It's been a couple of days since Vancouver made international headlines in a negative way. I spent Thursday in stunned disbelief. Friday, I was still sad and shocked. Saturday my anger finally blossomed. Call me a late bloomer.
I travel a fair bit and consider myself an ambassador for this city. I'm proud to have been born and raised here and to live downtown. I was thrilled when we won the Olympic bid and made a point to be here during the games. I even sought out a way to participate. I was the sommelier at Casa Italia during the games. Seeing the images of my city broadcast all over the world made me so proud. I don't have children but I can only liken my pride to what a parent feels towards their child when they excel. Vancouver is my child.
Now, a little over a year later, my child has been threatened. It's image and reputation tarnished by a group of people that I know are not representative of my city. People who's sole purpose was anarchy. But this is not what the world saw. All the world saw is that we lost a sporting event and rioted. Again.
The international media will not cover the fact that this was the work of professional instigators. People who have nothing to do with this city, or hockey. People that just took advantage of a situation where there would of been a huge public gathering. They tried it during the Olympics too but were not successful. This time they hit the jackpot.
There are reports of people being overheard that afternoon on public transit saying that they were headed into town for the riot. Facebook posts have been uncovered with afternoon time stamps stating the same thing. I myself was walking around the city that afternoon and I could feel a bad energy. I remember telling several friends that I had a bad feeling about that night. How I wish I was wrong.
The real Vancouverites were the ones trying to stop looters. The ones who showed up Thursday morning to help clean up the city. The ones who left post-it notes on a police car thanking the officers for their service. The people who have been tagging pictures and turning them into the police. The people who are angry like me.
I know now that when I travel and say I'm from Vancouver I will be forced to defend my city. To let people know that we are not a city of rioters, looters and hockey hooligans. We are a city of kind and generous people. I have spent the last 2 days doing so on Facebook and I'm prepared to continue.
I'm angry that I have been put in this position. Mamma Bear will always defend her cub when angered.
This city is my cub and I will defend it.
I travel a fair bit and consider myself an ambassador for this city. I'm proud to have been born and raised here and to live downtown. I was thrilled when we won the Olympic bid and made a point to be here during the games. I even sought out a way to participate. I was the sommelier at Casa Italia during the games. Seeing the images of my city broadcast all over the world made me so proud. I don't have children but I can only liken my pride to what a parent feels towards their child when they excel. Vancouver is my child.
Now, a little over a year later, my child has been threatened. It's image and reputation tarnished by a group of people that I know are not representative of my city. People who's sole purpose was anarchy. But this is not what the world saw. All the world saw is that we lost a sporting event and rioted. Again.
The international media will not cover the fact that this was the work of professional instigators. People who have nothing to do with this city, or hockey. People that just took advantage of a situation where there would of been a huge public gathering. They tried it during the Olympics too but were not successful. This time they hit the jackpot.
There are reports of people being overheard that afternoon on public transit saying that they were headed into town for the riot. Facebook posts have been uncovered with afternoon time stamps stating the same thing. I myself was walking around the city that afternoon and I could feel a bad energy. I remember telling several friends that I had a bad feeling about that night. How I wish I was wrong.
The real Vancouverites were the ones trying to stop looters. The ones who showed up Thursday morning to help clean up the city. The ones who left post-it notes on a police car thanking the officers for their service. The people who have been tagging pictures and turning them into the police. The people who are angry like me.
I know now that when I travel and say I'm from Vancouver I will be forced to defend my city. To let people know that we are not a city of rioters, looters and hockey hooligans. We are a city of kind and generous people. I have spent the last 2 days doing so on Facebook and I'm prepared to continue.
I'm angry that I have been put in this position. Mamma Bear will always defend her cub when angered.
This city is my cub and I will defend it.
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