Remembering the XX Olympiad

I returned from active military service as an army officer in (then) West Germany in July of 1972. A month later the the XX Olympiad in Munich began. Since I was still looking for work after my military discharge, I watched most of the games on TV.


I was enthralled by U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz as he set a world record by wining seven gold medals and setting new world records as he won each.


Teen-age Soviet gymnast Olga Korbut won my heart as she did most of those who saw her perform. Even though she came from "the other side" of the Iron Curtain, we Americans were saddened when she was failed to win in the individual all-around gold after falling during the finals.


I was impressed with ABC-TV coverage of the Olympics. Then, when hell entered the Olympic Games, I was more impressed by the coverage provided by primarily sports broadcasters such as Jim McKay, Chris Schenkel,  Keith Jackson, and Howard Cosell.


The TV coverage what was to become known as the Munich Massacre of the Israeli Olympics team was broadcast 24-hours-a-day.  Even now, forty years later, scenes from those TV pictures are lodged in my mind.

The Arab terrorists (members of Black September ) demanded the release and safe passage to Egypt of 234 Palestinians and non-Arabs held in Israeli jails as well Andreas Baader and Ulrike Meinhof, leaders of the German Red Army Faction.


The terrorists demand for the release of the Baader-Meinhof Gang leaders really grabbed my attention. As an intelligence officer I had had more than my share of dealing with these so-called “urban terrorists.” The only time I had bullets flying toward me and I fired my .45 cal automatic in return was at what we believed were members of the Red Army Faction, who had, among other atrocities bombed the U.S, Army barracks at Frankfurt am Main and the U.S. Army Officers Club in Heidelberg, threatened to kidnap and execute U.S. Army dependents living in Germany. My wife and son, who were with me in Germany, were thus potential targets of the Baader-Meinhof gang.


I was watching the TV when the final act of the tragedy was played out. It took place at the Munich airport where the terrorists believed they were to board a plane that would fly them and their hostages to Egypt. The five German snipers, members of the Bundesgrenzschutz  (Border Police, with whom I had worked in my liason role as battalion S-2), ere deployed around the airport. The terrorist and the hostages were flown to the airport from the Olympic Viallage in helicopters. What happened next is up to interpreataion.


What we witnessed on TV who chaos. Sportscaster Jim McKay reported the horrible news:

We just got the final word ... you know, when I was a kid, my father used to say "Our greatest hopes and our worst fears are seldom realized." Our worst fears have been realized tonight. They've now said that there were eleven hostages. Two were killed in their rooms yesterday morning, nine were killed at the airport tonight. They're all gone.

As I watch the 2012 Olympiad, my mind continues to flash back to 40 years ago. My chest tightens as I remember the massacre and I ach for the young athletes who died in September, 1972.

This year, 2012, the 40th anniversary of the Munich Massacre, the International Olympics Committee has again refused to allow a moment of silence in the London games to honor the Israeli athletes and their coaches murdered during the XX Olympiad. 

I am sad

Sunday Gleanings: the Olympic Handshake

From Times Online

August 10, 2008:

At least five people were killed and several more were critically injured in a series of bomb explosions in China's far west region of Xinjiang, in what looks increasingly like a concerted bombing campaign by Muslim separatists to coincide with the Beijing Olympics.

I just joined a global handshake, beginning with the Dalai Lama in London and going all around the world to the Beijing Olympics.

In a way, this is a follow-up to my last post: It is for the People. My thoughts that the Olympics are for the people and not the governments of the world have not changed. It is most appropriate that we activists put aside our political agenda for the time of the Olympics and allow the people of the world to celebrate these Olympics with joy and in peace. Too often activists’ messages in regard to the Chinese government and its policies on Tibet, Burma and Darfur are couched in ways that are too easily interpreted as being attacks on the people of China.

Then, this morning, I received a email from Avaaz.org, a global web movement with a straightforward mission: to close the gap between the world we have, and the world most people everywhere want:

We've decided to take the moment back with a powerful, unambiguous message of peace, friendship and dialogue—the Olympic Handshake. The handshake began with the Dalai Lama, passing through the streets of London, now it's gone online where all of us can join in—help the handshake travel toward Beijing, where our message will be delivered through a big Olympic media campaign before the closing ceremonies. Join the handshake, and see yourself and others as it goes around the globe!

