So like all good, proud Canadians, I've been watching the first 6 days of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic games with my eyes glued to the screen, baited breath, rapid pulse, and heart glowing with pride. I've surprised myself. As of Friday afternoon, I answered with a resounding "no" to Sympatico.ca's poll, "will you be following the Olympic games this coming week?". And I believed it.
You see, my fandom of the Olympic Games is newfound. Three years ago, as I stood in Vancouver's city centre gazing up at an icy, translucent rock glowing a blue "3 years, 2 days, 3 hours, 14 minutes", I thought to myself "cool digital display, wonder how it works", and nothing more. As national advertisements went out for an open casting call to carry the Olympic torch in its relay from sea to sea, I never once considered applying, as I knew the experience would mean nothing more to me than maybe getting my (literal) 15 minutes of fame in my community. And when it passed by me in the street outside my workplace in Downtown Toronto, I cheered along with the others in my Olympic red mittens (a practical Christmas gift that do keep my hands toasty warm), I briefly felt a surge of "wow - this is happening in my country", which dimmed as the flame failed to stave off the bitter cold, and I was forced to run for the comfort of the nearest Tim Hortons.
I believe the Olympics are overrated, overvalued, and place emphasis on the less important qualities a country has to offer. What do sports and athleticism have to do with a country's greatness? Why do we place such value on a handful of a country's "elite" being able to bring home a pile of metal because they ran, swam, or jumped through a hoop the fastest, farthest, or highest?
When China hosted the Olympics two years ago, human rights issues were brought to light in the country's treatment of Tibet and its people, as well as human rights issues in its own country. And yet these issues were trumped on the world stage by Chinese athletes earning shiny metals, razzle dazzling the media and viewers all over the globe. My issue is - why do we allow sports competitions to define a nation? Why not social welfare, poltical stability, living conditions, and the humanitarian aid we offer to others in need? Hundreds of doctors, nurses, social work volunteers, and military personell travelled to Haiti in the past month to aid a population in crisis, going unnoticed, and likely uncelebrated - all while a well-to do athlete slips down a mountain, or scores a few goals, or skates the fastest, and becomes infamous and synonymous with a country's high status in the world. One that says, "yes, we're the best".
Ok, so I sound like I'm damning the hard work of athletes who have trained their entire lives to get where they are, and that's definitely not what I'm out to do. Everyone has their calling, and being an Olympian is no small task. I can tell you when my opinion in the Olympics changed, when this Olympics became special for me.
The moment Alexandre Bilodeau was announced as the gold medal winner of the men's downhill. The moment his Australian counterpart who won Silver visably showed disdain for coming in second and walked away as Alex tried to shake his hand. The moment Alex hugged his disabled brother and said "I did this all for you - you were my inspiration". The moment Alex invited that spiteful Aussie up onto the top of the podium and put his arm around him in celebration. Those were the moments that were truly Canadian for me. I love this country, it's people, it's land, it's hospitality and warmth. Canada, you truly are the best country in the world! Let's show the world who we truly are!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Olympic Fever!!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Convo Du Jour
Facebook Status: Karen just saw a very sad story on the news of the veteran who was largely ignored this year while selling poppies. I am very thankful for their sacrifices and my freedom; we should all take the time to remember and to show our support for our veterans
Richard
Richard
War is a choice.
We travel great distances to wage war in the name of freedom while the enemy thinks their cause is as important as ours. ... Read More
War is oftentimes ridiculously hypocritical and political. For example, in the 80's, America supported Al-qaeda and the Taliban financially to drive out the Russians in their invasion of Afghanistan. Now, because of a changing political climate (and putting noses into places they don't belong), North American and NATO forces are fighting people that they used to support. They allege that weapons of mass destruction exist where they do not as a veil for wanting control of oil resources and the like. They use words like 'democracy' as propaganda, as rallying cries. You can't invade a place that hasn't had democracy in forever (or at all for that matter) and expect them to adopt your culture's way of doing things.
Remembrance day isn't only about World War 2. If it was, thinks would be a bit more clear cut because North America was fighting a cowardly lunatic who committed suicide. Even then, it's not black and white because there were all these other fucked up countries involved. The Russian with the funny moustache. The Italian with the missing pizza sauce. The Japanese who have since become pacifists after radiation poisoning.
I'm gonna shut up and let you respond =).
Karen
Monday, November 9, 2009
Lest We Forget
Every year I seem to write the same post in and around Remembrance Day. Last year I lamented at the number of people, or lack of, who I witnessed wearing poppies in and around the city. This year, I lamented not only a lack of poppies being worn, but a lack of veterans. In fact, I have not yet seen one veteran or even one box of poppies at a single store, street corner, or subway station as I usually do each year.
Then last night I saw a story on the news that literally brought tears to my eyes. A WWII Canadian Army vet who, each year, donates his days for one week leading up to Rememberance Day to stand in a Toronto mall with information on Canada's military history and the lives lost, and to raise money for Veterans programs through the sale of poppies. Throughout the years he has noticed a severe decline in the number of people stopping by to share a kind word and donate some change for a poppy. The camera ran idly as dozens of people walked by blank faced with not even a glance of recognition towards the elderly man in his suit and tie, army medals emblazed on his chest, standing in front of the Canadian flag.
I started to think once again about the freedoms that exist in this country, about the danger this man and thousands upon thousands of others voluntarily put themselves through to ensure a bright future for faceless people, many whome they would not live to see or know. I wonder at a society that does not largely recognize such feats; is it a lack of education, or lack of empathy on society's behalf? Do we live such privledged lives that we take for granted all that's given to us, as if it's owed? A common saying states that we can't have the good without the bad - we haven't had the bad in so many years that perhaps we have no idea what good feels and is anymore.
My boyfriend of many years has been involved with the army ever since I have known him. Initally I disagreed with the idea of his participation in the military, seeing it as a defunct arm of the Government which drains tax payer dollars. I am opposed to the our mission in Afganistan, believing that a Government and sect of people who do not want to be helped cannot be won over, at the cost of innocent lives on both sides. However, the more I consider the bravery of those willing to put their own lives and futures on the line for a cause in which they believe, the more the politics and the idea of right or wrong melts away. What's left there is a respect and a pride that there are people left in the world, particularily in Canada, that care enough about the well-being of others to put their own lives at risk. If I could only be so selfless.
This Rememberance Day, I will put aside the politics and my own concepts of right and wrong, and simply celebrate those who faught for a cause they believed in, and for which they put their own lives on the line for the good of their fellow man. And if that isn't worth spending a day remembering and being thankful for, I don't know what is. Now tackling the problem of showing the next generation the importance of this, something I don't know how to do. And that gives me a great sadness impossible to expel.
