I have decided to take a little different route as far as
the type of violence we have talked about in class. We have heard a lot about
gun violence, sexual assault, and domestic violence but I wanted to cover
another very prevalent form of violence in our world. That is terrorism.
When the 2014 Olympic games at
Sochi, Russia roll around, the whole world will be waiting and watching to see
what happens. Sure most people will watch simply for the sporting entertainment
that the Olympic games can offer but there is also an important sub-plot that
will be present at this year’s Olympics. Violence of all kinds will be under the
microscope as athletes and fans from various parts of the world travel to Sochi
for an incredible event. However, masked by all of the good that the Olympics
bring out between nations, violence could be very prevalent if not monitored.
With threats of terrorism in the form of “black widow” suicide bombers, many
athletes have become so concerned that they have forced the rest of their family
to stay back in protection of their safety. For example, hockey player Zach
Parise, of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild has told his family to remain home while he
is away in Sochi, Russia from February 7-23. In an email Parise wrote to the
Star Tribune regarding the safety risks at the Olympics he said, “I’m actually
really concerned about it. I know they say they have evacuation stuff for us and
all, but you just never know. I guess you have to wonder at what point does
someone say it isn’t a good idea for us to go.” The threat in Sochi, Russia is
very real. As recently as December, suicide bombers killed 34 people in
Volgograd, Russia. It is incredibly sad and disappointing that the threat of
some people inflicting life-threating violence has to ruin once in a lifetime
events such as the Olympics. The Olympics is meant to bring nations together
based on the common bond of sports and athletics. However, this worldwide event
is gaining headlines for all of the wrong reasons and that is just what these
people who cause this havoc feed off. Russian President Vladimir Putin has set
up immense security measures to ensure that the sports stay the main story of
this spectacular event. It is sad that people cannot put aside their differences
to just simply enjoy what an incredible event that the Olympics are. The threat
of violence in Sochi is very real but hopefully the actual sporting events stay
as the main headline of a wonderful 2014 Winter Olympics.
Thank you,
Brett Ernst
I am a sport management major and currently taking a course in Risk Management. In this course we address situations just like this. The 2014 Winter Olympics cost more than the last 13 Olympics Games combined. Though final numbers haven't been released, we're assuming that quite a bit of those costs are going towards security, especially after the suicide bombings. But even with all the security and precautions that have been taken within the arenas and other secure areas in the Olympic Village, how can they prevent these bombings from happening outside of these areas. How can security prevent bombings in restaurants or in shops surrounding the Olympic Village? The athletes and spectators have reason to worry about their safety, but hopefully, as Brett said, the sporting events stay as the main headline of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
ReplyDeleteI agree. The Olympics are a great opportunity to show cohesiveness between countries, but in this circumstance some are very concerned for safety. Hopefully the sporting events are the main headline like you said. I'd also like to point out your use of words with "Olympics stay the main headlines" I enjoyed your subliminal use that violence is apparent, but hopefully it won't happen.
ReplyDeleteI feel like society has a huge impact on Alex. By the way he listens to classical music, it shows me that he isnt all bad, or innately bad. i feel like the society's view on women show them that they are just objects, not people. That men should just be able to do whatever they want to women. Thats not right and i have no sympathy for him.
ReplyDeleteThis is so true. The Olympics are a major event that bring together everyone in the world. Which means countries that don't like each other are going to be having to be in the same place. There was a recent story that involved one of the inventors of the opening ceremonies. The guy made snow that feel during the opening ceremony and it was suppose to turn into the Olympic rings, and it did not work. The next day rumors cam out that that man was found stabbed in his hotel room. I am not sure if this story is true or not, but this is just one of the violent happenings involving the Olympics.
ReplyDeleteWith bringing together so many different countries, religions, and people there will always be people trying to keep everyone apart. Part of the Olympics I feel is meeting people from different countries and coming together for healthy competition and making new friends from all over the world through differences and similarities. Its sad that its not surprising at all that there were threats of terrorism. Thankfully there were no major events or problems. Besides the yellow water and awkward toilet situation I saw in a few pictures. The Olympics came to a close without a hitch. There will always be people who see large meetings of people as an opportunity to cause chaos and destruction.
ReplyDeleteDue to the fact that we're all so different-culturally and religiously, not everyone is going to be fully accepting and thats where conflicts come in. The Olympics is supposed to bring people from different countries and different backgrounds together as they celebrate their common passion for sports. When it comes down to it though, we arent really that different from each other because we share the same passions and interests. If we are all just a little more accepting we can see that we share more similarities than we actually think.
ReplyDeleteViolence is everywhere in the world. People have high opinions about this or that and feel very strongly and passionate about some of those opinions. In this situation, the only way to ensure that all athletes are same are to make sure that everyone that is allowed in the games can gain entry and those that aren't, stay out. The athletes and their families need protection for such an important and life changing event such as the Olympics. Protecting them should be one of the first priorities. If need be, just have the families and coaches be the only spectators and broadcast the entire games to the world from there. Going above and beyond to protect the athletics should be the number one priority for the Olympics.
ReplyDelete