> Now, this isn't really Python's fault; gcc really shouldn't be crashing.
>  However, it'd be nice if configure had a way to specify the
> optimization level--I had to go in and edit the generated Makefile by
> hand. 

Well, Python does have a way - the way you have been using.

However, as yet another way, you can set the OPT environment variable,
to define the optimization flags to be used (and other non-essential
compiler flags).

> Better yet would be if configure could recognize the platform and
> set the -O level accordingly.

I'm opposed. Selecting such a thing by platform and compiler version
is too transient to be maintainable. It would be different if the
platform would have been around for 10 years, and had seen no compiler
change for 8 years, but in this case, this likely is fixed before the
next Python release is even made. Please report this to the system
vendor.