Olympic athletes defy terrorism
By Hillary Rodham Clinton
The past 10 days have been an emotional roller coaster for all of us who've been following the Olympic Games. Our hearts have leapt, fallen and then soared again as the greatest in the world sought to claim the rewards of years of discipline and practice.
Sitting transfixed before our TV sets or in the Olympic venues in Atlanta, we've witnessed great acts of heroism, self-sacrifice and courage. Who will ever forget gymnast Kerri Strug landing her final vault on an injured ankle to clinch the gold medal for her team? Or Turkish weight lifter Naim Suleymanoglu lifting more than three times his body weight for a third gold medal in as many Olympic Games? Or swimmers Amy Van Dyken and Tom Dolan overcoming lifelong struggles with asthma to win gold medals in their races?
These triumphs of the Olympic spirit were nearly eclipsed last week when a pipe bomb exploded in Centennial Olympic Park, where people had gathered to participate in this celebration of international goodwill. Two innocent people lost their lives, and more than a hundred were injured. The blast introduced terror and fear into a place where it didn't belong. And all of us were left grappling with the question of why any person or group would commit such an evil act.
The 48 hours before the bombing had been both heart-wrenching and heart-warming for Bill and me. On Thursday, we flew to New York to visit the family members of the 230 people killed on TWA's Flight 800 just days before the start of the Olympic Games. Mothers, fathers and children had pinned pictures of their lost loved ones to their shirts or wore them on strings around their necks. One woman showed me a photo of a large family posing in front of the White House. Five of the people in that picture died when the plane exploded.
Later that same day, we flew to Atlanta to meet and cheer on members of our Olympic team. Bill, Chelsea and I sat on the edge of our seats as the U.S. women's swimming team won the 800-meter freestyle relay and set a new Olympic record.
The joy was short-lived. Early Saturday morning, we awakened to news of the blast in Centennial Park. Why did some coward try to destroy the good feelings of brotherhood and teamwork generated by the Olympic Games? Why did some coward seek to undermine the freedom that we so cherish in our American democracy?
There is no room for terror at the Olympics or anywhere in our world. We must stand against it wherever it appears, whether on the streets of Belfast, on the fields of Bosnia, in the skies of New York or in a park in Atlanta. For inspiration, we need only look to the continuing triumphs of the Olympic athletes, to the courage of the rescue workers who saved lives at the park, to the strength of the families of Alice Hawthorne and Melih Uzunyol, the two victims of the blast, and to the commitments of the spectators who continue to come to the Olympic stadiums in solidarity against terrorism.
Less than 24 hours after the bombing, Gail Devers won her second Olympic gold medal in the 100-meter dash. The other night, I watched as four-time Olympian Carl Lewis surpassed all expectations and leapt to his fourth straight gold medal in the long jump. Moments earlier, Michael Johnson had won the 400-meter dash and dedicated his triumph to the memory of Alice Hawthorne.
Their accomplishments reminded me that you don't win Olympic medals by thinking of who you need to defeat, demonize, criticize or hurt. Instead you reach deep down inside yourself and bring your best to show the world.
As I write this column, Centennial Park is open again. It is full of people from all over the world who lined up before dawn. They are trading pins, enjoying the entertainment, keeping the Olympic alive in Atlanta for all the world to see. I plan to share in their spirit when I return to Centennial Park and Atlanta this week.
Like so many around the world, I'll be glued to my TV set until the Olympic flame is finally extinguished. And when it is all over, I'll remember the grace of the athletes, the faces of the bereaved families and the courage of all the people who refused to allow terror to reign in Centennial Park or in their hearts.
--Creators Syndicate