The Hook

Dissent is no longer allowed

Dissent is no longer allowed in Canada it seems.

The IOC is an International organisation and people have a right to protest them everywhere and anywhere.

I could agree if.

You belonged to a terrorist organization Then the "motto" of a group might have some bearing. Would it also apply if you were a communist? We do enjoy freedom of assembly and you don't harass people because you think they might or the government thinks they might do something like embarrass them.

The Olympics are an international issue. The rules are not even set locally. When we are on "a world stage" with an international event then it doesn't qualify as a local cultural event. It may be bad manners but it is not against the law. It is hardly American Imperialism but the Olympics just might be considering all the sponsorship money and corporate interests invloved.

Now leftofcenter does not believe that the person was a journalist and so now only journalists favorable to the Olympics, like the Canwest lackeys, are called true journalist.

It all sounds a bit like a police state. Another example of Liberal government excesses.

be prepared

Um yes CF 18 fighter jets have roared over my place in East Richmond; on Boundary Bay in Delta foot of 88th St. there is a white utility truck brandishing radar and cameras scouting for terrorist zodiac inflatables, with a bristling warship offshore the shallow border bay...o shit here comes a black helicopter!!

Yeah so?

This so-called reporter doesn't have the inherent right to be in Canada as he isn't Canadian. There seems to be alot of squealing over a 20 year old plucky kid who has supporters who think he's in same league as the degree holding reporters.

Face facts people this guy is just reporting a hoped for fracas, otherwise he wouldn't be here.

and for the person who saw CF-18 fighters, and a black helicopter, that's the sound of safety and security.

Gotta love the cries of "police state". None of those criers has been in a police state like North Korea or the days of East Germany.

So what are these whiners and complainers going to do in June? Still complain about blockades on the streets, and an alleged
repression of freedoms of expression?

The beter thing to do is to have these whiners and criers get out there and rid the downtown east side of the drug dealing vermin, force them out, blockade their business deals on the street. Protest them being there. Clean up the streets and make the downtown east side a much more livable place than it is now.

But they won't. They'll be packing the bags and heading to the next international
event.

I wonder what the nutbar protestors are going to do at the Sochi 2014 Winter Games in Russia? The Russians have a less tolerance for dissent than we ever had.

BC Boy

"None of those criers has been in a police state like North Korea or the days of East Germany."

Please regale us with tales of these trips to North Korea you've taken. Should be enlightening.

"So what are these whiners and complainers going to do in June?"

We'll be enjoying your brave new world of less teachers, less operating rooms and more taxes. You I guess will miss all that as you'll be heading off to North Korea again I guess?

"Protest them being there. Clean up the streets and make the downtown east side a much more livable place than it is now. But they won't."

This is why I love the fact you've joined us here, your fantasy world utterances are like having Charles Adler right here among us. One can only smile in wonder and astonishment at the connections you make between unrelated things.

"They'll be packing the bags and heading to the next international event."

Maybe they're heading to North Korea with you?

"I wonder what the nutbar protestors are going to do at the Sochi 2014 Winter Games in Russia? The Russians have a less tolerance for dissent than we ever had."

And of course you're against Russians protesting spending money on a circus because there's nothing else that country needs more.

"degree holding reporters"

What in the name of God have you been smoking?

"degree holding reporters"

I once met a journalist who routinely manged to mention his degree in casual conversation.

"I'm a doctor," he would deadpan. "A doctor of Journalism."

His name, of course, was Hunter S. Thompson.

Olympic$

The Olympic Games have devolved into an international corporatist spectacle. Sport is being leveraged - the athletes being used - to support and glorify this paradigm.
Since this is the case, we expect to see demonstrations and even possible violent protest. And protesters from around the international community. Basically, we have invited them to come here.
The fiscal and social cost of the 2010 Olympic$ to the people of British Columbia is huge. Even before the Olympic$, there was no will on the BC Liberals' part to provide for the health, education and welfare of our citizens.
Now we, and the next couple of generations following us, will be saddled with further debt.
Of course, this will permit the Campbell cadre to explain that only privatization will solve our problems.
Corporatist MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

Immigration

Canada Border Services can refuse entry to any foreigner it wants. This one as here to cause trouble and by his own admission, break Canadian laws. For these reasons he was deported. Good call in my opinion.

"By his own admission"?

Gawd Wilf, you're insane. Or Goebbels, planning the Big Lie.

There's no statement in this article or in any other news media that you can say is "his own admission" that he planned to break Canadian laws.

Your fantasy world is getting a bit too extreme for me.

Protesters

Bang your drums, shout your complaints, air your laundry for all I care. Do me a favour -show your face and don't hide behind the masks you all seem to wear. Let everyone see who you are and then sit back and wait when your parents/friends and co workers see how much of an idiot you are, good luck keeping your job..if you even have one.
Note to Frank. Quote."This is why I love the fact you've joined us here, your fantasy world utterances are like having Charles Adler right here among us. One can only smile in wonder and astonishment at the connections you make between unrelated things" unquote. It's hard to believe that some people think they are holier than thou, have all the answers and no-one elses opinions are worthy our their supreme justice. Time to put the lighter away and smoke a little less home grown. I se it as, unless you've had rounds fired in anger and mistrust at you on foreign soil, or watched while your friend is loaded in a flag draped coffin for the journey home, you can take all the political or social "enlightening" you want. People make choices and sometimes their wrong. But at least they have earned the right to make them.

