Take the power back: Snuffing out the Olympic flame

This Christmas Eve will mark a very sad day in the history of London. It is on this night that a propaganda tool, which originated in Germany as a means of spreading fascism, will be paraded proudly through the streets of our city, and cheered on by hundreds of unsuspecting citizens.

Just in case you might be one of those unsuspecting citizens, I'll let you know what this symbol is really about so that you can jeer instead of cheer. The symbol I am referring to is the Olympic torch, which is currently making its way across Canada, and is scheduled to be celebrated through London on Christmas Eve as well as the morning of December 27.

Contrary to what most people understand, the first Olympic torch relay did not occur in Greece, but rather in Germany at the 1936 Berlin games. It was proposed and meticulously planned by Nazi leaders to showcase the Nazi state, as well as gain international influence. All of the media coverage was masterminded by Josef Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda chief, who used the torch as a symbol of the power of the Aryan race.

Special care was also taken to seize the opportunity to link Germany to the ancient Greek empire. The Nazis believed and promoted the idea that the ancient Greek empire was their Aryan predecessor. The torch, as well as the rest of the 1936 games, were effectively used to promote white supremacy, and were a major contribution to Adolf Hitler's rise to power.

The Olympics' fascist ties seem to have never severed. There have been several fascists involved in the International Olympic Committee, including Antonia Samaranch, a former official in Franco's fascist regime in Spain, who was president of the International Olympic Committee until 2001.

Today, the Olympics and the torch have still not shed its fascist roots. The 2010 Olympic games are taking place on stolen indigenous land, and have led to the clear-cutting of hundreds of thousands of trees on sacred mountaintops. Thousands of people have been made homeless.

The torch will be used to showcase Canada to the world and lots of money has been spent to make sure that the world will only see native people dancing, not speaking about land claims issues, or the genocide of residential schools, or the ongoing colonization and destruction of their lands.

The torch will also be used to reinforce Canada's dominance and ability to occupy indigenous lands. The relay will bring hundreds of armed government agents parading into native reservations next to Canadian flags of colonization.

The Olympics themselves are costing taxpayers upwards of $7-billion, one billion of which is being pumped into security. Money is being pumped into facial recognition software, infrared cameras, sonic weapons, military contractors, the military, police departments, spy agencies, etc. Vancouver is starting to resemble an occupied police state, and those who speak up against this are followed, spied on, threatened, and harassed at their home, workplaces, and on the streets.

Let's say no to Nazi propaganda being paraded down the streets of London. Let's say no to a police state in Vancouver. Let's say no to fascism everywhere it shows it's ugly face. Let's say no to the 2010 Olympics on stolen native land.

Join students and community members for a rally against the Olympics Friday, Dec. 4 in Forwell Hall at noon.

Protest against the Olympic torch when it comes to town!

Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.