Iran claims London 2012 Olympics logo spells the word 'Zion'

[oberliner]

Iran has threatened to boycott the London Olympics unless the organisers replace the official logo, which Tehran claims spells out the word "Zion".

The logo, a jagged representation of the year 2012, has been said by its critics to resemble many things, from a swastika to a sexual act, but the Iranian government argues it represents a veiled pro-Israeli conspiracy.

In a formal complaint to the International Olympic Committee, Tehran has called for the graphic to be replaced and its designers "confronted", warning that Iranian athletes might otherwise be ordered to stay away from the London Games.

According to the state-backed Iranian Students News Agency, which is frequently used to convey official pronouncements, the letter says: "As internet documents have proved, using the word Zion in the logo of the 2012 Olympic Games is a disgracing action and against the Olympics' valuable mottos.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/28/iran-london-olympics-logo-zion

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Very Glenn Beck.

[Exultant Democracy]

2. Poor Iranian athletes. Olympic boycotts only accomplish hurting the competitors.

1980 and 1984 more or less didn't count to the people who care about being the best in the world.

[Drale]

3. Let them boycott

In fact I think they should be cut out of all world events until their government is replaced wit democracy.

[Jackpine Radical]

4. Just when I had written off the Rohrschach as invalid, too.

[KansDem]

5. I see Jesus's face...

...in a kind of Picasso setting.

[Shaktimaan]

6. And they hate Israel...

WHY exactly? I never quite understood this.

[LeftishBrit]

7. The Iranian government gets more and more bizarrely insane by the day

I dream that by 2012, the current regime will be out and replaced by a more democratic one; though probably not very likely.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

8. For once, I'm cheering Iran on.

Anything to get rid of that bloody squiggle.

If you read it top-to-bottom rather than left-to right, and try to ignore the bottom-right 2, then it's actually not that far off, now I look at it. I mean, it doesn't look *very* much like the word "ZION", but then it doesn't look very much like the number "2012" either...

[oberliner]

10. Cheering on a threat to boycott the Olympics over an imagined Zionist plot?

That's just lovely.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

12. Of course, that's exactly what I meant. N.T.

[LeftishBrit]

14. I think Donald was being flippant and just meant that he didn't like the logo himself

Not that he has any sympathy for the ultra-loony Iranian government.

[oberliner]

22. I don't like it either but I certainly would not "cheer on" behavior like this

The President of Iran is behaving like an anti-semitic creep.

[whosinpower]

23. He trully is

But....if you happen to check out the mascots for the London Olympics....giggle....I am sorry - I just can't help it....IT MAKES HIS RANT EVEN MORE RIDICULOUS. Sad for Iranians - he is prpbably not even aware how utterly stupid this makes him look.

[oberliner]

27. Olympic mascots are generally pretty stupid looking aren't there?

Seems to always be a source of ridicule.

[Ken Burch]

9. Look, we've known for years that the Iranian government is led by nutjobs

No real surprise here.

This is like those people who think the Proctor and Gamble logo is Satanic.

[oberliner]

11. We've known for years that the Libyan government was led by nutjobs as well

What will it take for change to come in Iran like we are seeing in Libya?

[LeftishBrit]

15. Well, people tried at the time of the blatantly stolen election

Maybe next time they'll succeed and hopefully with less bloodshed than in Libya.

I think it will happen one day. But I hope it's within months, rather than within decades.

[oberliner]

19. Couldn't agree more

I hope you are right.

[Ken Burch]

18. The Iranian people are trying to overthrow them

But it could never be legitimate for the U.S. to intervene in Iran again. We lost any moral right to do that when we restored the Shah in '53. Any U.S. intervention would have to be reactionary and destructive.

[oberliner]

20. What about ordinary American citizens?

Is there anything you think we could and/or should be doing to help the cause?

[Ken Burch]

25. That is a very tricky question

As people have pointed out in discussing other revolutions in the area, it's very difficult to have open American support(even citizen American support)for the Iranian democratic movement without opening it to charges that it is an "American plot".

I really don't know for sure. I'm with the dissidents, but we need to follow any cues we get from THEM on the issue.

And whatever any ordinary Americans do on this, we all need to be united in opposing U.S. military intervention.

I realize this may sound like I'm evading the issue, but I honestly don't know the best answer here.

[oberliner]

29. What if they try and fail?

What if their efforts are stifled by the government? Is there anything that can be done from the outside?

[Ken Burch]

30. Not anything military. That's automatically illegitimate.

Using U.S. force could ONLY have the effect of making the population rally behind the mullahs on national sovereignty grounds.

Maybe an economic embargo could be acceptable.

But the U.S. will never have moral standing to use force against Iran. We are automatically discredited from doing that anywhere in the Middle East.

[whosinpower]

26. I support Iranians quest for freedom

I do not think America is a voice of influence in the region, in regards to Iran. Burned once and all that.....

