Petty Grievances, Murderers and Mourners


One moment of silence, was all we asked. One moment to show that we remember them. The International Olympic Committee declined this request – to their everlasting shame.

New reports have come out that the Germans had been warned in advance of an impending terrorist attack.

They were ever so efficient in creating a report detailing possible scenarios.

Of the 26 they imagined, one included the very scenario that became reality and cost 11 Israeli athletes their lives.

One moment of silence was all we asked. One moment to show they will never be forgotten.

At last count, a force of more than 35,000 (police, special security, etc.) and no less than 6 anti-missile launchers will be protecting the athletes.

Somehow, the meaning of the games, the concept of coming together in peace from all nations, has been lost. If it takes this much to bring athletes together, the world is not ready for these “games of peace.” The Iranians announced their athletes would compete against Israelis in honor of the spirit of the Olympics – and then denied that they had agreed to such a thing.

A leading sports anchor has announced that as the Israelis walk around the stadium, he will announce his support for a moment of silence for the athletes and condemn the IOC decision.

I am worried about our athletes. I want them to be safe. I used to love watching the Olympics. But I have never been able to get passed the split screen image in my mind of the funerals in Israel as the games continued in Munich.

I have friends here in Israel asking what channel will be broadcasting the games – how can they watch it live. I used to love watching the speed of the swimmers, the grace of the divers, and the glory of the athletes as they lifted their bodies and soared over the bars. I would tense up in that moment, praying they would make it over and the bar would not fall. I felt their frustration when it did; and celebrated with them when it didn’t.

I hope the one from the smallest country would win – just this once let him bring home the gold. I cried when an athlete was hurt and felt such pride when another gave up the run to help the injured runner. I won’t watch this year because I’ll spend my time waiting for gunfire or be angry that no one will give those 60 seconds.

I won’t watch because I want it to pass quickly and I want to be busy with something else so that the time will go and they’ll come home safely. On another post I made, yet another Anonymous wrote this:

People who insist on using the Olympics and these young athletes and this joyful occasion to settle scores or have their grievances heard or to punish other countries for their political views or any other negative reason need to do some serious soul-searching and get over yourselves (or do us all a favor and take an antidepressant). Stand up and cheer, cheer for everybody. Make yourselves and all those around you feel good for a change. We don’t want to wallow in your defeatism!

The part that gets to me about this comment is the “get over yourselves” – you see, it bothers these people that we mourn for these athletes. How dare we continue, how dare we fear yet another attack. Sure, someone blew up a bus of Israeli tourists just a short time ago in Bulgaria, but still, Anonymous wants to be happy and soak up the wonder of the Olympics. It isn’t, after all, her/his people, her/his blood, is it?

I have little doubt that this Anonymous would have been right there in the stands cheering the games on as we buried our dead and she/he would willingly do it again in case of another attack. No, Anonymous doesn’t want to wallow in my defeatism and certainly, certainly, my petty grievance shouldn’t stand in the way of the celebrations. Petty grievances…11 lives. Petty….

“People who use this to settle scores”…I assume this is a reference to the Palestinian terrorists… (at least I hope so) and “have their grievances heard…” – I guess that would be me/us. So in one sentence – congratulations, Anonymous, you have attempted to equalize murderers with mourners.

Yup, I just want these games to end…

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