06/06/2012
NEWS STORY
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The coward terrorists of Anonymous have gotten behind the cry-baby Quebec student terrorists and are now threatening to disrupt the Canadian Grand Prix on race day. As a result, the organizers of the Grand Prix du Canada have cancelled the Thursday pit-lane walkabout which has attracted over ten thousand fans the last few years it's been held.
Oh, the irony.
Many of the fans who attend the Canadian GP are returnees. They look forward to it all year, have to pay ever escalating ticket and hotel prices, but choose to return year after year to sit in aluminium bleachers in the baking hot sun (or pouring rain). Why? Because it's a damn good time, and entertaining. The atmosphere amongst the fans is usually beyond cordial.
I'd guess 95% of the fans are working class, average Joes. Not egalitarian, nor driving Bentleys or Ferraris. But the coward terrorists and cry-baby students would have the rest of the world think otherwise. And now, the one benefit to the loyal fan-base, a free day at the track, has been taken away.
Not that the free day is free. It's an extra day you have to take off from work, an extra night in a hotel and an extra night that you eat out at a restaurant and drink in a pub.
The extra 100,000+ fans who shell out pretty big bucks to attend pump millions into the Canadian and Quebec tax coffers. Should there be trouble this year, fans may decide to stay away in droves next year. Or worse, Formula 1 may elect to stay away next year as there are already two scheduled races in North America.
Let's state the obvious; less visitors = less tax revenue = less free money subsidizing Quebecois students.
If you're curious about the exact monetary value of the tuition increases for college students, have a look at this website. The information is from the government, but from what I can discern, there is no dispute from the students about these figures. By the end of the 2017 school year, tuition will skyrocket to $3793 (£2375) from $1968 (£1232) this year. That's the total amount, not the amount tuition will rise. Let me repeat: In 2017, college tuition will be $3793. Has that sunk in yet?
How would you like to send your kid to college for $5000 (£3131) a year? I'm hoping when my son goes to college the fees alone are less than $5000. There are plenty of high schools in the United States that are well north of $5000 a year now.
In reaction to a price rise of about $400 (£250) for next year, students have been rioting in the streets of Montreal for 16 weeks, with the Provincial government of Quebec introducing measures aimed at limiting masked protests and mass gatherings. Bill 78, as it's named, has drawn the ire of many Montrealers who have taken to the streets banging pots and pans. This is where Anonymous has stepped in.
Anonymous, the Stalinist bastion of "freedom" as they claim, want everyone including the drivers, to heed their call to action over the injustice of Bill 78. They have threatened to "ruin...Mr Ecclestone's party…" in some form of protest on the Metro, Montreal's subway system. They have invaded the privacy of every single person who has bought a ticket to the event by hacking databases and releasing data on selected patrons. They have emailed others directly threatening them.
In other words, if you bought a ticket in January, long before the tuition hikes were passed, you may end up with a destroyed credit score or your identity stolen. So much for the "freedom" Anonymous bleats on about and I've got news for them; they are acting much more like the Bahraini or Chinese government. Freedom is the ability to disagree with someone without resorting to illegal, immoral or unethical actions.
I understand Anonymous is not an actual group. It is a collective (much like a communist society) where anyone can undertake any action under the banner of Anonymous. How quaint. The freedom to bully others and not take any form of responsibility. While many Anonymous actions target big corporations and governments, in this case these spineless marauders of the internet are targeting individuals engaged in personal entertainment with no effect on anyone else.
As for the students, I will not even dignify the posters made for the Metro protest by the cry-babies. The poster in question does not even depict Formula 1, however if they were to research the person involved (Alex Zanardi), maybe they could figure out what fortitude, overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds and being a truly inspirational person is.
What are we, the law abiding, good citizen Formula 1 fans to do if we dare venture to Quebec this week to give our hard earned money to Quebec and Canada so they may continue to subsidize those who hack into our personal information?
First and foremost give a big thumbs up to the local police whenever you see them about, as you will see them in ever bigger numbers this year, have no doubt. They are under a lot of stress, and now have to contend with embedded troublemakers seeded in amongst 100,000 extra people in town for the weekend. Their city's reputation is at stake.
Be very vigilant everywhere you go, especially in the Metro. Immediately flag down a police officer if you see anything developing or have a bad feeling about someone. As a race fan, you should have a good sense of who belongs and who doesn't. How many race fans do you know who go to a race decked out in black from head to toe?
Behave. The police will be looking extra hard for troublemakers and won't have time to be differentiating between regular race weekend drunks and potential anarchists. It will probably be very easy to get caught up in a police sweep if trouble starts. You'll need all your wits about you.
If you're headed to a pub or restaurant, ask the establishment if they support the students and Anonymous. If they do, take your business elsewhere.
Get a very early start on race day. Unfortunately all of us who have been to the Ile de Notre Dame know there's only one way in or out, and that's the Metro subway system. There is only one line from the city that serves the island and the students plan on hitting it. It'd be best to be on the island by 9:00.
Make large signs to hold up at the track denouncing the rioters, students and Anonymous. Show your face and show the world you aren't intimidated by the cowards. Show the world you won't be intimidated.
For those like me who are getting fed up with the 1% dominating the news and pretending to represent everyone, it's time the vast majority of us (who contribute greatly to the welfare state) to let them know they don't represent us. If they try and give you a manifesto handout, crumple it up and throw it back in their face. They have already slapped you in the face by getting your free track day taken away and threatening you. Tell them you want reimbursement for the extra day you're spending in town.
Don't give any backpack-toting students any of your time or attention. It's likely they'll want to chat out on the street during the weekend to push their agenda. Brush past them like they're beggars wanting spare change. In essence they are.
Support Pitpass and any other website or blogger that dares to publish any stories pointing out the hypocrisy involved in these terrorist threats. The publisher of this site is taking a very big risk by publishing this column, especially as it's written by someone who isn't actually an employee. This site is a small independent organization, not run by the big conglomerate type publishing houses. Support true freedom. Say no to terrorism, whatever its form.
As always, hate mail can be sent to thomsonphilips@hotmail.com.
Thomson Philips
thomson.philips@pitpass.com