I have to say, I'm royally disgusted at the images I'm seeing on the tube and in other media today (see some National Post coverage here). I find it appalling that 'fans' would react in this manner. There are so many more important things that are being fought for in this world...but you are willing to put forth this much effort for no other reason than to cause senseless destruction after a hockey game and some booze????? It's worth trashing a city for no other reason than to trash it? I fail to see the rationale here. Unfortunately, this reflects not only on Vancouver and BC, but on the country as a whole in many eyes. I'm sure I'm not the only Canadian who is feeling angry, disappointed and embarrassed at being misrepresented to the world today. Thanks for that, brainless testosterone overdosed Neanderthals. Really.
However, it hasn't all been negative. There have apparently been a lot of citizens volunteering their time and energy to help clean up the city...and apologizing to all on behalf of the morons who are responsible for this disgracefulness. Would that it were not necessary to begin with, but at least it's somewhat of a positive counter to what went down after the game...
Like so many others, my thoughts and prayers have recently been encompassing the people affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan. A friend of mine posted this link on facebook. I thought it was worth sharing here. The devastation evident in these photographs is just incredible. It's so hard to wrap your head around something like that when you're physically so far away from it...
I don't understand how people could possess so much cruelty within them - and to inflict it upon children is even more despicable. I also don't understand how it is that these children, sadly, continue to slip through the cracks and suffer neglect and abuse for so long with no one the wiser - or with people being aware of it and no one doing anything to stop it, which is even worse. I can't believe that the people in a position to put an end to these children's misery failed to do their job and a little girl lost her life because of it.
Granted, there are two (or three, depending on how you look at it) sides to every story. There is the possibility that child welfare workers are overwhelmed with their workload or any number of other contributing factors that may make it more difficult to do their job efficiently. However, if that is the case, then obviously the root problems need to be addressed.
