The Issue: Bob Costas’ call to acknowledge the Israeli athletes slain in the 1972 Olympics.
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Kudos to Bob Costas for his planned minute of silence to remember the Israeli terror victims of the 1972 Munich Olympics (“Olympic Sham,” Editorial, July 24).
When the terror attack took place, the International Olympic Committee seemed to be more upset that its precious games were interrupted than the fact that 11 athletes had been murdered.
Costas is a principled journalist who asks the tough questions and is not afraid to take a stand when something is wrong. We need more like him.
Peter W. Kelly
Hazlet, NJ
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I have always respected Costas for his independence, but I have even greater respect for him now.
As The Post has noted, Costas will be the lead anchor for NBC’s broadcast of this year’s summer Olympics in London. Ankie Rekhess-Spitzer, whose husband, Andre Spitzer, was one of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches murdered by Palestinian terrorists, has proposed a minute of silence during the opening ceremony.
The IOC, to its shame and discredit, has rejected the request, as it has similar requests before every summer Olympics since 1976.
Costas, who says he finds the IOC’s decision puzzling and insensitive, has vowed to publicly call out the IOC for refusing the request and to provide a moment of respectful silence himself during NBC’s telecast as the Israeli team enters the arena.
With Costas’ decision, he has transcended mere independence. He has become the conscience of broadcast television.
Stephen A. Silver
San Francisco
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The IOC’s decision is paternalistic, pernicious PC nonsense at its worst.
It’s not a walkout by the Arab delegations the IOC is afraid of — they are afraid of the whole world seeing the Arabs stand up for terrorist butchery that must be avoided at all costs.
I’m confident when word of the moment of silence gets out, Israel-haters will manage to show their stripes nonetheless.
Tom Goetz
Manhattan