No - if it was made out that the americans, or the west was trying to help - it would have the opposite effect. THE IRANIAN PEOPLE must make their voices heard. It has to come from them and them alone.

The only thing the west could do internationally, is what it did with Egypt and Tunesia. Tell Ahmadinajad to listen to his people.

[oberliner]

28. But what if they try and fail?

What if the Iranian people try to make their voices heard but are silenced by the powers that be? Is there anything that can be done to help from the outside?

[Ken Burch]

33. You REALLY want to send in the bombers and the drones, don't you?

Even though there's nothing positive American(or Israeli) military force can do in this situation, you're still pushing for it. Why?

[oberliner]

34. Are you out of your mind?

Absolutely 100 percent opposed to anything like what you are describing.

Where you see "pushing for" anything like that is beyond me.

[Ken Burch]

35. It's just hard to trust your intentions when you speak of "anything from outside".

If you're against the use of U.S. force, that's a relief.

I'm harsh on that point because of our record of imperialism in the region.

[oberliner]

38. Should "anything from outside" be done in support of those who oppose Israeli gov't policies?

Certainly it seems that you believe the answer is yes.

Therefore, why object to asking if "anything from outside" should be done in support of those who oppose Iranian government policies?

[whosinpower]

37. We have no way of knowing the outcome

All I can say is that Egypt changed everything.

If there are enough iranians to shake off their fear and demand to be heard.....there are very few alternatives available to the government to forestall an overthrow.

Libya is also putting its own flavour on the story - and this result is also not good for the government in power.

Saudi Arabia has tried to quell any possible protest via generous increases in Saudi allowances, and other things.

It is a simple fact that is often overlooked, downplayed and ignored. Every single form of government, regardless if it is a monarchy, democracy, communist state, dictatorship, constitutional monarchy, etc etc etc.....each one is there at the grace of the people to accept it. And when there are enough people who wish to revolt - there is very little the government can do to stop it. Even the government of America would fall - if 200 million people all stopped working and stood in the streets for weeks protesting.

Many of the people in the Arab states have awoken to that very fact.

so - if the iranian protest fails - it is because there are NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE THERE WHO WANT IT. If we tried to help or force the issue - we would once again not be listening, but instead be trying to take over the narrative - and once again robbing them of their voice.

[oberliner]

39. I disagree with your conclusion

You wrote "if the iranian protest fails - it is because there are NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE THERE WHO WANT IT"

I disagree with this.

Couldn't another possibility be that the Iranian protest may fail because, though there is a massive amount of people who do want it, the small minority who do not have the means to prevent them from being successful?

[azurnoir]

13. well whatever it looks like

one thing is without a doubt IMO whoever designed the thing got a little too creative with the font, it should be changed not because of Iran but because it's just really not clear what it is

but thanks for keeping us informed as to the latest from Iran, can't forget about them

[whosinpower]

16. In defense of the logo

The objectives of the logo were explained as -

1. “everyone’s Games, everyone’s 2012”
2. “invitation to take part and be involved”
3. “reach out to young people”
4. “inspired to either take part in the many sports…or inspired to achieve personal goals”
5. “welcome the world”
6. “dynamic, modern and flexible”
7. “visual icon, instantly recognizable”
8. “reflecting London’s commitment to hosting a truly integrated Paralympic Games”

See - here is what I think....I think the logo is trully horrible. I think it is SO bad, in SO many ways - that it must've been done on purpose to get other people to submit their own ideas or concepts.......Surely there are some creative iranians who would delight the world with their own version?

OK - that wasn't really a defense after all. And to make matters even worse - someone on another forum stated that they thought the logo looked like Lisa Simpson on the right - her head is the zero....and she is kneeling down....doing somethin......

[LeftishBrit]

17. My defence of the logo...

is that it is at least better than the mascot!

[whosinpower]

21. ohmygawd!

I just googled them....
I don't know exactly what to say LB...

One thought did immediately come to mind - you know with the whatadooddly iranian zionist theory....in the prophetic year - 2012....the London Olympics will host the games to....zionist conspiring aliens with one ginormous eye, flippers for arms, no feet and yellow blinking lights on their foreheads. It will mark the end of mankind as we know it.....

I'm just kidding. So the logo is pretty bad, and the mascots are worse....the games will be great, the athletes awe inspiring - and I am sure London will do just fine.

Giggle....I just can't help it. It makes Ahmadinajad's rant even more outrageous.

[azurnoir]

24. Lol the one looks like it's spanking itself

http://www.mylondon2012.com/mascots/

[Ken Burch]

31. Were those mascots born downwind of Sellafield/Windscale?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windscale_fire

[Ken Burch]

32. Here's the logo, for anyone who didn't have time to look at the link

It looks to me like it spells "ZOIZ", but I'm not sure if that's a word.

Someone also had a slight re-working of the design:

[Alamuti Lotus]

36. it does sorta look like "ZION"...but mostly just really, really awful looking