I went from being sad about losing the game to feeling proud of the way the fans in the arena stuck around and cheered for the Bruins as they received the Stanley Cup. I was impressed with the way Vancouver celebrates Hockey. It's our game. And we appreciate great goal tending and winning plays. I was proud to be a Canuck when I left to pick up Drew and Danica from the skytrain.
About half an hour later I turned on the radio and the DJ at cfox was describing the activity in the streets outside the station's windows and I started to feel sick. I switched over to a news station and was overcome with sadness.
The rioting and mayhem in Vancouver that broke out minutes after the game ended, had nothing to do with sports and everything to do with a let's-fight-and-cause-trouble attitude.
It was sickening. And embarrassing. And devastating.
I am sad for my city tonight.
Sad that, maybe 1,000 people who were determined to break, steal, burn, scream, riot, hurt, destroy and wreak havoc are now representing us (Canuck fans) to the world who is watching in horror. Please, world, know that there are (maybe?) one million people in the Greater Vancouver Area who are 'nice'. (I'm wondering if more of us should have been in Vancouver this afternoon? When the Olympics were in town, people from churches, charities, not-for-profits, as well as other volunteers (thousands and thousands of them) were in town every night, being a 'presence'.) Please world, don't condemn all of us based on the drunken actions of a few morons.
On the PLUS side, I'm thrilled to see that a facebook event was created: Post Riot Clean Up - Let's Help Vancouver. There is a HUGE opportunity for non-rioters to be part of the solution.
Three things I'm thankful for:
1. Drew and Danica and their friends left the city minutes before the game ended.
2. Life can resume without all the hockey game interruptions.
3. Cold, sliced watermelon.
1 comment:
It is sad.
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