Youth are a Riot
Written by Shawn Ruest on 20/07/11
Photo by insurgent photo on Flickr
Hockey is without a doubt one of Canada’s favourite past times and the 2011 Stanley Cup finals certainly kept Canadians on the edge of their seats. However, it wasn’t the actual game that was headlined in the worldwide news; it was the riot that occurred in downtown Vancouver following the defeat of the Vancouver Canucks by the Boston Bruins.
The Good
When negative events happen, people often overlook positive actions, such as the Facebook and social network groups and pages that were made with the purpose of righting the wrongs of the riot. One of these groups was made to invite Vancouverites to clean up the downtown area the morning after Game 7. Twenty thousand people joined the Facebook group in the first 12 hours and an estimated 15, 000 of all ages showed up.
The Bad
It’d be nice to see more media coverage showing the youth who took part in cleaning up downtown Vancouver. Unfortunately, the overcast of hooliganism in the riot stories that have featured youth so far has given young people an unflattering image. Some articles show pictures of youth stealing from stores, destroying cars, vandalizing property and have had references like: “Youth holding a rag and a lighter near a car”.
In addition to newscasts, social networking sites such as Facebook and Tumblr have made web pages and groups in which users can look at uploaded riot photos and videos. These online groups are being used to identify rioters and report them to the police. These groups are examples of how anything posted of you online is completely out of your hands. Youth who took part in the Vancouver riot have learned this lesson the hard way, as some of them who’ve been arrested have been publicly scrutinized and scolded (CBCNews). Let’s take this as a reminder that when we get caught up in the moment, our actions can easily have consequences.
And the Ugly
Not only has the reputation of the rioters been affected, but reporters have also called the riot a ‘black mark’ on Vancouver’s status in the national and international stage. Let’s use the riot as a lesson of why it’s important to take pride in our communities. Just because someone breaks a store window, it doesn’t mean it’s ok to just stand by or join in yourself.
To end on a positive note, in the midst of the riot media frenzy, the youth who helped clean up downtown Vancouver have shown how ‘kids these days’ can be responsible Canadian citizens.
Links
CBC – Facebook groups aim to ID rioters, help clean up
CBC – Vancouver Police Shift Blame for Riot
DEAL.org – Broken Windows Theory
DEAL.org – When There’s Smoke, There’s Fire
