jayward33.blog-city.com
BURSTING THE BUBBLE ZONE
posted Wednesday, 14 October 2009
Vancouver Sun October 13, 2009
Keeping eyes on those who want to burst the bubble zone
By Pete McMartin
What, I wonder, would the Vancouver Olympic organizing committee have made of Rosa Parks?
Parks, after all, was a troublemaker. Back in 1955, when she refused to give up her seat to a white person (and Parks, incidentally, was not the first black person in Montgomery, Ala. to do so), she was committing an act of civil disobedience.
She committed that act -- to borrow Vanoc's blandly disturbing term -- in "a bubble zone." It happened to be on a seat at the front of a bus, but it was a bubble zone, nonetheless. The status quo of white racism inhabited that zone, and Parks became renowned by daring to trespass against it.
Brave stuff, to be sure. But her elevation to civil rights sainthood is hindsight talking. In 1955, Parks was not an icon. She was a pain in the ass.
So I have to wonder if Vanoc, had it been overseeing Montgomery's mass transit system at the time, would have politely asked Parks to please step to the back of the bus where, Vanoc would have assured her, it had established an area where she had every right to lawfully and peacefully protest the pernicious system of segregation -- which Vanoc, as an enlightened organization abhorred, of course, but the buses must run on time, mustn't they?
Vanoc wants the Winter Olympics to run on time, too. It is asking that we act nice, speak softly and smile for the cameras.
Toward that end, it and its willing partners in the City of Vancouver and the provincial government have created bylaws and bubble zones where certain behaviours will not be tolerated. For example:
No distribution of advertising material, or the carrying of any sign "unless licensed to do so by the city."
No display of signs other than those of a "celebratory" or directional nature.
No causing of "any disturbance . . . interfering with the enjoyment of entertainment on city land by other persons."
No "voice amplification equipment" on city property for the duration of the Games.
As for anti-Olympic marches or protests, they will be relegated to "safe assembly areas" that Games organizers promise will be within sight of venues and spectators.
As for the provincial government, it jumped in last week with the introduction of Bill 13, which would allow authorities in Vancouver, Richmond and Whistler to enter residences and private property with only 24 hours notice to remove or cover up signs during the Olympics period. Violators could be fined $10,000 per day and face imprisonment for up to six months.
Previously, the fine was $2,000 a day. Your home is your castle, unless you happen to displease the IOC.
The defenders of these laws -- politicians, pro-Games enthusiasts, those who argue that a multi-billion-dollar worldwide advertisement for Vancouver trumps the temporary suspension of a few marginal freedoms -- tut-tut the complaints from civil libertarians. Vancouver Coun. Geoff Meggs assured The Vancouver Sun's Jonathan Fowlie that the bylaw and Bill 13 were only there "to stop ambush marketing and inappropriate commercial expression."
Meggs, for all I know, might be right. Hell, he may even believe in what he is saying, which, as I understand it, is, hey, nothing to worry about. It's just business. These laws target quick-buck artists, not the Charter of Rights.
But in the meantime, not incidentally, those against the Games will be asked to keep their voices confined to "safe assembly areas" where voice amplification equipment will be strictly verboten, and gawd forbid they carry a sign in a bubble zone that isn't celebratory in nature. Party-poopers will not be welcome.
So?
So, if we can justify the infringement of our civil rights for something as transitory and frivolous as the Olympics, can you not see an even greater threat to those civil rights in the event of a real crisis down the road?
Please return to the back of the bus if your answer is no.
pmcmartin@vancouversun.com
604-605-2905
Keeping eyes on those who want to burst the bubble zone
By Pete McMartin
What, I wonder, would the Vancouver Olympic organizing committee have made of Rosa Parks?
Parks, after all, was a troublemaker. Back in 1955, when she refused to give up her seat to a white person (and Parks, incidentally, was not the first black person in Montgomery, Ala. to do so), she was committing an act of civil disobedience.
