[Soundy]

Posted this on another board this afternoon:

Professional protesters. Assholes who have nothing better to do than disrupt other people's lives under the guise of some holier-than-thou "cause". And torch-run protesters in particular... like the ones who forced the run to detour away from the veterans who had gathered at the Victory Square cenotaph on Cambie this morning to celebrate the games... and later from groups of kids at 1st and Commercial.

(Following copied from an earlier rant on FB)
I was listening to NW when they played the live report, of the torchbearer who brought her torch back to 1st and Commercial, so all the kids waiting there could get their pictures taken with it... only to be interrupted by the protesters forcing the police to whisk the torchbearer away again. Can you imagine what must be going through those kids' minds? Twice disappointed by these clowns - once in learning that the torch would be taking a different route (one caller said he could see it approaching when they made their detour)... then being so close on its return only to have the opportunity ripped away again.

Now imagine someone tells them that these people are protesting "for the homeless"... all those kids will see is that their day was ruined "by the homeless people." When they grow up and pass through the DTES, all they'll see is that "these are the people who took away my once-in-a-lifetime experience."

The one who are suffering the most for this are the kids. They know nothing of the politics and the issues. All they see is the chance of a lifetime, something exciting that they've been looking forward to, being ripped away from them by a bunch of big babies with their panties in a knot. All it will inspire them to do in the future is to give less time and thought to the presumed "causes" that the protesters are on about.

And what a slap in the face to the veterans, who put their lives on the line to protect these people's freedom to speak their minds... only to have that freedom abused.