Joined
·
2,828 Posts
<p>It's hasn't been more than 36 hours since the embarrassment of the riot in Vancouver after the Stanley Cup final, but it seems that the real Vancouverites are showing their true colors. I hope this stuff gets as much global news coverage as the bullshit that went off on Wednesday night....it may not as shocking or dramatic, but in my opinion, but it is far more newsworthy & shows what the citizens of Vancouver are really like.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It seems that social media is taking a large part in bringing citizens to action. As I drove along Georgia Street on my way to work yesterday morning (barely 8 hours after the riot), I went past the corners of Seymour, Granville...past the Hudsons Bay Co storefront & it's boarded up windows, past the London Drugs, past the Canada Post office & the scene of the first burning vehicle.</p>
<p>What I noticed was how clean the place was & how earily peaceful. people...civilians in office clothes were walking Georgia Street with garbage bags & picking up wrappers, & garbage. It was only when I got to the office that someone informed me of a Facebook movement to help clean-up the mess & reclaim our city (they even re-designed the classic Canucks logo where the hockey stick is replaced with a broom) .</p>
<p>The only vehicles that were parked in the vicinity (this is before 8:00am) were media vehicles.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As I drove home later that day, I passed the same scene. A fortuitous red light at the corner of Georgia & Granville allowed me to look over at the boarded displays of the Hudson Bay Co....they were covered with notes & messages. I had time to read a few of the larger printed messages...."We {heart} the VPD (Vancouver Police Department)"...."Thank you paramedics, police, & leanup crews"..."Hooligans are shame"....etc....This morning, there is no more room to write...but someone painted a message on the hoarding in letters that span the city block "Vandals, we will get you!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>To say that many Vancouverites were ashamed & frustrated by the ridiculous & shallow acts of a few, is a huge understatement. What brings some comfort is knowing that in this day & age of media....where cameras & videos are literally everywhere...that the guilty cannot hide for long. Many have been found & many have already been shamed into turning themselves in as the media outlets contniue to post their images. To add another layer to the ability of social media & immediate communication, a certain fellow or gal (or group of people) who is going by the name of Captain Canuck, has taken the superhero moniker to the web & put digital sleuthing to justice in the social media age. He (an assumption on the gender) has managed to get personal information based on photos of some of the rioters. Not only has he post their pictures, but he also put out their names, addresses, schools, places of employment, etc... Basically a public shaming in the most contemporary of ways. Right or wrong, it does add a sense of justice for those who have no faith that the legal system will truly repair the damage to our city's reputation....but a global public shaming is certainly not something that was predicted. I wonder how this will impact the future of Facebook & Twitter?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Today, there is a sense that everyone is pulling together. Although our shine has been tarnished, our pride in our city is pulling us out of the embarassing shadow & with this, we have learned that we love & appreciate our city that much more.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Real Vancouverites....thank you for caring.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Glenn</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It seems that social media is taking a large part in bringing citizens to action. As I drove along Georgia Street on my way to work yesterday morning (barely 8 hours after the riot), I went past the corners of Seymour, Granville...past the Hudsons Bay Co storefront & it's boarded up windows, past the London Drugs, past the Canada Post office & the scene of the first burning vehicle.</p>
<p>What I noticed was how clean the place was & how earily peaceful. people...civilians in office clothes were walking Georgia Street with garbage bags & picking up wrappers, & garbage. It was only when I got to the office that someone informed me of a Facebook movement to help clean-up the mess & reclaim our city (they even re-designed the classic Canucks logo where the hockey stick is replaced with a broom) .</p>
<p>The only vehicles that were parked in the vicinity (this is before 8:00am) were media vehicles.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As I drove home later that day, I passed the same scene. A fortuitous red light at the corner of Georgia & Granville allowed me to look over at the boarded displays of the Hudson Bay Co....they were covered with notes & messages. I had time to read a few of the larger printed messages...."We {heart} the VPD (Vancouver Police Department)"...."Thank you paramedics, police, & leanup crews"..."Hooligans are shame"....etc....This morning, there is no more room to write...but someone painted a message on the hoarding in letters that span the city block "Vandals, we will get you!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>To say that many Vancouverites were ashamed & frustrated by the ridiculous & shallow acts of a few, is a huge understatement. What brings some comfort is knowing that in this day & age of media....where cameras & videos are literally everywhere...that the guilty cannot hide for long. Many have been found & many have already been shamed into turning themselves in as the media outlets contniue to post their images. To add another layer to the ability of social media & immediate communication, a certain fellow or gal (or group of people) who is going by the name of Captain Canuck, has taken the superhero moniker to the web & put digital sleuthing to justice in the social media age. He (an assumption on the gender) has managed to get personal information based on photos of some of the rioters. Not only has he post their pictures, but he also put out their names, addresses, schools, places of employment, etc... Basically a public shaming in the most contemporary of ways. Right or wrong, it does add a sense of justice for those who have no faith that the legal system will truly repair the damage to our city's reputation....but a global public shaming is certainly not something that was predicted. I wonder how this will impact the future of Facebook & Twitter?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Today, there is a sense that everyone is pulling together. Although our shine has been tarnished, our pride in our city is pulling us out of the embarassing shadow & with this, we have learned that we love & appreciate our city that much more.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Real Vancouverites....thank you for caring.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Glenn</p>
