by Pam Martens and Russ Martens
Wall Street on Parade
Yesterday the U.S. Olympic Committee released a statement apologizing “to the people of Brazil” for what it appears to concede was a trumped up story by four U.S. athletes about being robbed at gunpoint. The statement from the USOC characterized the alleged “robbery” as follows: “They stopped at a gas station to use the restroom, where one of the athletes committed an act of vandalism. An argument ensued between the athletes and two armed gas station security staff, who displayed their weapons, ordered the athletes from their vehicle and demanded the athletes provide a monetary payment.”
The USOC added:
“The behavior of these athletes is not acceptable, nor does it represent the values of Team USA or the conduct of the vast majority of its members.”
Our first epiphany that America was in trouble on the issue of lying about matters large and small came in 2006. It was a seemingly small matter.