Islam at the Olympics

Since the jihadist bombing in Kashgar in early August, Islamists have not been prominently visible in the lead up to and in the early days of the Olympics. That should have been expected since the Communist Chinese officials, like all totalitarians, have no tolerance for other totalitarians expressing opposition to their power. After this violent act of defiance, a brutal crackdown by the Communists on the Mohamedans was a given. One need only look back at how quickly and thoroughly the fascist regimes in Italy, Germany and Spain in the 1930s rounded up Marxists to be imprisoned and executed. Fascists, Marxists and Islamists share totalitarian tendencies but are fiercely jealous and antagonistic toward each other.

Communist crackdown may not stand as the sole reason why jihadis have not yet disrupted the Olympic Games. Perhaps the jihadis have been bored into catatonia after viewing such insipid events as competitive walking and synchronized men's diving. Maybe the jihadis have been too aroused by images of female athletes' uncovered hair or faces to plot violent responses. It must be difficult to build a car-bomb with a perpetually vertical minerette poking through one's man-dress.

A round of applause is due to NBC for its commentator's remark during the parade of nations. One of them pointed out the glaring absence of ANY women on the Saudi Arabian team. The commentator also mentioned the prohibition on women driving or leaving home without permission from a male family member. The Islamists certainly do not want women to become physically fit or gain self-confidence. They might actually resist being beaten, much to Allah's displeasure.

Speaking of women, will NBC commentators point out the rags wrapped around the heads of the three Iranian women competing in archery, rowing and taekwondo. Olympic rules clearly forbid athletes from making religious statements during competition, including wearing of items that displays religious sentiment. Hopefully, for their sakes, their head-coverings remain tightly secure so that no strand of hair becomes visible. No athlete should experience a flogging as part of the return home after the Games.

COPYRIGHT AUGUST 2008 BY CHARLES KASTRIOT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.