DANIELLE SIEMENS
Opinions Writer

On Jan. 11, a group of about 20 protesters gathered to protest the Olympic Torch Run.

Generally, I support a cause if there is a good reason, but not so in the case of the Facebook event dedicated to protesting the torch relay. The event called “Saskatoon Olympic Torch Protest” gave 10 reasons why the Olympics were unjust, especially toward Aboriginal people, regarding contested land.

Did the creators of this event do any research to back up their reasons? While I do admit a small part of their arguments make sense, they could have done a better job explaining them and not just padding them with pointless facts and arguments that have grown cold over the last 20 years. I mean, c’mon, guys!

There are many reasons for the protest on the Facebook group dedicated to protesting the Olympic Games. At the very least choose some that are legitimate for the 2010 Games. 

It seems like they’re protesting just for the sake of protesting.

The list of reasons as to why the Olympics shouldn’t take place could apply to any major event happening anywhere. It’s more like they’re trying to make a statement about how society works and the Olympics are just an excuse.

No. 6, “impact on women,” which describes how more women will be raped and sold for sex, is ridiculous, especially when combined with No. 7, which describes how B.C. is going to turn into a “police state” to subdue and repress the masses, especially protest groups. Of course, that’s why all the extra police are going to be in B.C.! It isn’t for national security and to prevent crime, rape or hostage taking. Why didn’t I see before?

And another thing, reason No. 6 is probably true; as we speak, pimps are probably relocating their prostitutes to B.C. for increased business, thus necessitating more police and invalidating reason No. 7.

Whoever created this list of reasons was really selective about the “truths” they based their arguments on. They definitely did not take the whole story into account, and yet people are just eating it up.

I honestly hope that people have more common sense than to blindly follow a cause without knowing what they’re talking about. Going around like a bunch of sheep really isn’t cool. It’s like when Napoleon Dynamite was popular in high school and people only liked it because it was the cool thing to do. Granted, it does feel good to support a cause and be part of something, but isn’t that what the Olympics are all about? 

If these people actually looked at the Olympic Charter they might realize that a lot of their arguments don’t apply anymore.

For instance, one argument against the Olympics is about racism and its sordid involvement with the Olympics. Historically this may have happened, but the fifth fundamental principle of Olympism states that “Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.”

Things have changed in the last century, but it seems these protesters are basing their opinions of something on a horrible part of its past. I mean, sure, Germany had Nazis, but that doesn’t stop people from going there and celebrating Oktoberfest.

The only argument I somewhat agree with is the one titled “Corporate Invasion,” but not for the same reasons listed. Coca-Cola, a major sponsor of the torch run, has made  a requirement that each participant do something for the community or to conserve the environment, something Coca-Cola itself has yet to do.

The one that I completely agree with is No. 8: public debt. The creators of this assumed that the Olympics would be over budget, but, again, neglected to do research. Here are the facts. The Olympic Village is $130 million over budget, and costs are still rising. In fact, the Olympics are so over-budget that they had to cut funding to schools and hospitals. I think that’s a real reason to protest, don’t you?

– –
illustration: Danni Siemens