2014 Sochi Olympics
Gone to the dogs?
Everyone from celebrities to talk show
hosts are complain about the Russian government killing stray dogs in
Sochi. The collective ignorance and apathy amongst these folks is
rather difficult to comprehend without wondering if it's intentional
or has humanity become removed from itself? Ignorance is believable
for those folks who don't normally follow sociopolitical issues but
the blatant apathy displayed by so-called “news” and “media”
people is absolutely inexcusable.
Even for those who are not aware of the
fact that the Russian government still operates with the familiarity
of the communist iron fist, a few minutes of on-line research would
reveal this truth as well the the reason why there are so many stray
dogs in Sochi. Many of the dogs were abandoned because their owners
were forcefully evicted from their homes by the Russian government
because of Olympic Park construction. Others were forced from their
homes as a result of the collateral damage caused by the Sochi
Olympic Park construction. An unknown number of Russian families are
suffering damages, loss and homelessness because of the Sochi
Olympics yet not one of the “talking heads” from cable news to
Christian radio are saying anything about the “people”, only the
“dogs”.
The Russian government claims they have
enacted a “zero-waste” program for the Sochi Olympic Park yet
massive amounts of waste and debris have been dumped around Sochi or
hauled 160 miles north to Belorechensk. Dumping of waste, much of it
dangerous and hazardous, is not limited to Sochi but also the
villages of Uch-Dere, Loo and Atarbekovo to the point that massive
piles of waste are causing some houses to collapse and others to be
buried under tons of waste. The Russian people have not been
compensated for the damages or losses, as is typical for people
suffering under any excessively controlling government, they're left
to fend for themselves.
I don't want to make this about the
athletes as they are as much pawns in the political games as the
Russian people. Has humanity really become this far removed from
itself? Have we as human beings allowed our brain function to be
reduced to sound-bites and tweets that we no longer have the ability
or desire to ask “WHY”? Has the value of human life been reduced
to less than that of animals? Have we more concern for the general
welfare of animals than their human owners? Are you offended by my
impudence in questioning your assignment of values? Do you happen to
recall something about a “doing unto others” and for the
Christians, do you recall something about “loving thy neighbor”?
