Anti Olympic signs could mean jail time

[damngrumpy]

The heavy handed tactics of this government and Vanoc, could well lead to a complete backlash
against the games in 2010. I can see a rear guard of pop up demonstrations all over the place
to embarrass the government. In addition I still think the torch routes are safe from demonstrators however more and more people are turning against the event itself.
I for one, don't like the games, but I also would not like to see a total disaster because when
the cleanup starts after the games BC taxpayers will foot the bill, while the promotion partners
make all that money. The worse the situation becomes the more we will pay.
These people meaning government and Vanoc must be proud of themselves, they are spending
more and more and the government is slashing program funds to hide the mounting deficit
costs. Wonder how folks are going to feel when they realize Gordo's legacy is a couple of billion
dollars of debt for us to pay?
In a democracy protest is in fact a right not a privilege, and people will stand up regardless of the
penalties and pressure placed upon them. In the end for the games such actions are a recipe
for disaster.

[mtnman1]

Why can't people put their disputes aside for the two weeks of the games and just let them do their thing? Why does everyone have to kick up such a fuss during that 2 week period? Why do we need these rules? Can't we just have two weeks of winter games without such a fuss?

[damngrumpy]

Actually no, the whole event was founded on a lie by an government who knew it was a lie.
This government has also taken money from kids sports teams and and a host of other groups
to cover up the real cost of the games. The government has said the international Olympic
committee is above the laws of BC and we have to bow down to them. There is now about
52% of people who no longer believe we will benefit from the games. People have a democratic
right to protest in the country, its fundamental to a democracy, and some want to express their
right. In recent days people who are opposed to the games have been harassed by the police and
and that is simply not right in a democracy. Personally I don't care, I won't be going, and I won't be watching because I believe its more
about politics than sports. We have created two weeks of profit taking by a small group of people
many from outside the country who get the gravy while you and I get the bills.
Even local bus companies got shut out in favor of a Florida group giving the jobs to Americans.
I am to the point where I don't want to have anything to do with the event or those who sponsor it.
I only hope that those who want to protest give this group of bullies a run for their money.
Those groups include the BC Government, Vanoc, and the Olympic Committee .

[Captain Awesome]

Screw all of you, I'll be watching it like there's no tommorrow.

4 more months!

[damngrumpy]

If this was done in a spirit of honesty I would probably too. However the government lied about it
from the start and that is one thing, but when they outright lie and ask us to pay for it while they
pass on benefits to companies that are partners at our expense that ticks me.
In addition the jobs and services are going to foreigners, and our people who are being
inconvenienced have to sit on the sidelines and watch others take the jobs. If we are showcasing
BC products and services how come the buses and drivers are from Florida?
I don't want to see complete disaster because we are paying for it, I just want our governments
to be embarrassed for the lack of honesty they have showed from the beginning.
But then the Campbell Liberals have no sense of shame it appears, at least not by the way they
conduct themselves as a governing body, that represents the people of BC.

[Captain Awesome]

If we are showcasing BC products and services how come the buses and drivers are from Florida?

Because they've put in a lower bid? And to go with a higher bid would mean paying more but god dang gov't is trying to pay less, how dare they!

[John500]

Major Perfect does not realize that actually he is the one being screwed out of his freedom of speech for what many soldiers have given their ultimate sacrifice.......enjoy the games.

[damngrumpy]

The games should be about providing products and services that showcase our way of life here.
And believe me we are going to pay dearly for this white elephant. If we the taxpayer are going
to be asked to pay the shot the jobs should be ours. Here is one example of what we are paying
for. The bus company put out a lease contract to supply buses and drivers from Florida. Some
fool from Texas that bid on the bus lease and one, phoned local bus companies to ask if winter
tires would be required on those buses. And the Florida drivers should have all kinds of fun on
the Sea to Sky Highway. Some people see a few cents saving so they buy without realizing the
consequences of what they are doing. Same goes for giving powers to police and private
agents companies. When we allow the police to be co-opted to defend private agency interests
they become nothing more than hired guns, and they lose my respect. I am talking about police
enforcing Vanoc rules grabbing signs from people who don't agree with what they are doing.
My my its terrible when people don't agree in a democracy. Some people believe everyone should
have rights as long as they don't exercise those rights.

