I can’t help but start with a quote I quipped a while ago when I
would be either joking with someone or I was trying to politely express
my bewilderment to someones statements or actions. However today I don’t
say it with tongue in cheek. I truly mean it.
“Some look at things and ask why…I look as some things and say: You have got to be kidding me!” (It was hard not to type the F bomb)
We find up until the last moments the Mayor of New York City was still fixated that the marathon would take place on Tuesday. In some convoluted
rationale he tried to make his case to proceed with the marathon as
some form of noble gesture. Noble doesn’t come to mind. A sheer act of
stupidity along with his indignant demeanor for anyone questioning his
actions is what was more on display than anything else.
As disgusting as all that was I feel just as much blame needs to be
pointed at The NY Road Runners, ING, and the runners themselves who were
going to participate. The blame for this debacle and the channeling of
Marie Antoinette rests squarely on them. Only one axiom seems to be
fitting: “Have you no shame?”
There are so many issues one could check off or point to as not only
improper, but viewed with utter revulsion. So I’ll touch upon only some,
otherwise I could fill the pages of a book having enough left for a
sequel of this real life version of some Hunger Games movie.
It is near unimaginable the self-absorption any club, person, or
business would have to knowingly set up tents, porta-potties,
generators, water supplies, and more while right alongside their fellow
New Yorker’s are dumpster diving with their children because they have
no food, no water, no power, or sanitary facilities to use. All the
while hiding behind some ill-gotten cloak of protection in the form of
“We’re not taking away from any resources.” Are you really that foolish?
What I don’t understand while at the same time infuriates me is the
total disregard for their fellow New Yorker’s by the Road Runner Club
itself. If any organization should have been the first to either declare
out right cancellation, or at the least postponement. It should have
been this group.
The people who run this organization are right there. They know, they
see – yet didn’t care. Nope, set up the starting gate nearly on top of
where 2 people lost their lives. I can only hope the board of ING
squirmed as they seen their logo displayed proudly over what could be
regarded as a grave marker. Their silence in this debacle was deafening,
yet spoke volumes.
The both of them should have been the first, and most vocal groups
advocating the use of tents, generators, supplies, or any other
resources available to be used for helping anyone in need. After all
they were setting all this up at Staten Island. The hardest hit with the
highest death count that is still rising! Oh no, not that. We have a
race to run!
Maybe they were going to offer assistance by instructing runners to
keep a sharp eye as to point out any location where some family might
find their missing, because all the bodies have yet to be recovered or
found. After all, it’s the least they can do right?
Then there are the runners who were going to participate. The runners
from foreign lands can be exonerated. They don’t know or quite
understand. However, Americans who were to partake, let alone any New
Yorker’s. Every single one of you know better. If you would have
partaken in that race you would be pinning a badge of shame on your
chest that would never, ever, be forgotten or removable.
I have seen some news reports where runners are expressing their
distress for the amount of money they spent to get to the race, and how
inconvenienced they are, and more. Let me enlighten a few to something
that just seems to be eluding them. Some of your fellow Americans have
lost their homes, family members, jobs, and are starving without food or
fresh water.
Currently as you express your inconvenience there is also no timeline
for them on when or where they might get adequate help or at the very
least – find shelter for themselves, and their children. Yet you runners
are talking to television cameras to express your hardship? Are you
that uncaring, and self-absorbed?
On top of all of this is the absurd defense of the marathon still
taking place after the tragedy of Sept. 11. 2001. Here is the most
pathetic reasoning or rationale put forward by both politicians, and
participants alike.
First off what part of the time frame of September to November eludes
them? Do they no longer teach the difference of time frame between
months or days any longer? Must be all that new math I don’t understand.
By all the reasoning given by politicians and participants one can’t
help but think if the marathon were scheduled for Sept. 15th, they would
have set the starting gate on top of the rubble. Justifying it as
“giving New Yorker’s back a feeling of normalcy.” So unimaginable, yet
with what has been currently displayed – is it so far-fetched?
For anyone whom participates in both The Runners Club, or anything
else in regards to the NYC Marathon. You should be demanding the
resignation of every board member or person involved in the decision
making process of allowing, and pushing for the marathon to go forward.
Every single participant that dons a running badge is directly tied
to the disgusting display of not only insensitivity to their fellow New
Yorker’s; but the sheer arrogance, and stupidity of their decisions and
handling of this whole affair.
If you continue, or are to partake in this event. Even at a later
date while the current leadership remains. Then that badge you once
looked at with pride will be to the rest of us you’re badge of shame.
Think about it.
© 2012 Mark St.Cyr www.MarkStCyr.com
Bonus from Tim:
I wanted to thank Iggy for sending me a photo of a chap from New York's art world (a gallery owner, in fact) who was discussing the damage from Hurricane Sandy. This proves, once again, how we here at Slope represent the avant garde, and how even the metro NYC art culture has to slavishly follow in our footsteps, often many months after the fact.
