I haven't blogged about this yet but I feel that I have too. The Olympics, 2010, Winter Games, whatever you want to call them (or what VANOC will let you call them)...its time we had a talk. Last I heard the cost was somewhere between $6-9 BILLION....that is a lot of social housing. Or food for the poor. Art supplies for under-privileged kids.
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Now dont get me wrong, I am not against the Olympics per say. The Olympics have a long rich history, but is this what the ancient Greeks really had in mind? I am all for encouraging kids to be active, hell with the rates of childhood obeisity we need it! Not to mention sportsmanship, the world can always use more of that.
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But the way I see VANOC spending is kind of like this: you owe a friend a shit tone of money. But rather then pay them back, even though times are tough for you too, you treat yourself to cavier and champagne (that you cant really afford in the first place) and you dont invite them to join you.
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The city of vancouver owes its elderly, nurses, youth, homeless, first nations, addicts, and sex workers. It owes them education, affordable housing, food, publicly funded programs, universal childcare....but instead we have fancy new buildings and some tacky LCD screens on the side of the highway. Now I ask you is that a good example for our children of sportsmanship? Of global community? Is that what the games re really supposed to be all about?
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Now that is not to say that I don't have Canadian pride, that I am not excited for the athletes from around the world!  I am happy the world is coming here, excited to watch the opening ceremonies, and busy rooting for Team Canada! Ill be watching hockey and figure skating, with a cold beer in hand... like every good Canadian out there. I just wish people used their critical thinking skills a little bit more often. The people of Vancouver are the true hosts of this winter sports spectacle. We have the power to demand more, to demand better, for the people...by the people. So is my healthy dose of cynicism really such a bad thing? I cant help it, I'm not cynical...Critical Thinking Studies made me that way ;)
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