That’s right, BillSaysThis has a new cause: stopping the Bay Area Sports Organizing Comittee’s effort to bring the 2012 (Summer) Olympics here. Who needs the hassle, the headaches, and the expense involved? Only the elitist group of executives and athletes pushing the idea. And somehow their effort got through the first round of judging from the US Olympic Committee, leaving our area in the final four under consideration along with Houston, Washington, DC, and New York City. I say let them have it!
The SJ Mercury News ran their lead editorial yesterday pushing the effort. Followed that up today with a completely biased top of the front page article that was little more than a disguised editorial. (Note: BillSaysThis has a policy against linking to the SJMN until they change their policy regarding online article availability.) At least today’s article makes clear the reason for the newspaper’s cheerleading: Tony Ridder, Chairman of the company that owns the paper, whose office moved to San Jose a couple of years ago, is co-chairman of BASOC!
Here’s the Letter to the Editor I wrote them this morning, though I have serious doubts they’d run it:
In your “The place to set Olympic records” editorial yesterday, the Mercury News plays cheerleader for the BASOC effort. Today’s paper, with a front page article on the bid, makes clear why your newspaper is supporting the effort: Tony Ridder, chairman of Knight Ridder, is co-chairman of the organizing committee. Well, I’d like to ask a question of Mr. Ridder and his colleagues on that committee: Whose approval did they get before making this effort to bring crowds, traffic, and high prices to our area? According to Gamesbids.com (the BASOC website appears to be offline at the moment), the “Public guarantees balance ($250M)” and I’m really interested to know where that money’s coming from when governments at every level are cutting budgets to the bone and eliminating important services.
Today’s article states that two of the key factors are “enthusiastic support of the greater community” and “adequate financing and government support.” I don’t recall voting on any initiative nor do I remember the Mountain View City Council giving approval even though one of the major new facilities required will be located here. I was in Los Angeles when they hosted the Olympics and except for a few elite, wealthy folks who ran the Games, there was little or nothing pleasant about the experience; I am not the least bit interested in repeating the experience here. I’m willing to put my time on the line in opposition but your paper has never written anything negative about the bid or mentioned any groups opposing it.
That’s not surprising given Ridder’s position running BASOC, is it? Nor is the cheerleading voice of today’s article. How is the San Jose Mercury News giving its readers fair and balanced coverage of this major issue? It isn’t. Tony Ridder should remember the lessons of Randolph Hearst and stop using his newspaper to promote his causes. I call on him to resign from the committee and to get our community newspaper’s coverage back where it needs to be.
Bill Lazar
I’m going to get my crank on over this issue, believe you me. I’ll be exploring ways beyond letters to the editor and posting to this website to stop this waste of money and threat to what remaining quality of life we have. Have ideas on how to do it? Contact me (email’s over there on the left)!
BillSaysThis 