By : Coach A
Unless your head is happily buried in the ground, you’re certain to be aware of the controversy surrounding the Olympics and the “torch.” Today’s events in Paris highlight the concern and raise questions about Wednesday’s arrival in San Francisco. While I firmly believe, as I suspect we all do, in the right to express and protest, I’m forced to ask if this is the right “event” to protest.
As a father, I would love to take my son to see the Olympic torch as it represents, in theory, a great event, The Olympics. Growing up I learned about the history of the games and came to see them as a great event where nations could peacefully compete. I often told my dad that we’d be a better world if we decided our “battles” on the sporting field as opposed to the battle field.
While I’m older and arguably more intelligent and mature now, I still see the “spirit” of the Olympic games as something that should be celebrated.
- Is it possible to protest the location and policies of the host country without protesting the ritual associated with the running of the torch? I would think it’s possible.
- Why are we treating the individuals who are “running” the torch as if they represent the Beijing government and policy?
All this protesting - makes me want to start a protest protesting the protest! We’re not gonna protest!
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April 10, 2008 at 9:32 am
Coach A
Sweet job San Francisco — you basically hid the torch - -way to honor the Spirit of the Games. PATHETIC! Still not sure why we need to protest the torch — why not protest the games - call for a boycott - but lay off the people who are running the torch -they don’t speak for the Bejiing govt.
Anyone who wants to join me - i plan on starting a group with the sole purpose of protesting any and all protests in the city. ENOUGH already. We protest ATM fee’s, the War (every 3 weeks), gas prices, isreal, palestine, human rights, lack of human rights, dog rights - and the list goes on.
Let’s get 1 weekend where we don’t protest!