Just $35 to make yourself into a target. Sweet deal
ICBC will evidently be charging willing customers $35 for the privelege of making themselves targets for thugs and vandals with new Olympic-brand license plates.
Of course it’s insane that there are people out there who would damage private property just because someone makes a statement in favor of the Olympics. It’s insane that there are people out there who actually believe that Olympics supporters are by default elitist jerks who hate poor people. But, that’s pretty much where Olympics protesters are at.
I heard one of the Olympics opponents today on the radio explaining how vandalism shouldn’t be acceptable, but that he understood where the motivation was coming from if such acts were to take place – TRANSLATION: “You will never have me on record encouraging criminal activity, but if self-righteous goons allied with my cause break someone’s windshield for displaying a little Olympic spirit, that’s what the victims get for being enemies of the people.”
Enjoyed your post Jonathan. I think you capture the opinion of most people in Vancouver (that being the silent majority) who whether they support the games or not have enough reason and common sense to realize that linking the social issues we face to the Olympics is a total waste of time and energy.
The truly sad thing is that these militant protesters completely detract from those who are doing legitimate work for social causes and contributing to our community. And unlike these legitimate organizations the actions of these protesters fly in the face of natural human tendencies – meaning that if you wanted to get something from me (awareness, support, money, votes, whatever) my natural tendency is to react positively to a reasoned argument given with logic and compassion, not rudeness, disruption and violence. What part of their dense heads rationalizes that violent protest will get them anywhere? Everyone I talk to is sick of them, with whatever message the protesters have being totally lost in the public anger they stir up (of course that public being elitist, entitled, bourgeoisie, blah blah blah. Right. Give me a break). With that, they are no different than their right-wing counterparts – skinheads. They also rationalize that what they’re doing is right, when clearly it’s an abonation.
Simple fix, raise the price of the plates to $50 and donate the difference to the Vancouver Food Bank or low cost housing. That way any vandalism would be pro-poverty vandalism.
That’s my plan anyway.