VANcouver OCcupation

Well, I am told that Critical Mass this month is to be pretty Olympics themed. So, I'll give in and post my personal thoughts:

^my impression on the Little Mountain Housing squatted tent city

Here are some links, I'm pretty out of the loop these days (trying to stay out of the 5 loops! ;-) Keep in touch and make us proud!

• olympicresistance.net
• no2010.com
• 2010welcoming.wordpress.com
  
• gatewaysucks.org
• straight.../calendar-protests-2010-olympics
• thefiveringcircus.com
• ainfos.ca
• rabble...olympic-resistance-network-presents-case
• facebook.group
• resist.ca/~orn/blog
• my-calm.info

Dance in the Olympic Streets!

• youtube.com/watch?v=7EYAUazLI9k
• Then an incredible mashup at London’s Liverpool Street Station
• youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQM
• vimeo.com/8822567
• vimeo.com/8825140
• facebook.com/imagine1day

Please update or add corrections in the comments. Thanks.

News and my comments:

• The biggest weapon for the VANcouver OCupation against us is fear and intimidation... They want us depressed so we don't show up to make our own voice heard in our own city! that's pretty weak for them
  
• Take heart, they are more vulnerable than us, even if they have all the money. They rely on a potent MYTH of Olympic popular support and Olympic Idealism. We know this to be lies, we only have to reveal the truth. Don't be afraid or believe all their hype. Our police are not monsters, they are often very reasonable human beings and even helpful at Critical Mass. They will be under pressure to do stupid things now - but not by us or most people. Always the violence at mass protests is overemphasized (or just plain made up) by mainstream media - all to scare us away because they know that corporate control is very fragile. We can simply refuse. Maybe that refusal will spread to Olympic volunteers and workers aka peaceful sabotage. I know more than a few people who are roped into helping out this 5 ring circus who don't support it and would gladly join the opposition if a viable useful way for them to help is offered. Be creative, possibilities are endless. Could this be the year the Olympics gets shut down and cancelled and the whole con game falls apart - local accountability prevails? :-) Olympics Fail?
  
• Wow, the Olympics are literally nazi apologists covering up history!?!
• Did you know VANOC, for their "greenest" Olmpics decided to "invest" in thousands of White SUVs to drive VIP Olympic Family (VISA, Coke, etc) around? Why not use trains, bikes, or heck even smaller cars? Well, they aren't carrying skies or any equipment, just a sort of limo service. For that you need SUV fleets. Like the police commanders in their luxury black SUVs calling the shots of a riot...(I digress) So what happens to the SUVs after the 'lympdics get out of town? They get auctioned off. I know there are over 300 under the Burrard bridge, and there are several other lots... so thousands. Most of these SUVs will likely be sold locally. So the most visible, everyday significant Olympic Legacy in Vancouver will be a thousand White SUVs on the street! This is the kind of cynicism we have come to expect from those corporatists occupying our city. And a pretty good reason for a cyclist (or any rational being) to take a stand against it all.
  
• If all of this seems unduly negative, go checkout railforthevalley and get something more useful happening. Please. Bombardier is trying to push their Olympic line train. I don't like those Arms Manufacturers (and seriously, the Olympic torches look like a Millenium Line lighting fixture - pug fugly) but it proves there is a lot of possibility there.
• Proof there is a God and he answers the prayers of the righteous ;-p I know this is old news but you have to smile. Maybe our dreams of housing price collapse (aka affordable housing in Vancouver) will be answered too!
  

Yes, big fun troublemaking peaceful ride, 5:30pm at the VAG downtown, Feb 26. Ride together, we are strong in one another. Think positive thoughts. Positive warm El Nino thoughts!