Posted on 08/04/2012 2:31:48 PM PDT by IsraelBeach
New Yorker - Israeli Starts Petition to Encourage IOC to Observe Moment of Silence During Olympic Closing Ceremonies
By Miranda Flint
When the International Olympics Community (IOC) refused to honor the victims of the 1972 Munich massacre with a moment of silence, during the opening ceremonies of the London Olympics, many protested against the decision.
In Greater New York, JCC Rockland began a petition, hoping to gain enough signatures to convince the IOC to reconsider its decision.
Joel Leyden, President of Leyden Digital PR, noticed the petition, but, he told Jewocity, “At first I didn’t think much of it.” There was “a disconnect’, he said, because the massacre had taken place 40 years ago. Nevertheless, Leyden said he did some research and re-watched the movie “21 Hours at Munich” which jogged his memory.
“As a PR professional, media consultant to the Israeli government and as a journalist, I knew that this petition was important,” he said.
The JCC Rockland petition gained a great deal of support. Indeed, according to Leyden, “The JCC Rockland and relatives of the Munich 11 did a fantastic job in securing over 100,000 signatures on their petition.” Furthermore, according to The Jewish Telegraphic Agency, many high profile groups and figures joined in the campaign.
Among these were US President Barack Obama, Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney, several members of US Congress and Australian Julia Gillard.
The IOC, however, stood by its refusal and the Olympic ceremonies began and ended without a moment of silence.
This did not deter Leyden.
“I realized that two mistakes had been made with the original petition,” he said.
First, he said, “There was no way that the IOC would have jeopardized having between 40-50 Arab nations boycott the Olympics following the Opening Ceremony. It could have destroyed the Games. Even though this would be giving into Arab terrorism and blackmail, it was not a realistic goal.”
However, he asked, if the IOC recognized a moment of silence during the closing ceremonies of the games, “What would the Arabs have done? Boycott?” A boycott, he said, would not matter. “They would be leaving home the next day, anyway!”
So Leyden contacted the JCC Rockland and suggested that they continue with their efforts by putting pressure on the IOC to observe a moment of silence during the closing ceremony of the Olympics instead.
According to Leyden, the second mistake with the original petition “was that they should have used the movie `21 Hours at Munich’ in their awareness campaign.” He said that nothing was a more powerful tool for PR than a major motion picture.
Leyden also stressed the importance of perseverance in Internet campaigns.
“As all media and Internet viral campaigns you start off with a handful of signatures, but if you work it non-stop with the cooperation of a few others, you can succeed,” he said, noting that he had seen this sort of success before, because he had created the "Support the IDF in Gaza Against Terrorism" page on Facebook, which he said gained “over 100,000 signatures.”
Leyden said that if the new petition reached over 1,000 signatures, that he would “request the Israeli Ambassador to the UK present this petition formally to IOC President Jacques Rogge.”
If Rogue continues to deny a moment of silence for the victims of the Munich massacre,” when presented with so many signatures, said Leyden “Then we will know that it was not the threat of Arabs boycotting the Olympics but rather blatant anti-Semitism.”
Finally, he said, “Should we not achieve a minute of silence honoring the memories of the terror victims of the Munich Massacre at the Closing Ceremonies; we still would have kept alive their memories throughout these London Games.”
The Athletes, Leyden says, “They gave their lives for Israel, for democracy and the spirit of peace for which the Olympics represent.”
There is, he said, “No greater sacrifice.”
The petition, which is located at International Olympic Committee: Minute of Silence at the 2012 London Olympics Closing Ceremony (http://www.change.org/petitions/international-olympic-committee-minute-of-silence-at-the-2012-london-olympics-closing-ceremony), has already gained over 200 signatures.
Muslims probably deny it even happened, like the Holocaust. Never going to happen.
Jibril Rajoub, head of the Palestinian Football Federation, sent a letter to IOC chairman Jacques Rogge thanking him for his position, the PA’s official news agency, Wafa, reported.
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon condemned the PA for terming as “racist” a moment of silence for the Israeli victims.
“No, the murder of Israelis because they are Israelis is racist, not the request to dignify and honor them,” Ayalon wrote on Facebook. “On the other hand, Palestinian Authority media refer to Munich terrorists as ‘stars’ whose path should be followed.”
“Now, more than ever, there needs to be a minute silence, not just to honor the eleven slain Israeli athletes but also to demonstrate opposition to those who laud murderers as heroes and call on others to follow suit.”
It’s absolutely shameful & that the IOC has to be begged to do so is even more shameful.
I did fill this out & then it immediately put me onto a pro Obama petition which I found creepy.
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