Commonwealth Games Busy
Jul. 28th, 2014 11:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
f4f3I've only actually been to two events, but I've been out almost every night doing Games-type things, like the Kelvingrove Bandstand, Glasgow Green, the Merchant City, and a random stint in the studio audience for the BBC's guaranteed Scot-free late show. The buzz around the city is as good as everyone says.
I'm slightly narked by the BBC coverage - at times it does seem a Scot-free zone, which when broadcasting from Scotland seems a bit weird, and the commentary from our English friends can be a bit annoying. As tonight, when the commentator commented on how well the crowd at Hampden had taken to athletics - well obviously we'd never seen it before, or when the swimming commentator referred to the English relay team as the British squad. Lots and lots of little things, rather than any big ones.
A woman was also hustled out of the swimming venue tonight for having a (respectably sized) Yes saltire, which made me realise I could have had the same treatment for wearing my Yes t-shirt on Sunday. Apparently the rules do allow for advertising for a belief or policy, so the ejection was against the rules. And the rule about the only flags being permissible being those of competing nations seems to be being flouted in the case of the Union Jack - both as handed out by the Better Together campaign, and worn by the (English) track cycling team.
Little things, but they do all add up to a bad taste in what has been a wonderful dish to date.
I'm slightly narked by the BBC coverage - at times it does seem a Scot-free zone, which when broadcasting from Scotland seems a bit weird, and the commentary from our English friends can be a bit annoying. As tonight, when the commentator commented on how well the crowd at Hampden had taken to athletics - well obviously we'd never seen it before, or when the swimming commentator referred to the English relay team as the British squad. Lots and lots of little things, rather than any big ones.
A woman was also hustled out of the swimming venue tonight for having a (respectably sized) Yes saltire, which made me realise I could have had the same treatment for wearing my Yes t-shirt on Sunday. Apparently the rules do allow for advertising for a belief or policy, so the ejection was against the rules. And the rule about the only flags being permissible being those of competing nations seems to be being flouted in the case of the Union Jack - both as handed out by the Better Together campaign, and worn by the (English) track cycling team.
Little things, but they do all add up to a bad taste in what has been a wonderful dish to date.
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Date: 2014-07-30 05:55 pm (UTC)I will admit I'm not watching the games - not intended as any slight against Glasgow, which I am rather fond of (thanks to my introduction by a certain keen local), but because I'm rather over sporting events as a whole, and think the whole thing (Olympics, Commonwealth, TdF, whatever) are all simultaneously over politicised, and not politicised enough.
If we're espousing sport as a 'neutral' territory, but one that is meant to demonstrate better human qualities, then human rights issues SHOULD be a factor, both in choice of venue/location, and in how people are allowed to express themselves.
We endure all the promotional noise about how these events draw attention to the social issues of inclusion and dignity, and supposedly exemplify higher standards, while at the same time we allow the very forces that oppress those standards to control and benefit from the events, whilst also choking any real representation.
Ooops, better step off my soap box.
I'm glad your lovely city is deporting itself well, and that you're able to take advantage of all the social activities that it has to offer around the games.
*hugs*