Saturday, February 13, 2010

Last Place finish for ethics at Van 2010?

It's only day two at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, and already it's been quite eventful. Many of these events have me questioning the ethics of the people in Vancouver right now, including the media, protesters and Olympic committees. The Olympics only started yesterday, and so far I shudder as I ponder on what may be next.

My first ethical question has to do with NBC, and their disregard for not only Canadian heroes, but for the tried and tested art of fact checking. In this video, uploaded to the website yuill.ca and shown to me by Laurie Callsen, hosts of NBC's Today Show gather around a fire and speculate about who may light the Olympic cauldron in the opening ceremonies. After a quick discussion, one suggests it may be the mother of legendary Michael J. Fox, who was diagnosed with cancer and ran across the country to raise money. Of course, all Canadians hearing this would be inclined to leap from their seats, quick to point out the fact that it was Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope, not Michael's. But it was a different story for NBC reporters and editors, who instead showed pictures of Michael J. Fox and Terry Fox running with his artificial leg, assuming that they are one in the same. They clearly broke an ethical code with not checking the facts, but what will their next move be? Will NBC make a formal retraction?

Next up, the tragic death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili on a test run in Whistler, BC. Since his death, Olympic officials have placed the blame on the athlete, and not the course. Less than a day after the crash, the Vancouver Sun said the course has been re-opened with minor alterations. Morally speaking, should more be done for Kumaritashvili and his family, instead of placing the blame on him? Furthermore, where should the line be drawn for the media's coverage of the crash? I first saw video of the crash in a restaurant last night. It's quite disturbing to see someone die while eating your supper. Is it ethical to show this video of Kumaritashvili, who gets tossed around like a doll at high speeds? Or can it be argued that the media are just doing their job, and providing the news as it happens? I find it interesting that the assignment editor at the paper I work at has no problem with publishing the story, but refuses to even watch the video himself.

And finally, the age old question of protesting ethics. Saturday morning saw protesters, or rioters if you prefer, take to the streets of downtown Vancouver. As the Vancouver Sun reports, the protesters began to smash windows, and spray paint vehicles and businesses. Approximately 200 masked individuals took part in the violent protest, to express their opposition to capitalism in the Olympics. Video of these riots were quickly posted by the Vancouver Media Co-op, and it has me wondering about the unwritten rules of proper protesting. When a protest turns violent, does it discredit the cause? Is it ethical for protesters to smash windows of businesses and wreck private property by vandalizing cars, or does the end justify the means? Because I think it is safe to say that violent riots get much more coverage then peaceful demonstrations.

The curse to ethics is that there is no clear line drawn in the sand. What may be morally right for one person may be unquestionably taboo for another. But I think that's why these events over the past day at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics have left me with more questions about ethics, rather than statements. I don't think this is a matter of right or wrong, but being able to justify your actions.

Except for NBC's mix up of Terry and Michael J. Fox. That was just ridiculous.