She committed that act -- to borrow Vanoc's blandly disturbing term -- in "a bubble zone." It happened to be on a seat at the front of a bus, but it was a bubble zone, nonetheless. The status quo of white racism inhabited that zone, and Parks became renowned by daring to trespass against it.
Brave stuff, to be sure. But her elevation to civil rights sainthood is hindsight talking. In 1955, Parks was not an icon. She was a pain in the ass.
So I have to wonder if Vanoc, had it been overseeing Montgomery's mass transit system at the time, would have politely asked Parks to please step to the back of the bus where, Vanoc would have assured her, it had established an area where she had every right to lawfully and peacefully protest the pernicious system of segregation -- which Vanoc, as an enlightened organization abhorred, of course, but the buses must run on time, mustn't they?
Vanoc wants the Winter Olympics to run on time, too. It is asking that we act nice, speak softly and smile for the cameras.
Toward that end, it and its willing partners in the City of Vancouver and the provincial government have created bylaws and bubble zones where certain behaviours will not be tolerated. For example:
No distribution of advertising material, or the carrying of any sign "unless licensed to do so by the city."
No display of signs other than those of a "celebratory" or directional nature.
No causing of "any disturbance . . . interfering with the enjoyment of entertainment on city land by other persons."
No "voice amplification equipment" on city property for the duration of the Games.
As for anti-Olympic marches or protests, they will be relegated to "safe assembly areas" that Games organizers promise will be within sight of venues and spectators.
As for the provincial government, it jumped in last week with the introduction of Bill 13, which would allow authorities in Vancouver, Richmond and Whistler to enter residences and private property with only 24 hours notice to remove or cover up signs during the Olympics period. Violators could be fined $10,000 per day and face imprisonment for up to six months.
Previously, the fine was $2,000 a day. Your home is your castle, unless you happen to displease the IOC.
The defenders of these laws -- politicians, pro-Games enthusiasts, those who argue that a multi-billion-dollar worldwide advertisement for Vancouver trumps the temporary suspension of a few marginal freedoms -- tut-tut the complaints from civil libertarians. Vancouver Coun. Geoff Meggs assured The Vancouver Sun's Jonathan Fowlie that the bylaw and Bill 13 were only there "to stop ambush marketing and inappropriate commercial expression."
Meggs, for all I know, might be right. Hell, he may even believe in what he is saying, which, as I understand it, is, hey, nothing to worry about. It's just business. These laws target quick-buck artists, not the Charter of Rights.
But in the meantime, not incidentally, those against the Games will be asked to keep their voices confined to "safe assembly areas" where voice amplification equipment will be strictly verboten, and gawd forbid they carry a sign in a bubble zone that isn't celebratory in nature. Party-poopers will not be welcome.
So?
So, if we can justify the infringement of our civil rights for something as transitory and frivolous as the Olympics, can you not see an even greater threat to those civil rights in the event of a real crisis down the road?
Please return to the back of the bus if your answer is no.
pmcmartin@vancouversun.com
604-605-2905
1. Timothy Stark left...
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 1:19 pm
Does a sign of directional nature include "Fuck Off"?
2. John-Ward Leighton left...
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 2:06 pm :: http://jayward33.blog-city.com/
How about VANOC AND IOC "GO TO HELL" OR "BUGGER OFF"
3. catty left...
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 2:46 pm :: http://savetheamericanfamily.blog-city.c
Reminds me of the notice I got from congress.org the other week asking if
congress should renew the patriot act. Where was everyone who raised their
voices in protest at it's inception and 1st renewal? Is it not the bogey
man it once was? Or is it in "more trustworthy" hands now that the Repubs
are out of power?
4. BILLY WILLBOND left...
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 8:10 pm :: http://iwvpa.net/willbondwha/clawback.ph
Thanks be to God - I will be in Florida for the Winter Olympics - I will
return to help pay for them out of my clawed back Army pension 's income
tax, though - I will be Signless in Seattle ,then I transfer to a Denver
plane then on to Orlando. If here, I would be cheering for the Jamaica bob
sled tealm - is John Candy still the coach? Be well - billy