My recent post about the Vancouver Olympics has generated some great discussion and some interesting points of view. I’m all about discussion, debate and by no means do I think that my opinion is the only point of view. With that ethos in mind I thought I might share a few of those other opinions.
“As much as I freakin' LOVE the Winter Olympics, I gotta agree that VANOC has done very little to make me feel good about any of this. The dismantling of the mental health care system in BC has a lot to do with the problems on East Hastings, which is appalling to see first hand. Also appalling is the billions in cost overruns in the midst of already difficult times. I mean, Intrawest (owners of Whistler/Blackcomb) are teetering on the verge of bankruptcy/creditor protection. What's even more ridiculous is that pointing such things out brands you a terrorist in the eyes of VANOC security. I hate to say it, but I just wish it were somewhere else.”
--Chris Marchand (http://muskellunge.blogspot.com/)
Another rather strong opinion comes from the ever opinionated Matthew Good
http://www.youtube.com/user/Qtv#p/c/6AE847ACA8C5D941/179/YBdzgPtlBho (sorry they won't let me imbed it...)
What do you think?
***UPDATE***
Here are a few opinions that have come through via the Facebook page
"There has been a lot of things said about the Olympics that have turned me off of the protests against it. There is nothing that annoys me more than a bunch of middle class white kids running around saying "no Olympics on stolen Native land", when the local first nations tribes are involved in the Olympics and have been so since the initial bid. None of my First Nation friends have joined in on that rhetoric.
I also read articles comparing VANOC to Hitler. I can't get behind certain folks endless overuse, and misuse of the words "fascist" and "nazi". There was a great bit that The Daily Show did a few years ago which concluded that the minute you use the word "fascist", your argument loses all credibility. I can get behind that.
The problems in the Downtown Eastside are decades old and have absolutely nothing to do with the Olympics. VANOC didn't cut funding to the health care system. They have no authority over anything other than the Olympics. I'm no fool. I know that the Olympics hefty price tag has inevitably led to the cutting of funds to other projects, but they're not the cause of problems in Vancouver that have been around longer than most of us care to admit. Ever see the Henry Rollins interview where he talks about how Black Flag hated playing Vancouver cuz it was nothing but a bunch of drug addicts that would steal their gear? That's 25 years ago.
I just don't think anyone cares to see the big picture. Something does need to be done about the Downtown Eastside and a lot has been done in the last 10 years, but nothing is going to solve the problems faced by a community overrun with drug abuse overnight. No matter how much money is thrown at it. And good luck getting Coca-cola to sponsor that initiative.
Yes, the Olympics are a major expenditure for a one time event, but its not a one time event. The venues that are built will be used by athletes for training, for world cup events, and by locals who wish to learn and train for Olympic sports. We also received a new skytrain line, replaced a dumpy waterfront industrial area with an entire new community, and widened the highway up to Whistler, which I'm personally very thankful for after driving it every day in a 3 tonne truck in the rain."
--Jeff Munt
"You cannot think that the 5 billion dollar deficit that the olympics will be leaving this province in will have little effect. as a nursing student, i have already seen the effect that this is having on our health care system, with nurses being layed off and LPN`s being put in their place....even in the OR`s of this province. it is frightening to think that if i require surgery i may no longer have highly specialized OR nurses, rather LPN`s in these positions.
I am also seeing the effect that this is having on our education system. millions of recent cuts to education, including hundreds of newly graduated teachers being layed off. mental health in most places is largely misunderstood, let alone managed in any worthy or healthy way, so i don`t expect the majority of people in this province to be anything more than blissfully and arrogantly ignorant of these challenges and while Vanoc didn`t cut funding to health care, i can think of many ways to spend this province`s citizens money.
