Olympics and Protests Continue
February 16th, 2010
I wasn’t going to blog today, but Canada’s Men’s Hockey Team finally is playing so my attempt to take a break from going out lasted one night. Last night I watched the Olympics at home, but I also played the guitar and even watched a DVD. I should have done some domestic chores perhaps.
Anyway I’m in the Waves in Chinatown on a short lunch break so I have to squeeze in a blog update too, because I may not get another chance until much later tonight. I went looking for some positive Chinatown stories in the foreign press and found one by chance from the Philadelphia Inquirer. I wonder if Wes will do something with it.
I also found a story about speed skating, both short and long track and how China, Korea, and now Japan are becoming bitter rivals and in a sport where tenths of a second matter, spying, even industrial espionage is becoming a factor.
I also found someone defending the black bloc’s actions in engaging in property damage, vandalism, physical threats, and intimidation as well attempts to goad the police. They justify this unwelcome use of violence and illegal activity as part of a variety of tactics. They seem to think we’re living in a police state and the Olympics are evil, as are corporations, and that eventually everyone will join the black bloc because they are ‘right’. They seem to have little doubt of their rightness and even the righteousness of their actions and their cause. Though despite writing an open letter I’m not sure what they are fighting for exactly, they present no solution, no proposal, no working draft, not even a manifesto. I mean the unabomber at least had a manifesto, so did Charles Manson, I mean if you want to use criminal means to advance your cause at least have a manifesto…
Despite their anonymity, self-righteousness, and posting to the blogosphere, they’ve failed to convince more than just me. Rabble.ca has a measured response and that author has been to a few more protests than me, though I’ve stood on Parliament lawns before and likely will again some day.
The tent city protest continues and they have a few more tents. Last night’s rain storm and lack of drainage in their village has given them a few problems. They at least should be happy about the unseasonably warm weather. I predict one big winter storm will put an end to the weekend warriors among them. Someone else pointed out to me they have no washroom facilities where they chose to camp. I still don’t think Concorde Pacific or the police will do anything until there is an open air drug market, or a fire, or a fight. And given that it is Olympic Welfare Wednesday tomorrow, I predict shit may well go down.
Now for pictures from walking the DTES this morning:
This entry was originaly posted on , it was last edited on and is filed under: Rambles and tagged: DTES, Olympics, Vancouver.
