No Olympics on Native Land!!

SHAMAN

Copied from; www.no2010.com Writer;Anonymous
2007 'Countdown 2010' Shutdown!
Indigenous Anti-Olympics Resistance Wins Gold, Silver & Bronze
The month of February 12 to March 12, 2007, was a difficult one for the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC). In their own words it was, at times, "frustrating," "disappointing," and "unfortunate."
During this time, VANOC had hoped to gain positive media coverage & promotion for the 2010 Games. They organized public ceremonies to mark the three year countdown, all of which were designed as media spectacles with government officials and corporate sponsors. Instead, they were hit by militant direct actions and protests that became the primary news stories related to 2010.
It all began Feb. 12 with the unveiling of a 3-year Olympic countdown clock at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Just as the event began (along with live CTV coverage) a masked Native stormed the stage and grabbed the mic, shouting "**** 2010! **** your Corporate Circus!" before being arrested.
Government & corporate officials had to shout into the mics to be heard over the noisy protesters, 7 of whom were arrested in total.
Two weeks later, on Feb. 23 at a groundbreaking ceremony for construction of a new Olympic curling venue, security measures & protesters were again the main story. Scores of police and crowd-control fencing were used to keep protesters away from officials & media.
The next day, on Feb. 24, Harriet Nahanee, a Native elder, passed away in a Vancouver hospital shortly after serving a 14 day jail term. She had been convicted of contempt of court for participating in a 2006 blockade of the Sea-to-Sky Highway expansion for 2010.
Then, on March 6, the massive Olympic flag that flew at city hall was stolen, just as a delegation of International Olympic Committee officials arrived for an inspection of VANOC's work. Days later, as the IOC tour ended, the Native Warrior Society released a communique claiming responsibility for the theft. They cited Harriet Nahanee's death and anti-2010 opposition as their motivations.
On March 12, the final countdown 2010 event was held: a flag lighting ceremony at city hall. Some 200 protesters passed through police security & searches to disrupt the event with yelling, whistles, & fog horns. Once again, the heavy police & security presence, along with protesters, were the main story.
From our perspective, of course, the main story was the emergence of grassroots Indigenous resistance to 2010.
Native peoples in 'British Columbia' have a long history of fighting corporate invasion. In the 1800s, the main colonial power in the region was the Hudson's Bay Company, backed by gunboats from the Royal Navy.
Today's anti-Olympic resistance is not all that different; corporations still rely on government force to invade & plunder our ancestral territories.
Unlike the past, however, this is not clear to many of our people today (assimilation). In addition, the methods of struggle have changed.
Nevertheless, the same principles apply: defense of our peoples, territory & way of life.
This documentation of the Indigenous anti-Olympic movement is meant to inform & inspire Natives into anti-2010 resistance. Make copies to distribute in your area and help build our movement.
For information on the 2010 Winter Games:
www.no2010.com

__________________
I am just a figment of the collective imagination of the people on this site.
"KISHPIN BONTOYEG KIDATSOKANAN, KIGA ONIKEMIN KAJIBIKINAMAGOYEG"
{Means}
If we stop sharing our stories, our knowledge becomes lost.

MyBuddy

Sounds like a bunch of misguided people to me. The olympics are the last true athletic forum, well rid of performance enhancing drugs (nothing completely is). It has proven throughout history to bring nations together despite international tensions. "corporate circus"... whatever. The boost to the local economy can only help the people of BC. Who cares if corps make money, so do the local businesses. I may not understand the Natives' pov fully, but it seems to me that they too could benefit from the Olympics coming to town if they would simply stop protesting and figure out how to benefit from it. It is too easy to complain.
Cheers,
MyBUDDY

Ps. I dont claim to understand canadian politics, this situation just struck me as silly. I would be honored to host the olympics in seattle if our infrastructure could handle it.

SHAMAN

Tell me how Natives would benefit from loosing land to a Highway for the Olympics.
The land they want to use is Native land. That is steeling!!

__________________
I am just a figment of the collective imagination of the people on this site.
"KISHPIN BONTOYEG KIDATSOKANAN, KIGA ONIKEMIN KAJIBIKINAMAGOYEG"
{Means}
If we stop sharing our stories, our knowledge becomes lost.

SHAMAN

Even if they took your home over to do it. And put you out..

__________________
I am just a figment of the collective imagination of the people on this site.
"KISHPIN BONTOYEG KIDATSOKANAN, KIGA ONIKEMIN KAJIBIKINAMAGOYEG"
{Means}
If we stop sharing our stories, our knowledge becomes lost.

Pappy

SHAMAN,

Keep up the fight. The olympics is just another money making scheme for a few very rich white people. They aren't really racist, they will take advantage of anyone of any race, as long as they are unable to defend themselves.

__________________
You can't believe anything I say, and only half of what you see me do.

Pappy

Geez!! They stole a whole continent! You would think that would be enough. They can take my home any time, because of our "eminent domain" rule. Now, it doesn't have to be a gvmt project. A corp can take it if it is good for the community.

__________________
You can't believe anything I say, and only half of what you see me do.

green_nobody

local communities get nothing from modern Olympic game besides a huge hole in the budget for the coming years which has to be filled with new taxes and cuts in social spending...
all that money goes to the big cops as coca cola, visa and such - and to the banks that lend the money for this. sure, it is a nice thing to have such a event but the cost you will have to pay todays isn't in proportion to the positive aspects.

If you don't believe me look at other places that had the games in past 15 years, summer or winter.
And that they steal native land for that kind crap is just the final cherry on top of it all.

__________________
Keep the gun oiled and the thumb green!

http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp...Canada-eng.MP3

MyBuddy

Hmmm..... I did not realize that this was an eminent domain issue for the freeway. That does not really seem right. Natives have gotten screwed in the US and Canada. Thanks for the education on the issue.
Cheers,
MyBuddy

Mogie

Personally I have always found the olympics to be stupid. Every four years some poor town pours heaven only knows how much money and time into making itself look better then it normally does. That money could be spent on things like feeding and clothing the people instead of building huge stadiums and such.

If this is all about speed can't you use a stopwatch anywhere?

4kaan4

As the Roman Empire collapsed the emporers built huge colloseums so that the people could be amused and distracted from the disintegration of their lifestyles and standard of living. Sound familiar?

4kaan4

__________________
I am an incorrigible, pathological fantasizer fabricating illusionary amusements for various individuals. In other words I lie like a politician. I refuse to break the law because I intend to live my life till the day I die!