Perhaps you are in a cushy, well preserved place in your life, and are not concerned with the well being of anyone other than yourself for the time being, but heaven forbid you get in a motor vehicle accident and have a head injury......i don`t hate feats of athletic prowess or big happy groups of festive people, however, i do think we will definitely be in a terrible position in this province once this brief display of lavishness is over and the budget is finally made public"
--Fiona Wheeler
“As much as I freakin' LOVE the Winter Olympics, I gotta agree that VANOC has done very little to make me feel good about any of this. The dismantling of the mental health care system in BC has a lot to do with the problems on East Hastings, which is appalling to see first hand. Also appalling is the billions in cost overruns in the midst of already difficult times. I mean, Intrawest (owners of Whistler/Blackcomb) are teetering on the verge of bankruptcy/creditor protection. What's even more ridiculous is that pointing such things out brands you a terrorist in the eyes of VANOC security. I hate to say it, but I just wish it were somewhere else.”
--Chris Marchand (http://muskellunge.blogspot.com/)
Another rather strong opinion comes from the ever opinionated Matthew Good
http://www.youtube.com/user/Qtv#p/c/6AE847ACA8C5D941/179/YBdzgPtlBho (sorry they won't let me imbed it...)
What do you think?
***UPDATE***
Here are a few opinions that have come through via the Facebook page
"There has been a lot of things said about the Olympics that have turned me off of the protests against it. There is nothing that annoys me more than a bunch of middle class white kids running around saying "no Olympics on stolen Native land", when the local first nations tribes are involved in the Olympics and have been so since the initial bid. None of my First Nation friends have joined in on that rhetoric.
I also read articles comparing VANOC to Hitler. I can't get behind certain folks endless overuse, and misuse of the words "fascist" and "nazi". There was a great bit that The Daily Show did a few years ago which concluded that the minute you use the word "fascist", your argument loses all credibility. I can get behind that.
The problems in the Downtown Eastside are decades old and have absolutely nothing to do with the Olympics. VANOC didn't cut funding to the health care system. They have no authority over anything other than the Olympics. I'm no fool. I know that the Olympics hefty price tag has inevitably led to the cutting of funds to other projects, but they're not the cause of problems in Vancouver that have been around longer than most of us care to admit. Ever see the Henry Rollins interview where he talks about how Black Flag hated playing Vancouver cuz it was nothing but a bunch of drug addicts that would steal their gear? That's 25 years ago.
I just don't think anyone cares to see the big picture. Something does need to be done about the Downtown Eastside and a lot has been done in the last 10 years, but nothing is going to solve the problems faced by a community overrun with drug abuse overnight. No matter how much money is thrown at it. And good luck getting Coca-cola to sponsor that initiative.
Yes, the Olympics are a major expenditure for a one time event, but its not a one time event. The venues that are built will be used by athletes for training, for world cup events, and by locals who wish to learn and train for Olympic sports. We also received a new skytrain line, replaced a dumpy waterfront industrial area with an entire new community, and widened the highway up to Whistler, which I'm personally very thankful for after driving it every day in a 3 tonne truck in the rain."
--Jeff Munt
"You cannot think that the 5 billion dollar deficit that the olympics will be leaving this province in will have little effect. as a nursing student, i have already seen the effect that this is having on our health care system, with nurses being layed off and LPN`s being put in their place....even in the OR`s of this province. it is frightening to think that if i require surgery i may no longer have highly specialized OR nurses, rather LPN`s in these positions.
I am also seeing the effect that this is having on our education system. millions of recent cuts to education, including hundreds of newly graduated teachers being layed off. mental health in most places is largely misunderstood, let alone managed in any worthy or healthy way, so i don`t expect the majority of people in this province to be anything more than blissfully and arrogantly ignorant of these challenges and while Vanoc didn`t cut funding to health care, i can think of many ways to spend this province`s citizens money.
Perhaps you are in a cushy, well preserved place in your life, and are not concerned with the well being of anyone other than yourself for the time being, but heaven forbid you get in a motor vehicle accident and have a head injury......i don`t hate feats of athletic prowess or big happy groups of festive people, however, i do think we will definitely be in a terrible position in this province once this brief display of lavishness is over and the budget is finally made public"
--Fiona Wheeler
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