Why They Rioted. I have a... Theory.

-- And just a theory at that. But I think it's interesting enough to make public. I'll let it be known that I have no sources for the following, as I'm not making any concrete claims. It's just a theory. By no means do I boast knowledge or experience in the ways of social interaction (apart from that Social Anthro minor I did, but hey), but I can make educated opinions, and I know how to argue them, so here goes.

I propose that the recent Vancouver rioting over the loss of Vancouver's grasp of the Stanley Cup is an outburst of social frustration stemming from our... interesting... recent political -- well -- mess. For the past several years, Canada has been in a state of passive political turmoil in which each forced election brought us closer and closer to apathy and a sense of futility with regards to this so-called democracy. Now of course, I really can't speak for the nation, but taking a look at the nosedive the voting turnouts took has to show some sense of a collective (and, excuse me, Mom) "Fuck this!". Combined with political party members themselves fluctuating their opinions based predominately on the changing power dynamic (or so I've heard) it's easy to see why the country is apathetic, pissed off, and frustrated as hell.

Ah, but what is the one thing we can all agree on? What's the one thing Canada (in general, of course) has consistently come together and bonded over? -- Hockey! (And Tim Hortons' coffee, but we won't be bothered with that here!). And so, I bring you to present day when our political situation is no longer change-able for the next four years, people are generally annoyed with how things went and how things are, and, OH HEY! Vancouver might take the cup this year!

So, you might see where I'm going with this. After a string of political situations where no one is sure who to trust or depend on, no one wants to get up in arms over something they think is a struggle with futility -- after all this, something comes along that they-- we-- granted, I know it's not all of us-- think we can control. Everyone loves hockey! Canada loves it when Canada beats the U.S., and having done it many times before, why shouldn't we be able to do it this time, and shove a metaphorical hockey stick up the ass of an obvious symbol of conservative pressure (Oh, snap!)

To put it bluntly, I think Canadians rioted over a hockey game because they felt like it was finally their chance to do something about this bullshit. Now of course, I don't mean that if one was to ask one of the rioters why he/she set a car on fire, that they would give you a speech about how this was their chance to stick it to the government. Of course not. This particular riot was not politically charged (on the surface) and I'm sure once the mob mentality got going, no one knew why exactly they were doing anything apart from the fact that they were just pissed the hell off. I just think that tensions and anger grew until a large group of people had gotten damn sick of losing. Because, really, whether or not you're conservative-minded doesn't matter anymore. The recent awkward political struggle has made most of Canada frustrated (has it not?) and what better way to further that frustration than to take away our potential moments of happy National bonding?

By no means do I think the rioters were in the right here. I think rioting over a hockey game is petty and immature, and the guilty parties should be justly punished. But under the skin I had to ask myself... Is it just the hockey game? And I would hope you would ask yourself the same question.