[Captain Awesome]

And believe me we are going to pay dearly for this white elephant. If we the taxpayer are going to be asked to pay the shot the jobs should be ours. Here is one example of what we are payingfor.

The bus company put out a lease contract to supply buses and drivers from Florida. Some
fool from Texas that bid on the bus lease and one, phoned local bus companies to ask if winter
tires would be required on those buses. And the Florida drivers should have all kinds of fun on
the Sea to Sky Highway. Some people see a few cents saving so they buy without realizing the
consequences of what they are doing. Same goes for giving powers to police and private
agents companies. When we allow the police to be co-opted to defend private agency interests
they become nothing more than hired guns, and they lose my respect. I am talking about police
enforcing Vanoc rules grabbing signs from people who don't agree with what they are doing.
My my its terrible when people don't agree in a democracy. Some people believe everyone should
have rights as long as they don't exercise those rights.

Some people are screaming bloody murder about rising costs of Olympics, other people don't care about the cost but want other benefits. Some people say screw new taxes but want all the services for free, I guess. Some people say screw Olympics but then moan and cry about cutting budgets for it.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. No wonder there's no respect for people of this province from our gov't. We as people of this province don't know what we want and continue our crying and whining about every single thing raising our fists and saying "Oh, just wait till elections!". Then we forget about everything, bring another party into power that does exact same thing. Fist raising continues, and so does moaning. Both parties only serve their own interests, and people are tools to get into power. Marketing shapes opinions, media helps big time. Power to the people? Yeah, right.

I'm going to start ignoring political discussions from now on.

[steven lloyd]

I'm going to start ignoring political discussions from now on.

But we'll miss your insightful commentary Major. Please don't go.

[Al Czervic]

Some people are screaming bloody murder about rising costs of Olympics, other people don't care about the cost but want other benefits. Some people say screw new taxes but want all the services for free, I guess. Some people say screw Olympics but then moan and cry about cutting budgets for it.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. No wonder there's no respect for people of this province from our gov't. We as people of this province don't know what we want and continue our crying and whining about every single thing raising our fists and saying "Oh, just wait till elections!". Then we forget about everything, bring another party into power that does exact same thing. Fist raising continues, and so does moaning. Both parties only serve their own interests, and people are tools to get into power. Marketing shapes opinions, media helps big time. Power to the people? Yeah, right.

I'm going to start ignoring political discussions from now on.

Well said.

I have to admit I too am loosing my interest in discussing politics. Not so much the subject itself I just find the constant negativity and complaining about virtually anything and everything often by people who refuse to spend even 5 minutes researching a subject to even bother to become at all factually educated becoming all too familiar.

I can only imagine what it is like for people who actually do get elected. And we wonder why “good people” (as if we would ever really agree on what that is) don’t run.

I am old but somedays I really wonder how the next generation is going to make it all work. People never stop to think how it is we got to where we have in society without all of the goods and services we now apparently cannot live without and that we increasingly can no longer afford to pay for.

Fortunately we can all blame someone else and for as long as that occurs…well just go back to the start of this post and you begin to see the pattern emerging.....

[steven lloyd]

Well said.

Not so well said. Just because there exist posters here who are not so easily enamored by this government as you are does not mean we (at least some of us) do not value your perspective and opinion. What is the point of these discussion boards? To sit here and simply agree with everything everyone has to say? That would be a total exercise in non-thinking, and many would suggest, the reason we have something to complain about today as far as our elected government goes in the first place. I don’t know how the next generation is going to make it work, but I sure as hell hope they’re not as apathetic, gullible and complacent as this one.

The world has changed Al. Expecting long ago approaches to problems that have obviously not worked in the long term to suddenly work now makes even less sense. Just because someone has an opinion different than your own you should not make the mistake of assuming they are not informed. I have never made that assumption about you, and you’d be greatly amiss to make that assumption about me (or a number of others here with opinions different than your own).

[zerograv]

Just think of what the $900 million Olympic security budget divided up among every single canadian resident would do to curb an economic crisis. Hell i'd even buy a GM with a piece of that pie!

900 million divided by about what 33 million? And can you believe we have people sleeping in the streets with that kind of money floating around?

[FunkyBunch]

Yeah, I wouldn't know what to do with an extra thirty dollars zerograv. That'd totally keep someone off the street.
/sarcasm

[zerograv]