Border guards grill Goodman on 2010 Olympics
p2pnet news view P2P | Politics:- Canadian border guards have a new role .
Censorship interrogators.
Amy Goodman, host of the independent US radio show Democracy Now, can tell you all about it.
She was “scheduled to speak in Vancouver and Victoria, while on a tour promoting her new book Breaking the Sound Barrier, on the subjects of Iraq, Afghanistan, Medicare, and global warming,” says the Vancouver Observer “all sensitive issues that might make a patriotic border guard give pause.”
When she told the border guards the reason for her visit, “she was asked to pull over, brought inside and questioned for an hour and a half,” says the post, continuing »»»
Known for being bold and forthright, she was honest about the subject matter she’d be covering. When she said she’d be discussing Afghanistan, they said What else?
“Global warming.”
What else?
“Medicare.”
What Else?
“It must have made her wonder if she was at the Canadian border crossing, or a on a game show trying to guess the secret word,” says the vVancouver Observer, continunig, “So Goodman had to just come straight out and ask, ‘Like what, ‘what else‘?’
It goes on »»»
And they said, Will you be talking about the Olympics? Being American, the only Olympics currently on her radar was the failed bid for Chicago and President Obama’s participation. The guards said, “No, will you be speaking about the Olympics in Vancouver?”
According to the CBC, “‘Oh I hadn’t thought of that,’” said Goodman.
“He was clearly incredulous that I wasn’t going to be talking about the Olympics,” Goodman says the story.
“He didn’t believe me.
The CBSA declined comment, it says, adding her car was searched and “the officials demanded to look at her notes and her computer,” says the CBC.
Is this official policy, or is it just something Canadian border guards have dreamed up themselves?
[Photo, Karl Gabor/Right Livelihood Award Foundation - http://www.rightlivelihood.org/goodman_pictures.html]
(Cheers, Benjamin)
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Vancouver Observer – Amy Goodman Gets Brilliant Story Idea from Canadian Border Guards, November 27, 2009
CBC – U.S. journalist grilled at Canada border crossing, November 26, 2009
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November 28th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Sounds like a case of an overzealous border guard. The Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit has been clear that talking about the Olympics or dissent during the games would not be prevented or otherwise discouraged, so whether she was going to mention the games or not should have been irrelevant and this guy shouldn’t have brought it up at all.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
@ RW above:
“The Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit has been clear that talking about the Olympics or dissent during the games would not be prevented or otherwise discouraged …”
That’s nice of them.
Cheers!
November 28th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Perhaps you should read this post I wrote, in particular read Rules 49 and 51 of the IOC “rulebook.”
http://www.matthewgood.org/2009/11/rules-and-bylaws-in-olympic-harmony/
It’s kinda long but it references the bylaws and rules that are of concern for the Olympics. It also draws attention to the hypocrisy of what the City of Vancouver says, what the Integrated Security Unit says, and what “law” enforcement is actually doing, and why.
Money trumps all human rights. People say “sure you can dissent the games” but in reality they’ll find a reason to stop you.
November 28th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
What a pack of bull!
Does these border guards know how famous is this lady? Ok she is not Oprah but still do they know what kind of damage they are doing to the reputation of Canada? Do they really know the damage to their own credibility that occurred when they arrested this woman?
Next time I go to Canada I will not cross at a border I will just sneak in. After all this is my planet and how come some freaking guards are asking me anything when I want to move to a part of it?
They don’t try to stop the birds or the bears or the mountain lions, why would they try to stop me?
Hello!
November 30th, 2009 at 1:41 am
FAQ: What’s wrong with Olympic sports?
Sports and physical health are a positive aspect of any society. The Olympic industry uses sports and athletes as commodities to market corporate products and services. Governments use Olympic games to unite their populations behind nationalist symbols, to impose greater social control, and to attract corporate investment. Despite claims that Olympics are not ‘political’, they have devastating social and ecological impacts that cannot be ignored and which must be challenged.
http://no2010.com/node/336
November 30th, 2009 at 1:42 am
https://secure.wikileaks.org/wiki/Dora_the_Explorer_goes_too_far_with_activists%2C_according_to_legal_threat_from_Viacom_International%2C_2009
November 30th, 2009 at 1:48 am
http://olympicresistance.net/content/what-wrong-olympics-0
What’s wrong with the Olympics?
The Olympics are not about the human spirit and have little to do with athletic excellence. They are a multi-billion dollar industry backed by real estate, construction, hotel, tourism and media corporations, and powerful elites working hand in hand with government officials and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Occupation of Stolen Native Land
âSecurityâ and Eroding Civil Liberties
Environmental Destruction and Waste
Corporatization
Damage to Communities
Honouring Exploitation
Lack of Affordable Housing
Public Costs and Debt