Watchdog

Y'know my friend, that little diatribe makes absolutely NO SENSE...Given the fact that Canadian Border Services are turning back and hassling people about whom it isn't even alleged pose a threat to this country then why in the name of God would anyone trust them. Fact is, the government of this country doesn’t care enough about telling the truth about its own record in Afghanistan (and I’m not talking about soldiers) to stand up and talk about it in Parliament.

What the hell ARE we fighting for – the ‘right’ to turn ignorant villagers over to be tortured?

I think the people standing on the barricades for something with nothing but their convictions to protect them are a hell of a lot braver than a bunch of soldiers armed to the teeth who are being well-paid for their time and effort.

As for flag draped heroism, give me a break.

You have no idea what any anonymous poster to this site may have done or be doing for this country.

And FRANKly, it's just plain irrelevant to the issue under discussion.

Monte:
Funny thing about the Good Doctor, he actually WAS a better investigative journalist than 99% of his peers....

Yeah anonymous Watchdog!

"Do me a favour -show your face and don't hide behind the masks you all seem to wear. Let everyone see who you are and then sit back and wait when your parents/friends and co workers see how much of an idiot you are," You might want to follow your own advice instead of babbling on,

oh please, Watchdog

tell us who you are! We are one big happy family here.

By the way, no one in Canada has to 'earn' the right to choices. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees them to us, which is why it is particularly egregious that Canada Border Services would be busy defining who might be acceptable as a visitor.This is the very definition of a police state.

Wachdawg

Lern to spel my frend udderwise its hrd to reed wot u rite.

When you're applying for a position the human resources people like to think you can read a job description.

Perhaps that's why you don't use your real name eh coward?

Watchdog

"Time to put the lighter away and smoke a little less home grown."

Time for you to take the first step and admit you have a drinking problem.

"People make choices and sometimes their wrong. But at least they have earned the right to make them."

I was born with the right, the ability, the responsibility to make choices. So thanks but no thanks to your offer to judge me as deserving or not.

Proud Canadian tradition

This Olympic activist was not treated differently than others. He got the standard Canadian welcome given all those of questionable means and insufficient reverence for things that matter for our dear leaders.

Examples here:

http://northerninsights.blogspot.com/2010/02/no-huddled-masses-please.html

Apology

All. After several (10) long 12+hr shifts, ones mind falters. I apologize to those I may have offended. Being born in the country, we don't have to earn our Right's as they are given at birth it’s true. I only find offence with those who hide behind them as a convenience when it suits them.
Frank: I am not and have never been a coward and somewhat offended by this claim however do not hold it against you, because it’s an opinion and each is entitled to one. Sorry you feel that way. Sometimes one needs to cloak their identity to avoid reprisals from those above and around them.
Mike: I don't stand in judgement of you and apologize for seemingly implying I do.
Vivian: As for being one big happy family, perhaps I’m the cousin no one wants to talk about.
Everyone else, enjoy your day.

More enlightenment

"Please regale us with tales of these trips to North Korea you've taken. Should be enlightening."

It's called a trip to Google to learn more about North Korea.

"We'll be enjoying your brave new world of less teachers, less operating rooms and more taxes. You I guess will miss all that as you'll be heading off to North Korea again I guess?"

Sorry. Not going there. You're invited cross the border and live North Korea though.

This is why I love the fact you've joined us here, your fantasy world utterances are like having Charles Adler right here among us. One can only smile in wonder and astonishment at the connections you make between unrelated things.

Same can be said about left wingers - they make connections between unrelated things and have that down to a science.

Enjoy the free events and the Games.

Turn that frown upside down.

Watchdog

"Frank: I am not and have never been a coward"

Calling you a "coward" was simply a way of trying to bring home to you the idea that someone who doesn't use a real name accusing others of "hiding behind masks" just doesn't work.

"and somewhat offended by this claim however do not hold it against you"

You can if you like but don't worry, I don't think you're a coward, I know nothing about you.

"Sometimes one needs to cloak their identity to avoid reprisals from those above and around them."

Exactly. Which is probably the reason why the people you directed your post at don't put their names and addresses on the back of their jackets.

BC Boy

"You're invited cross the border and live North Korea though."

I'd love to see the map of the world that exists in your head. What province is North Korea adjacent to?

Frank doesn't know his geography.

North Korea is between China and South Korea. Never said it was a province.

Technically it is closet adjacent to Tohoku Prefecture (province), the east coast, and also Hokkaido.

Take a basic prefecture map of Japan and do a simple map work to bring a line from
each of those prefectures to North Korea,
and you'd have your answer.

Life must be tough at the back of the class.

BC Boy

Glad to hear you know where North Korea is, I guess you thought I was in China when you told me to "cross the border into North Korea" eh?