Vancouver 2010 Olympics - Poet Laureate "Muzzled"

The poet laureate of Vancouver, Brad Cran, refused to take part in Olympic events because he could not trash talk the people signing his check. I wish I had those problems; I give away everything I make for free: http://www.myspace.com/cjleonspoken

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Vancouver
• 2010
• Olympics
• Poet
• Laureate
• Georgia
• Straight
• free
• speech
• human
• rights
• muzzle
• clause
• poetry
• poet
• canada

[bikerusl]

The poet laureate of Vancouver has a duty to its citizens. I'm proud of Brad for standing up and doing his duty to say no to this destruction of our city's values. So many of our other leaders instead decided to let greed lead the way. Shane's performance was sad. He claims he would use his new exposure to bring justice for our city but he has not. I'm not so much about bashing Shane, he had his reasons. But I admire Brad for his stance much more. Those who don't are corporate zombies - parrots.

[thesurrationalone]

@bikerusl i am not a corporate zombie. not by a long shot. a zombie swinger, maybe. but even those of fairly egalitarian and anarchist principles can criticise his stance. i think i expressed my objections clearly enough, and they had nothing to do with me getting paid by businesses to say so. play it loud is a motto of punk music coming from the folk movment. but to play it loud, you gotta play it.

[loosella]

Isn't it more like he was hired to design an unspecified number of houses, and then to one of the houses the stipulation is added that it has to be made using materials collected under cover of night from the building projects of his impoverished neighbours?

[thesurrationalone]

I don't understand.

[tempierj]

The metaphor is flawed. If he'd been hired only for the Olympics, or if the restriction were stylistic instead of what it is, then what he's doing would obviously be silly. But that's not the case.

He's caught between roles, and I'm surprised you think that 'guy with a job,' while a great role, is so much more important than 'citizen with a prerogative to object to abuses of power.' It's not like he was going to be able to work in a couple of lines about the DTES in the opening night ceremonies.

[thesurrationalone]

He is not a strong enough performer for the opening ceremonies. They used Shane Koyczan. Abuses of power? They offered him an audience and payment. He could very well have discussed the DTES in the literary forums he was invited to. That's why they invited him. That's his only project.

[thesurrationalone]

When I invite performers to perform in shows I produce, like "the Apocalypse Roadshow", they usually ask what I'm looking for. Often I'll say something like, 'Well, it's Friday night and we're trying to entertain people, so be audience aware. We're looking for horror, but not terror; so please no real life abuse stories. The theme is a cabaret for the end of the world, so...' and then I tell them pieces of theirs I know would work. The Olympics is a company and a show, not a government.

[OonaCanute]

What can I say, you're fantastic. Thanks for giving me new perspective on this situation.

[thesurrationalone]

I think your analogy is clear and true, and speaks to the idea of professionalism in the field of creative writing. Thanks for your praise and expectations of me. Why not drop a link (redbubble) on your channel so us ghosts in the machine can explore more of what you make?

[thecatalystpoet]

I nominate you to replace him. You have so much more to say.

In fact, you my friend, are one of the J.M. Romig-land Poet Laureates for 2010, if for no other reason than your originality and boldness; and I guess because of your wicked poetry - seeing as how that doesn't seem to be a factor when people decide these things. (See, Youtube = the RIGHT Venue for satire.)

-J.M. Romig