Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Poverty Olympics

Poverty Olympics aim to “embarrass” government while world watches

By Pieta Woolley

Last year, Wendy Pedersen had to turn away “hundreds” of folks who turned up at the Carnegie Community Centre for the Poverty Olympics, a satirical theatre event. This year, the Poverty Olympics is moving to a larger space.

On Sunday (February 8), mascot Itchy the Bedbug will visit the event at the Japanese Language School (478 Alexander Street), following a torch relay organized by the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, which leaves 380 East Hastings Street at 12:30 p.m.

“We want the foreign media to help embarrass our government and give a reality check that B.C. is the best place on earth,” Pedersen told the Straight by phone February 2.

Pedersen is one of the organizers of the event, and organizer for the Carnegie Community Action Project in the Downtown Eastside.

“So we have an SFU student compiling a database for us on international news editors. We’re especially contacting countries who send a lot of tourists to the games, like Northern Europe. They’ll be just shocked at what they see, before it’s hidden away for the games.”

Last year’s event scored a deluge of local media attention. This second one, Pedersen said, will focus on how much the Olympics cost.

Next year, the Poverty Olympics will run during the games themselves. The almost $1 billion price tag for the athletes’ village, Pedersen said, could have bought 5,000 new social housing units in Vancouver, effectively erasing street homelessness.

“The Olympics is a grand opportunity, and we will continue to be opportunistic,” Pedersen said.

Viewers of the second Poverty Olympics will be treated to a cockroach dance (featuring humans in roach costumes).

They’ll also hear this alternative national anthem:

Oh Canada
Our Home “on” native land
A billion for security
In-stead of building homes
Olympic spending, has gone sky high
While thousands sleep outside.
From far and wide
Oh Canada
Invite the world to see
A quarter million souls,
Poor and freezing cold
Old Canada, where is equal-i-ty?
Oh Canada, we are ashamed of thee.

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Now, would these deplorable circumstances occur in a democratic country? I think not; but I believe we as consciencious, empathetic citizens must redefine what a true democracy is before we can expect meaningful change in our country. We must collectively give our heads a shake and stop our denial of our countries being dictatorships as opposed to being what we'd like to think they are, democracies.
Think of the old parable, "The Emporer And His New Clothes".

Until we look a little deeper, we cannot expect changes in our society to be profound rather than the superficiality we've come to expect in politics.

Please excuse my interuption and let the "Games Begin".

Ron.
( ;-} >
Submitted by MoonPagan on Tue, 2009-02-03 20:04.
I'm afraid you are confused about the meaning of "democracy" moon. Democracy means the will of the majority rules. I hate to tell you but I don't think the majority is informed enough or unselfish enough to make every decision in society. For example, given a choice, most people would keep voting for tax cuts then wonder why the social safety net is full of holes when the time comes for them to use it. Democracy is the best system we know of but it is flawed just like the humans that invented it. What we need is politicians who are courageous enough to protect the weak and an electorate smart enough to support them.
Submitted by Casman55 on Wed, 2009-02-04 07:19.
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