Free Christian Power Point Templates

The Vancouver Riots: re-making 20th century history for a 21st century audience

The teargas had barely cleared before the blame game began. Whose fault was the riot of June 15, 2011? Politicians like Christy Clark and VPD chief Jim Chu initially blamed “anarchists and agitators.” Callers to talk radio blamed alcohol and/or the Granville Entertainment District. After all, was it not the devil’s brew that spawned such immoral behavior?

The CBC was blamed for setting up a live site on Georgia street where the riot began . A ‘FaceBook mentality’ has been cited to explain why people snapped profile shots of themselves in front of burning cars instead of heeding police requests to disperse. And bored suburban kids – whom Andrew Morrison eloquently refers to as “lame suburban douchebags” – were blamed for ‘invading’ Vancouver .

Those with a more overt political agenda have used the riot as ammunition against opponents. Critics of the VPD chief Jim Chu argue that more officers could have prevented the riot . The label “Robertson’s Riot” has been flung into the realm of municipal politics by critics of city hall, implying that Gregor himself caused the riots by issuing an open invitation to drunks and vandals to do some burning and looting.

Angus Reid recently conducted a poll gauging the public’s view on the riots . Most people surveyed believe that committed agitators were to blame for the riot. The fact that people still believe agitators were the primary drivers behind the riot – despite the mountains of video evidence showing otherwise ‘average’ kids trashing downtown – demonstrates the power of public relations and the media to shape the message. It is time to set the record straight.

2010 vs. 2011

I photographed a nti-Olympic demonstrators  on February 13, 2010. I also shot photos of the riot on June 15, 2011 . In both cases, windows were broken and the riot police were deployed. But this is where the similarities end.

The events of Feb 13, 2010 were undertaken by political protestors who undertook the actions in the spirit of anti-capitalism/anarchism (the banner read “Heart Attack: clogging the arteries of capitalism”). Most participants wore face coverings and engaged in black bloc tactics (providing solidarity to the group while allowing for autonomous actions on the periphery).

Essentials of Marketing

Marketing

Pathways to the public square, practical theology in an age of pluralism ; International Academy of Practical Theology, Manchester 2003

Christian optimystics, running the rapids of the Spirit

Building a speech