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ORN-O Day of Action Against the Olympics

Submitted by aw@l on Wed, 05/13/2009 - 11:42

May 12, 2009. – With 9 months to go before the Vancouver Olympics, local anti-Olympic activists are stepping up their activities and taking on one of the biggest Olympic sponsors: Royal Bank of Canada.

Members and supporters of AW@L and KW Anti-Racist Action held a rally in front of the main Waterloo branch of the RBC at 74 King St. South. The protest began at noon and continued until around to 2pm.

The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is a primary sponsor of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Activists say the Olympics are resulting in human rights abuses and environmental destruction. Homelessness in Vancouver is skyrocketing due to soaring property values and redevelopment of low-income apartments into condominiums and hotels. More than 12,000 police and military are to be deployed for the Games at a cost of more than 1 billion dollars. Groups such as the BC Civil Liberties Association have raised concerns that free speech will be suppressed and an “Olympic legacy” of surveillance cameras will remain. Grassroots movements in indigenous communities and environmentalists are saying no to the Olympics. They see the land being irreparably damaged by expanding Olympic development.

The protestors call on the RBC to withdraw support for the Vancouver Olympics. Until such a time, people will be asked to take their banking business elsewhere.

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Futile without Force & Therefore Forgettable

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 06/30/2009 - 10:08.

I understand that AW@L is anti war. I do understand the hardships of the people of Vancouver having to deal with instant and temporary inflation. Truth is, Vancouver, along with other cities, hope to win an Olympic bid, to make a fast dollar. The only way stop this from happening every 2 years is to push for a central site, which will get the Olympics every year. One for winter, One for summer. I suggest Switzerland for winter games for obvious reasons, and Athens for Summer Games(they should get it, right?). There could be a permanent Olympic village, a community of experts to run the facility, and a year round practice facility for athletes. Now that there is no cold war, I think the public cares less and less about the Olympics, and personally I could care less who is the better skier or swimmer. Canada still has the best potential as a country regardless how many medals we win at the games.

The only way to stop this Capitalist rat race is to take the money from the hands of the greedy pigs who impose there will for more profits, worldwide. Good luck unless you intend on using force. Even the first inkling of 5th generation society behavior, (The Olympics), has become a beacon of economic tyranny. To become a global community with a common goal, you need to take selfish ambition out of the equation.

The only practical solution to every problem like this is to find a way for them to still make money that we agree with. Unfortunately,they don't have to listen.

Shane from St. Kitts.

-A comment without feedback is simply an unjustified Rant.

protesting

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 05/25/2009 - 15:29.

I think it is a great thing when people stand for a change and choose to want a better world to live in. I also think it is great when people find a CONSTRUCTIVE & PRODUCTIVE way to make change

It is however, shameful when people take matters into their own hands and "blindly follow" a leader who riles up his minions to do his bidding - leading off the fodder to fall while the leader takes the least risk.

It is great to want to make a better world - take a close look at yourself and everyone else around you before you condemn strangers - my professor once said "don't take my word for it, go find out for yourself"

So I ask, where will you be in 5 years?? Who will you work for? What will you be linked to for all the world to judge? Are you here to make a difference or just complain about injustice? We can always find injustice in our world and being obnoxious doesn't always fix it.

Or will you just blindly follow the leader??
Go Hitler!!!

i think it is a great thing

Submitted by alex on Wed, 05/27/2009 - 01:21.

i think it is a great thing when people critically and respectfully engage with those whose tactics for social change they disagree with. i also think it is great when people find something intelligent and useful to say.

it is however, shameful when people make reference to Hitler when they are taking about anything that doesn't directly concern WW2-comparing things to Nazism is irresponsible and ignorant.

It is a great thing to have an analysis of other people's actions, but it is more useful when that analysis is coherent and clear.

So I ask, why is it that who one will "work for" in the future is the proper measure of today's actions? What kind of difference can we make if addressing injustice and oppression are not our first steps? and why are people who use the internet to criticise protesting always so obnoxious?

Go anonymous comments!
PEACE
-alex.