Olympic Opportunism

Another Olympic torch relay. Another Olympic Games start. Another batch of opportunistic idiots deciding to protest everything under the sun. *SIGH*

The day of the Opening Ceremonies, there were three or four groups that converged on one spot to protest at the Olympics. A couple other places along the relay route had to be diverted because of protests. The stupid thing is, nobody was protesting the Olympics themselves. No, that came once the games started, idiots throwing garbage cans through shop windows. Most of the protests had been for their own pet projects that they either didn't get out to public before-hand, or the public just doesn't care.

Instead of going through normal channels, example contacting your local government official, these people prefer to make asses of themselves with the world watching.

One thing we've been known for as Canadians is tolerance. But really, I'm tired of reading about or watching people yelling outside major events about things that have no bearing or relation to the said event. Does the Japanese tourist care there's no Daylight Savings Time in Saskatchewan? No, stop protesting at the Olympics. Does the Jamaican bobsled team care about Native Rights? No. Stop protesting the Olympics. Talk to your government. You can't do that? Then suffer is silence.

The groups protesting the Olympics, however, are a special breed of stupid. Rather than actually protesting, they just cover their faces and vandalize property with no ties to the Olympics. If you are protesting legitmately, don't cover your face. Have material to support your position. Covered faces yelling down the street does nothing but invite the ones who want to smash things to do so.

And, anyone protesting about "stolen Native land" better be Native. If not, well, guess what? You've "stolen" as much as I have.

So what I want to see happen:
1. Protests about the Olympics happen in designated places. How about Alert?
2. Protests cannot happen without a permit. The organizer can get a permit but is directly responsible for any property damage, as well as the ones who cause it.
3. Protesting without a permit carries a $5000 fine for each member.
4. Protests cannot be done with covered faces. Each person is accountable.
5. Instead of organizing protests, organize people to help find solutions to the problems you are protesting about. Action speaks louder than only shouted word.