NOlympics

Coming into the lecture on NOlympics Los Angeles (LA), I was sceptical as to what could be so bad about debatably the most historically significant athletic events of all time. Everyone that I know perceives the Olympics as a global call for respectful competition and an excuse to wear red, white and blue as you scream, “USA, USA!”

Despite the charms that come along with the Olympic Games, many individuals suffer greatly at the hands of these events, and most people do not realize it. As was stated in the lecture, the Olympics tend to displace individuals of lower economic statuses, militarize the police, exploit labor, divert resources, erode democracy, and have substantial environmental consequences. These crimes are often overlooked as the allure of the games seems to deeply affect everyone involved.

Despite the massive amount of people who are negatively affected by the games, a smaller group of powerful people, who oftentimes make decisions regarding the games validity, are benefited through the process. These individuals could include politicians, real estate developers, security/police, white supremacist groups, and massive corporate sponsors. NOlympics LA is fighting to rid the Olympic Games from Los Angeles and in doing so save massive amounts of people from economic and social disparity while the rich get richer.

Local taxpayers will be forced to bear much of the financial burden of the games and total city spending could skyrocket to create economic issues. Never before had I realized what the true implications of the games are, and how much of a burden they can be to their host city and people. I agree with NOlympics LA’s assessment on whether LA should host the games in 2028. The Olympics should not be hosted in LA, especially considering the economic and political issues Los Angeles already has. Despite this, I question whether or not it will be possible to stop the games from being hosted in LA.

The Olympics are a longstanding tradition that are regarded very highly on a global level. To truly halt the actions of a movement this powerful will be hard, and require support from lots of people. In learning these new details about the implications of the Olympics, I wonder if it is a good idea to host them at all. Even if LA is able to avoid the games, they will continue to plague host cities around the world until people truly bring to light the damage that is being done. You can find additional information on how to learn about and support NOlympics LA through its website https://nolympicsla.com.