I came home, turned on the TV, and discovered that Roy Halladay’s return to Toronto has been bumped to Philadelphia because of security concerns with the G20 summit. So many emotions are coursing through my body right now, all of them a shade of unbridled fury.
I don’t even know where to begin my rant on this travesty. I can’t think clearly and I’m worried that the end result will be less cogent than usual. Let’s start with the fact that global politics are depriving Jays fans of three home games.
The title of the column is not a joke. I really have no idea what the G20 is and why they need a summit. Also, why is said summit taking place in Toronto? Off to Wikipedia for answers.
Apparently, the G20 is comprised of the leaders and finance ministers of the world’s twenty top economies. The summits are “forum[s] for cooperation and consultation on matters pertaining to the international financial system. [They] study, review, and promote discussion (among key industrial and emerging market countries) of policy issues pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability, and seek to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any one organization.
What does this mean in layman’s terms? The self-proclaimed masters of the financial universe find it necessary to meet, at the taxpayer’s expense, and jerk each other off in congratulations for being so fiscally fantastic.
They really need a three day summit to do this? Couldn’t they just set up a huge conference call on Skype? Or even Chatroulette?
The security needed for such an endeavour is immense. More than a few media outlets have noted that the downtown core of the city will be like a “fortress.” Residents living close to the convention centre will be forced to register with a security detail in order to gain access to their homes.
Why? So these heads of state can flaunt their massive egos at how important they are and that they have the ability to shutdown a major metropolis on a whim. If the security concerns are so great in a city, then we should send these white collar pansies to a logging community in the Yukon and they can sing Kumbaya around a fire in complete safety.
Of course, they’d never go for that because this summit isn’t really about economic policy, it’s about these guys pulling down their figurative money pants and seeing whose financial junk is bigger. They won’t be happy unless they’re eating five star meals and sleeping in beds with 10,000 thread count sheets.
Do you want to know something else that is completely ridiculous about this entire situation? The G20 is holding ANOTHER FUCKING SUMMIT IN NOVEMBER!! Are you serious? They have so much to discuss that they’re going to do the whole thing over again in South Korea in six months?
These summits are the epitome of governmental excess. We the taxpayers are forced to pony up so Stephen Harper can watch Generally Horny Hospital in his suite at night.
My thoughts on the efficacy of the G20 notwithstanding, I wouldn’t even be that upset if the Jays had a random three game series bumped for the summit, but this would have been the prodigal son’s return.
A chance for 40,000 Blue Jays fans to celebrate the great performances Doc has given us over the years; a chance for a loud and boisterous standing ovation to honour the greatest pitcher in franchise history; a chance to see the normally stoic Halladay shed a tear in appreciation for the city’s adoration.
Who knows when we will get that chance? There’s no guarantee Philly will be here next year. This June would have been perfect.
Plus, on a personal level, CSzem, Gretzpo and I had planned on celebrating Doc in a unique way. We were going to make a sign declaring us ‘Roy’s Boys’. We would have worn cut-off jean shorts, long wigs and aviators, all while having our chests bared for the world to see. An appearance on Sportscentre would have been guaranteed and, possibly, some acknowledgement from Roy as well.
Now, that is all for naught.
I hope the G20 summit is a giant, stinky turd of failure.
Posts
4 comments:
CSzem was going to wear cutoffs and aviators? bahahahahahahahahaha
Can I throw you a $20 to see that?!
Jesus. Will you stop bitching already? Your $2 tickets will be refunded, and this doc person wouldn't even have noticed you anyway. Go cry yourself to sleep watching a crappy Matthew McConaughey flick.
CH
I knew this would be the topic of the day when I saw the paper this morning. Dude the game was never going to be played here. It was decided months ago they would not be allowed in TO during that time. It was just not released to the public. Believe me I know because I have a friend on the inside of one of the summit organizing groups.
Yes the downtown core will be a fortress. The fencing surrounding the downtown core is being set up 2 weeks in advance. The security zone includes Union Station so you can guess how pissed I am about this whole thing. What I have heard so far is they are shutting down all the doors at Union except Bay. Tens of thousands of us will be forced out one side of the building and be subject to random searches. Great!
The real problem isn’t the 15K delegates including the 1K that travel with Obama it is the protesters. Of course every time they hold one of these summits the protesting starts. Once it does they will shut down the security zone which means Union Station. No problem I will just friggin walk back to Oshawa.
Boo hoo you will have to wait until another time for Doc to play in Toronto. Not like this is impacting literally tens of thousands of people who work downtown everyday who could end up spending hours upon hours just trying to get to and from their jobs. I’m sure you will shed a tear for them as you lounge in the backyard by the pool.
Quite frankly I would actually prefer to suffer thru a crappy Mathew McConaughey flick than be down town during this. That is how much I’m dreading it.
AG
road trip?
Post a Comment