40 years ago this September, we will commemorate the tragic death of the eleven members of “Team Israel” who where taken hostages and killed by terrorists during the Munich Olympic Games of 1972. The tragedy was perpetrated by Palestinian terrorist group”Black September” under the leadership of then PLO leader Yassir Arafat.
Although debated by some, the events of the Munich 72 Olympics are recognized as having put terrorism “on the map”. As a matter of fact, counter-terrorism organizations were borne out of the Munich tragedy. The world was starting to change then, and it has continually morphed into an unpredictable powder keg, leading to the events of 9/11 and to today’s volatile global situation.
The Munich 11 have been remembered by many over the last 40 years and while we do not want to dwell unnecessarily on the tragedy of their death, we can all agree that their memory must live on. They went to the Olympics to compete, excel and hopefully bring back a medal or two for Israel. They didn’t bring a political message, they didn’t promote a religious ideology, they had no agenda other than be the best athletes they could be as they proudly wanted to represent their country, just like every other athlete before and after them. But these men never got a chance to do that!
On Friday July 27, 2012 at least 3 billion people watched the London Olympics opening ceremony. I WASN’T ONE OF THEM!
Almost half the planet was watching though. Talk about a great opportunity to remember the Munich 11. Additionally, days ago, some of the Munich 11 widows made a request to International Olympic Committee (IOC) chairman, Jacques Rogge, to have a minute of silence during the opening ceremony and remember the Munich 11 on the 40th anniversary of their death.
Not a speech, politically charged or not!
Not a prayer possibly promoting one religion over another in such a multicultural event!
NO…just ONE MINUTE OF SILENCE with no other agenda but the promoting of human decency!
The request was denied by Jacques Rogge on the premise that the opening ceremony was not the appropriate venue for such a moment of silence to take place. In a press conference last week, Rogge went on the record stating that: We feel that the opening ceremony is an atmosphere that is not fit to remember such a tragic incident.” Rogge later declared to one of the Munich 11 widows that his “hands were tied” and that he could do nothing. Are Rogge’s hands tied by the 46 Muslim nations members of the IOC? and if yes, is that a politically charged decision? Rogge also insisted that they were no precedents for such a moment to be shared with the world at an opening ceremony.
The decision by Rogge is unfortunate and hypocritical at best, especially in light of the fact that past Olympic opening ceremonies DID INCLUDE special moments of remembrance for various victims of world tragedies. The war in Bosnia was remembered at the opening of the 1996 Olympics and/or the 9/11 tragedy was remembered by a flag being carried into the 2002 Salt Lake City Arena to honor the World Trade Center victims (including a request made by Mitt Romney back then to have a minute of silence on the 30th anniversary of the Munich 11). That request was denied of course!
To add insult to injury, the London opening ceremony included a tribute to the 52 victims of the London subway terrorist attack of July 7, 2005. Wait a minute! how did that one creep in? or was it planned all along?
I am not saying that the London 7/7 victims didn’t deserve recognition and a tribute, of course they did! I am just noticing a pathetic double standard and I cannot help but think that the decision to exclude the Munich 11 was nothing but a political move, misguided by a biased and bigoted committee and fueled by anti-Semitism.
When we also consider that the BBC just refused to list Jerusalem as being the capital of Israel, we start to understand the possible reasoning behind Jacques Rogge’s decision. Mr Rogge was emboldened by a pro-Palestinian media giant as well as possibly forced by the powerful and arrogant Islamist block of Great Britain. The result is an OLYMPIC MEDAL IN HYPOCRISY at best, and A MEDAL IN ANTI-SEMITISM at worst.
Mr Rogge, your decision last Friday to ignore the Munich 11 was a slap in the face of human decency and dignity. At a time when sportsmanship and athletic prowess are the only qualities to be displayed, you chose to cowardly hide behind a facade of rules and regulations. You are a disgrace to the spirit of the Olympics!
Many athletes will make history in an unforgettable positive way in the next 17 days, but YOU will make history in a very negative way as you boldly and wickedly ignored the right thing to do.
You claim that “your hands were tied” and in a sense you declared that you answered to a higher authority.Well Mr. Rogge, I and many others also answer to a higher authority (you will too one day)
We all answer to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, also known in the Bible as the God of Israel. It would have been very easy, not to mention very appropriate to bless Israel last Friday (Genesis 12:3) But as you denied the Munich 11 widows their renewed request, you also denied God His request. May God have mercy on you and all the other enemies of Israel! I will pray for you while I am not watching the Olympics!
It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31)
Why complain constantly. The jews shouldn’t go to the olympics if you don’t feel it is a good place for you. Nobody is forcing the jews to participate. The jewish wo is me mantra gets old really..
Anonymous, if one identifiable group is unsafe, we are all unsafe. Tyrannies divide people so that they can be more easily destroyed, one by one. You belong to identifiable groups, based on your DNA, your political beliefs, and your religious beliefs. There are people who disapprove of your very existence because of those factors. If another group can be destroyed with the passive acquiescence of others, well, your group / label / identification is next.
As Saint Thomas More said, destroy the laws that protect us all, and when the last law is down the devil will turn ’round on you.
It is obvious that “Anonymous” was just joking which is why she remains “Anonymous”. It’s impossible for any human being to be that inhumane!
Approximately 2 1/2 months have passed since this very fine post was made. In that space of time the Lebanese Olympic team requested a screen be erected to block them from the Israeli team. News has been revealed that suspicions of German involvement and assistance to the Palestinian terrorist responsible for the Munich Massacre are confirmed. The tentacles of anti-Semitism are reaching farther and wider with each days passing. I ask for your support of my petition which addresses bias in the IOC. Prior to the massacre of the Munich 11, Israel’s government asked the IOC for increased security..it was denied. For the past 40 years the family members of the athletes have asked for a moment of silence to honor those who perished..it was denied. However, when the Arab IOC members asked that the Munich 11 not be honored..their wish was granted. When the Lebanese team asked for a screen to be erected to block then from the Israeli team..their wish was granted. No athlete should be ostracized or humiliated while competing at the Olympics. We must demand an end to bias in the IOC. PLEASE SIGN AND SHARE MY PETITION http://www.causes.com/actions/1676287?utm_campaign=home.