I recently saw an ad on television for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. The ad consisted of a line of fire driving across Canada. It was supposed to be the Olympic torch-flame, but I see the line of fire in a different light.
In my view, a line of fire is something to be avoided, as it is deadly. Of course, it is fitting if you are a native, who’s land was stolen out from under them for this event, or were homeless and living in Vancouver. Protesters, of course, will be re-routed and any company who displays their commercial sign will be ordered to take it down and fined if they’re not a sponsor.
Wait a minuite here. What if you own… say, a Bakery. Your sign is painted in your window and has been for years. Say you’re not doing that well. Of course you can’t afford to “sponsor” the Olympics… So you’re no longer allowed to display your sign as it is now illegal?
This smacks of fascism. The kind of fascism that was enforced heavily in the province of Quebec around the time of the ’76 Olympics and since. Does bill 178, or bill 101 ring a bell?
It also reminds me of the ghettos of Poland during and immediately following the great depression. Everyone was crammed into these ghettos, publicly humiliated further by being forced to wear identifying badges and treated very badly in general by the local government.
So the Olympics, also being a major corporation, are hiring federal police out like some sort of Gestapo. OK, perhaps the Olympics are somewhat Mafia like as well. Come to think of it, it’s a good thing we have freedom of speech in this country, or else I might be kidnapped, jailed, tortured or even murdered simply for writing this.
After reading a recent FTB article about the interrogation of a certain journalist at the border because of fear that she would speak about the Olympics, I find the claim that it is a matter of national security to be very troubling. This tells me that our inalienable right to freedom of speech is only an illusion, along with our other rights and freedoms!
What’s to stop the corporations from actually killing people who oppose their views, or don’t buy their products at exorbitant prices? What a disappointment the 21st century has turned out to be.
The Olympics claim to be a force to bring countries together. The truth is it is a bitter competition between countries and often the cause and target of terrorism. In fact, I hate to say this, but it must be said, the Olympics DESERVE to be terrorized.
The athletes are simply an innocent product. Yes, Olympic athletes are merely the product that the Olympic corporation produces. The real people who deserve to be terrorized are the judges, COOs, CEOs and other official officers.
But I digress. Perhaps I’m getting a little carried away here, but I always did hate the Olympics.
