Olympic sized boondoggles

 

 2010 is almost here and Vancouver might get a new roof over its head.  On top of everything we’ve spent on the Olympics, despite the recession, despite layoffs, government cutbacks, notwithstanding homelessness, and regardless of entire Senior Centers being closed, our rulers think spending over 400 million on a lavish new roof for rich ticket holders is a splendid idea.  I can see Gordon Campbell kicking his own Mother out on the street because he wants to turn her basement suite into a nifty home theatre, but when he’s already done it to thousands of other people’s Moms, I say SHAME.  Gordon Campbell, Point Grey’s own Tartuffe, is the worst hypocrite, snot, and pretentious snob that has ever held office.  I won’t even mention the services the Pecksniffian lickspittle’s cut, the institutions he’s closed or the budgets he’s blown, scammed, slashed or ignored.  Political office has been honorably sought by those who wish to help people overcome oppressive human predicaments, protect individual rights and hear the pain of people that are too old, too sick or too poor to fight back.  Big business will remember our smarmy high-hat with fondness and laughter.  I’m sure the elderly and the homeless will remember nothing but despair and pain.  Too bad they weren’t invited to his elite Olympic party.  It’ll be a party we have to pay for long after he’s a bad dream.

 

This new roof is supposed to a real Jim Dandy.  The nice Japanese steel and other imported parts might be erected by our own unemployed steel workers.

It’s a darn shame the homeless can’t afford the tickets to get in and just look at it – the roof is for the rich only.  Can anyone remember Marie Antoinette?

 

When you give anyone the power to make law, that power affects their judgment and they start to make self-serving instead of self-less decisions.  It’s been common sense for thousands of years.  Our modern, technically advanced and scientifically visionary society has become so intellectually overrated it has become brain dead.  Big on knowledge but short on common sense, a phrase I’ve often heard leveled against myself.  And even I know I don’t have the self-discipline to safe guard someone else’s money.  I’d eventually think about helping myself obtain a better lifestyle, and I’d help all my friends and family get better paying jobs, tax breaks and everything in between. 

 

So why are we sitting back and letting this poor excuse for a “governing body” borrow on our children’s future heritage by building more comfortable sports facilities?  Go figure.

Government economists would sagely whisper things about attracting multi-million dollar sport investment or advertising.

 

Do the homeless listen to such folderol?  I think not.  They see big time athletes, whether amateur or pro, as pampered, well fed aristocrats.  Olympic athletes are no different.  Making a career out of doing your favorite exercise or activity is elitism at its finest, plain and simple.  That may sound obtuse and uninspired, like I don’t appreciate all the commitment and dedication, they have when they play, but it is exactly what they do for a living.  They’ve successfully turned play into work.  Gotta hand it to them for that.  However you phrase it, when you cut out the semantics and lofty idealism, someone that skates for a lot of money has got a pretty cushy gig.  The Olympics are not the race-related superman proving ground Hitler twisted turned them into, but we have imposed our own twist on their original ideals.  Mass commercialism, personal egotism and national pride have created doping, genetic manipulations, gender bending, mass marketing, copyright protection, lucrative clothing lines and media sensationalism are now part and part of perhaps the greatest show on Earth.

Whatever you call it, a duck will always be a duck.

 

I apologize for offending anyone, but I’m tired of listening to trite justification, misdirection and shameless lies.  There’s a huge gap between the rich and the poor; it becomes a chasm in other countries, and it will always be with us.  I hoped the human race would learn from those wise Greek philosophers who talked about democracy and equality.  In their time, the Olympic athletes just stopped what they were doing and competed in the Olympics.  Afterwards, they just went back to whatever they did before the games.  They didn’t get million dollar contracts or worldwide fame.  They just took pride in winning, and didn’t keep on taking just because they won gold.  That kind of humility is a real Olympian achievement.