Comments on: A Few Thoughts on Olympic Protests

By: isabella mori (@moritherapy)

isabella mori (@moritherapy) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 23:43:14 +0000

i totally agree with what todd said, that’s part of what’s troubling me. protests are important, and, what’s even more troubling, it is violent protests that do seem to have a lot of impact. the french revolution, which is the cradle of modern-day democracy, was no old ladies’ afternoon tea party! as a true-blue pacifist who has gone out of her way with regard to non-violence (ask my son what i did with his first toy gun!) i would be blind not to acknowledge that there have been times when violence has gotten the job done. is it necessary? i hope to god the answer is no.

By: isabella mori (@moritherapy)

isabella mori (@moritherapy) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 23:43:00 +0000

By: Todd Sieling

Todd Sieling — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:34:27 +0000

Great post, Tris. It’s always interesting to look back on our personal belief histories as we get older to see how they measure up to current events.

The protests that blocked the torch are to me in the real spirit of protest – unyielding to getting an idea across, but not violent, and not out to cause pain. Today’s vandalism was disgusting, and devoid of anything that can be said to help anyone.

To me, true protest builds an ideal against opposition and doesn’t tear down or cause harm. That’s made protest events like Critical Mass troubling to me, where I agreed with the ideals but not the methods. There is a great deal to find fault with in the Olymipcs: the celebration of spectacle, of have over have-not, but none of that makes violence and vandalism a solution or even a coherent message.

What’s been equally disheartening is seeing messages encouraging violence against protesters, calls of ‘get out of my city’, and the idea that protesters are all of the same ilk and just illegitimate. If that’s how they really feel, we’ve lost most of the heart of what has brought about the democracy and freedom we enjoy today.

By: Todd Sieling

Todd Sieling — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:34:00 +0000

Great post, Tris. It’s always interesting to look back on our personal belief histories as we get older to see how they measure up to current events.

By: Tim

Tim — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:33:10 +0000

Thank you so much for this. I’m an American who has seen my share of protests as well. (I moved to Seattle the year after the 1999 WTO Riots, then experienced the 2001 Mardi Gras riots downtown in which one person was beaten to death – followed the next morning by the 6.8 Nisqually earthquake, which some called God’s vengeance for the night before.) Like you, I support those who wish to voice their opinions – even if I don’t agree with them. But I refuse to accept that violence of any sort will ever accomplish any good. Being more of a thinker than a doer, I’d much rather engage in a thoughtful discussion with an opponent. But there are times and reasons for *peaceful* demonstrations, and I’ve participated in a few.

In fact, I’m about to start grad school in a few weeks. I’ll be studying Christian Studies – Urban Ministries. The whole reason I first considered grad school was because of peaceful protests I witnessed in Denver back in the mid-90s. I didn’t just want to be a reactionist but desired to know how to do something constructive & productive to counter what I believed was wrong. So for the past 15 years, I’ve been exploring different grad programs til this one came up. I’m not sure if it relates to my original reasons, and I don’t know yet what vocational options I’ll have afterward, but I believe it will prepare me to help various people in the heart of the city. And I believe this is a far better approach than just chanting someone else’s mantras and destroying property and injuring people in the name of something I believe in.

By: Tim

Tim — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:33:00 +0000

By: Tris Hussey

Tris Hussey — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:13:15 +0000

Donna I think the thugs were thugs from the start and where there just to cause trouble. The video of a couple jumping on the back of a police officer. If you don’t think the police are going to react to protect someone and react with sticks, you are sadly mistaken.

By: Tris Hussey

Tris Hussey — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:13:00 +0000

By: Tris Hussey

Tris Hussey — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:11:34 +0000

Thank you Isabella. It’s tragic. Yes, more money should be spent on the arts and helping people live better lives. Unfortunately now we’re going to be spending more money on keeping thugs from breaking things.

Irony.

By: Tris Hussey

Tris Hussey — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:11:00 +0000

Irony.

By: Stewart

Stewart — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:05:53 +0000

A very well written post Tris. Well said!

By: Donna Papacosta

Donna Papacosta — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:05:50 +0000

Very well said, Tris. Perhaps the protesters-turned-thugs thought we would ignore them if they were peaceful? If so, it’s a poor excuse for their behaviour.

By: Donna Papacosta

Donna Papacosta — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:05:00 +0000

Very well said, Tris. Perhaps the protesters-turned-thugs thought we would ignore them if they were peaceful? If so, it’s a poor excuse for their behaviour.

By: Stewart

Stewart — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:05:00 +0000

A very well written post Tris. Well said!

By: isabella mori (@moritherapy)

isabella mori (@moritherapy) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 21:54:16 +0000

tris, thank you for this post. i feel weighed down by how far away the various aspects of the olympics are. the amount of money that was spent and the egomaniac corporatism of the olympic organizers are extremely troublesome. and yet, part of what’s behind that is just the desire to have a big party here. the blindedness of the protesters and their misplaced and utterly self-defeating violence make me sad. and yet, they have a good reason to protest. the connections between athletes and multinationals that keep us in the grip of a dangerous consumerism are enfuriating on various levels. and yet – who in their right mind would not want to celebrate the amazing feats of hard work, vision and sheer beauty that the athletes bring to us!