Debbie Schlussel: Still NO Olympic Memorial For Slain Israeli Athletes; When TV/Hollywood Had Guts
A couple of weeks ago, I noted that in 36 years, there still hasn't been a formal Olympic memorial to the slain Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. (Read my 2002 column on the history of anti-Semitism at the Olympics, the slain Israeli athletes at Munich, and the continued Olympic refusal to officially memorialize them.)
Although the International Olympic Committee claims it does not memorialize athletes, Mitt Romney--who organized the 2002 Olympic Games--wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars on a stupid Alvin Ailey dancers tribute to Florence Griffith-Joyner, whose death was rumored to be tied to her rumored use of steroids. The Israelis gave their lives for being Jews at the Olympics. Flo-Jo gave her life for . . .?
Romney could have memorialized the Israeli athletes but also chose the Flo-Jo absurdity, instead. So much for this fraud who claims he understands jihad and radical Islam and wants to be McCain's Veep. Mitt Happens.
Now, Carl in Jerusalem says there is a scheduled Olympic memorial to the Israeli athletes on Monday Night. But he fails to note that this "memorial" is no different than the previous ones held by others at previous Olympics. It is NOT an official Olympic event and DOES NOT have the approval of the International Olympic Committee. That's why Olympic head honcho Jacques Rogge WON'T be there. And it's why he WON'T allow a formal event like Flo-Jo got.
In fact, the widows of the slain Israeli athletes are rightfully upset:
Two widows of Israeli team members killed at the 1972 Munich Games urged Olympic chiefs on Monday to include a tribute in opening ceremonies to those who died in the standoff with Palestinian gunmen.Eleven Israeli athletes and coaches were taken hostage by the Black September militant group, which was demanding the release of Palestinian prisoners. They were killed in the standoff, in which five of the gunmen and a German policeman also died.
"We feel (the tribute) has to be in the framework of the Olympics because they were part of the Olympics family. They were not just people who came to visit the Olympics." Ankie Spitzer, widow of fencing coach Andre Spitzer, told reporters.
The Israeli embassy in Beijing hosted a memorial event attended by Israel's team, diplomats and Olympic officials.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge attended a similar event in Athens in 2004 but sent former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch this year.
"Samaranch has been absolutely negative to our request all these years. He said we were bringing politics to the Olympics. We said we were not political at all," said Spitzer.
Recently, I watched the DVD of "21 Hours at Munich," which ABC aired in 1976 as a TV movie. It was nominated for two Emmys. Today, none of the networks would have the guts to air this movie, much less would the Hollywood charlatans nominate it for any award. It is chilling and tearjerking at the end when Israeli athletes in helicopters know they are about to die and utter the "Shema," the Jewish prayer about the monotheism of G-d.
(I highly recommend you buy this DVD and see this movie from the days when Hollywood wasn't afraid to say and do the right thing about Islamic terror.)
These athletes, of Blessed Memory, deserve an official memorial with Jacques Rogge not only in attendance, but with the official Olympic seal and endorsement, such as in the opening ceremonies, like Flo-Jo got.
As I said two weeks ago, what's so great about the Olympics. The answer still remains: nothing. That these people who claim to embody a nebulous "Olympic spirit" cannot find it within themselves--after 21 hours of their horrid security (which led the Israelis' murders) and 36 years of requests from their widows and families--tells us the Olympics means nothing.
There is no Olympic "spirit," except the endorsement of evil (the Palestinian terrorists now have their Olympic team--and their "leader" is the paymaster for the Munich murders, Mahmoud Abbas) and the refusal to memorialize the good.
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In case you were wondering how the Arab terrorists infiltrated the Olympic Village, aside from the poor security, here's how the New York Times reported it at the time:
Partial explanation of how the Arabs knew so much about the Israeli compound in the Olympic Village came from Dr. Bruno Merk, the Interior Minister of Bavaria. He said that at least one of the terrorists was an official employee in the village and that there was reason to believe some of his confederates had also obtained accreditation.
The Germans eventually let all the surviving Munich terrorists go, after Arab terrorists hijacked a Lufthansa plane that October. They were given a heroes welcome in the Arab Muslim world. Today, the only believed surviving Munich terrorist, Jamal Al-Gashey, lives in Syria in peace and freedom, unlike his victims who were murdered.
These Israeli Athletes Gave Their Lives for the Olympics . . .
Posted by Debbie on August 18, 2008 12:53 PM to Debbie Schlussel