On the recordSeptember 10, 2012
I wish to thank the Senator from New York and my colleague, Senator Rubio of Florida, for calling this historic tragedy to our attention on the sad 40th anniversary of the killing of the Israeli participants at the Munich Olympics. Having just witnessed, as the Senator from New York noted, the spectacular Olympics that were staged in London and realizing how the Olympics started as a way to transcend national differences and to create an Olympic global spirit, what happened in Munich was especially heartbreaking. We followed it in those early days of television as it was being reported on by some of the sports announcers who were actually at the Olympics. It was hard to believe, as hostages were being taken, that they would all be killed when it was over. I sincerely hope we in the world will learn a lesson from this tragedy--a lesson that violence begets violence and we need to end this sort of terrorist activity and stand together in that Olympic global spirit. Again, my thanks to Senators Gillibrand and Rubio for their efforts to make this part of the London Olympics but also to make certain this day has not been forgotten here on the floor of the Senate. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland.
