Editor:
I wish to respond to the news item regarding the COSCO sponsored meeting, where speaker Chris Shaw delivered his take on the myths and realities of the Olympic Games. ("Author debunks Olympic myths," Coast Reporter, Jan. 22).
I was unable to attend Mr. Shaw's talk, as I was attending yet another briefing session in Vancouver on my role as a volunteer at the Games.
Mr. Shaw asserts that many "fall for" the Olympics (as a scam), vis-à-vis not falling for a Nigerian banking scam. I would like to ask Mr. Shaw and his supporters, why is it over 30,000 volunteers don't think the Olympics is a scam? How come tens of thousands of spectators who have paid big money for their tickets don't think it's a scam? How come over 10,000 athletes, officials and staff, some 5,000 international media people from all over the world and 8,000 torchbearers don't think it's a scam? How come the hundreds of thousands of people who are coming out, cheering and waving Canadian flags, to see the torch relay don't think it's a scam?
There's an old saying, Mr. Shaw: "Fifty million French-men cannot be wrong."
Frank Brown
Gibsons
