats unfortunately what has happened.

I dont know anything about the arrests for speaking out.... do you have an article to reference this?

Tags: Olympics

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Rasmussen on March 1, 2010 at 11:13pm

I just want to make clear before I frame a reply, that I was not in complete support of the Olympic movement, and that there were some issues that I believe needed to be addressed. Please dont think of me as heartless and closing the blinds on controversial issues. I like to ask questions and learn about the subject, so enlighten me!

First I would like to discuss the native rights, as I dont know very much about this particular issue. While in class we learned that the slogan of the protesters was "No Olympics on stolen native land", I wondered what the overall native population thought about the Olympics. I was also interested to see that the four host nations played an active role in the Olympics, and that their Chiefs were considered as Heads of State. Would the presence of these Chiefs negate the protesters? They could easily have avoided the Olympics, and not taken a role, but they did. Do you know much more about this?

I also dont know about how the sex trade feed's our tourism. Are you suggesting that the presence of the Olympics boosted this trade? Do you have any articles to back this statement up?

Taylor in class brought up an interesting point, and I hope that he posts something about this, but he suggested that we should not stop the Olympics because of the amount of homeless people. It would also be interesting to see what sort of treatment they received when evicted from areas. While there are certain people that are homeless due to society, some have problems with society that led to their homelessness. I cant imagine other cities around the world that dont have their share of poverty and homelessness, would you suggest not holding the Olympics at all?

You may look at these celebrations as a focus solely on Canada, but I look at them as an international movement of nations. While we celebrate things Canadian and share that with the World, They bring their own ideas along with them. It's not about Canada, but a celebration of many nations coming together in the spirit of friendly competition. While there are of course issues that would surround this, should we not hold them?

I agree that the amount of money spent on the sport was extreme, especially when it could be placed elsewhere to help society. I wont deny that at all. But that doesn't mean that Olympic goals were totally misplaced.

And sure, I can see that some of the sponsors have a black past, and I dont agree that some of them should be a part of them. But shouldnt the protest be against these companies and not the Olympics? Those companies have ties in everything, but protest against them appear only at the Olympics. I havent heard of other protests against Coke and movements against them. Only at the Olympic stage do people come forth to spat out their messages... a silver lining for protesters!

I guess we wont know in the long run about what affect the Olympics will have on Vancouver. Maybe the money gained their will be put towards the homeless? Maybe the presence of world leaders there will have brought together trades creating jobs? Maybe native rights will be more on the forefront and maybe now that the Olympics have ended, the sex trade can be slammed closed. I am still proud that we held the Olympics and showed off both our cultures and our athletes. It's no easy thing to host the Olympics.. . and we managed very well.