The original handshake in London created a human chain handshake connecting the Dalai Lama at the Royal Albert Hall to the Chinese Embassy on Portland Place. I wonder why I did not think of following the way of peace of the Dalai Lama? I wonder why the activists who choice to use demonstrations, words of hate, boycotts, and bombs in attempts to intimidate then government of China not think of following the way of peace of the Dalai Lama?

Now, the way is clear to me: the way of the Dalai Lama, the way of the Olympic Handshake:

It Is for the People

Last night Alex and I watched the gala opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics. I don’t believe that Alex was impressed. But I was. As one of the commenters said, the spectacle outdid any he had ever seen. I agree.

I was impressed by the grand entrance of the athletes—and by the reception they received from the gathered thousands in the stands. I was impressed by the excitement and fortitude of the Chinese cheerleaders who lined the sides of the inner circle of the stadium and welcomed the athletes for hour after hour. I was impressed by the Chinese children singing the Olympic Anthem in Greek. I was impressed by the lighting of the Olympic torch.

I was touched by the story of nine-year-old Lin Hao, survivor of the Sichuan province earthquake. He is a second-grader at the Yuzixi Primary School in Yingxiu Town, which was the epicenter of devastating May 12^th 8.0-magnitude earthquake on that killed over 69,000 people. Lin hao, after extracting himself from the rubble of the quake, returned to the scene and rescued two classmates who had, like himself, been buried alive by the debris. I believe that it was most appropriate that Lin Hao walked beside 7-foot-6-inch NBA star Yao Ming, who carried the Chinese flag at the head of the Chinese Olympic delegation:

I consider myself an activist for peace and justice. I can see how the Beijing Olympics provides opportunities for protesting and pressuring the Chinese government regarding its actions (Tibet) and inactions (Darfur).

However, the people of China are not the Chinese government. And the people of China have endured a hell of a lot—from decades of Maoist-style oppression and injustice to the earthquakes this year.

I think it is appropriate that we activists put aside our political agenda for the time of the Olympics and allow the people of China and of the world to celebrate these Olympics with joy and in peace:

I Do Not Do HNTs

Having recently completed the 1,000^th Blog Post celebration, the next in line for Nick’s Bytes is the 100,000^th Visitor. As of this writing, the visitor thingie (on my sidebar) reads 99,876. If visitors come by as usual, that means that visitor Number 100,000 will be by within the day or so.

Please take a glance at the visitor thing and, if you turn out to be the 100,000^th visitor, please tell me about it in a comment to Nick’s Bytes or in an email. Thanks.

It’s 6:15 a.m. I’m sitting at my desk, having just responded to the comments on yesterday’s Coffeehouse post. I am wearing my neat, thick, hooded bathrobe. Beneath the bathrobe, I am wearing nothing.

Alex is sitting under the desk, bathing. I’m a bit on edge: Alex’s claws are a short swipe away from my testicles. I feel apprehensive; I never know when the furball is going to decide he wants my full attention.

OK, I’m back! My apprehension turned into weariness, so Alex and I napped the morning away. Now the furball is out on the deck—napping again—so I feel secure in sitting here—fully clothed—and writing.

I am not publishing pics of me in my bathrobe ‘cause I’m not Half Naked on Thursdays! However, as I usually do, I shall open for you the (sometimes) weird thoughts that go through my mind. Today these include:

The Beijing Olympics

Just a few minutes ago the BBC reported that:

the head of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, has praised Beijing's "extraordinary" efforts to cut pollution ahead of the Games.

I have mixed feelings about these Olympic Games, regardless of how much pollution the Chinese have reduced. (After all, the Olympics were held in Los Angeles and the participants and spectators survived that pollution).

I really believe that the IOC made a huge mistake in selecting China to host the 2008 games. Perhaps they should have chosen a spot with less conflict, like maybe Afghanistan? Or, perhaps, the title of this year's Olympics could be changed to The Protest Games.

Well, in just a few hours, through the eyes of the world’s media, we shall see the beginning.

The USS New York: Out if the Ashes of 9-11

A friend emailed me these photos and the story the USS New York:

Do you know the story of this ship? If not, go here. (I only wish that the USS New York wasn’t a ship of war).