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Classical GUITARIST arc Guilpnd
On Wed., March 23 at 8:00 pm Guilford College will present Clasical
Guitarist Leo Welch. Mr. Welch, currently head of the Guitar depart
ment at Marshall University in West Virginia, has performed through
out the United States. The performance will be held in Dana's Choir
Room. Free Admission
BIGOTRY
IS
ALWAYS
WRONG.
This ad is sponsored by: The National Conference and many Concerned
Individuals and Organizations in the Greensboro Community. For more
information about this message and how you may support the effort to
fight bigotry please call 272-0359.
The National Conference founded in 1927 as the National Conference of
Christians and Jews is a human relations organization dedicated to fight
ing bias, bigotry, and racism in America in order to promote under
standing and respect among all races, religions and cultures through
advocacy, conflict resolution and education.
Intolerance and hatred based on race,
culture, or religion is evil and destructive
and must not go unanswered, ignored,
or unopposed.
People of goodwill must find the courage
to fight bias, bigotry and racism in
America. Not just this time. Every time.
Vicious, untrue and inflammatory at
tacks on any group are a smear on all
groups, an assault on the ideals and prin
ciples of every American. As people, we
have built a nation together, fought to
gether, dreamed together, and worked
out our differences together. When ha
tred strikes, we all feel the blow.
We applaud the many leaders in the
Greensboro community who seek to heal
the wounds of divisiveness. Their efforts
are laudable; but they are not enough.
Not in a nation where divisions are deep
ening, and where anger and fear are ex
ploited for selfish ends.
When a society ignores and does not con
demn bigotry, it plants the very seeds
that will ultimately lead to collapse.
We believe the time has come for every
leader, every organization, every citizen
to speak up against bigotry. Whether
the hatred is aimed at African-Ameri
cans, Christians, Jews, Catholics, gays or
anyone. Bigotry is always wrong.
Not just this time. Every time.
&Porte
On the Sidelines
Koss decimates three world records
Will Cooper
Staff Writer
Johann Olav Koss, a 25-year-old
medical student, has claimed three
Olympic gold medals in
speedskating for Norway
in eight days, setting anew
world record with each
victory.
In his most recent vic
tory in the 10,000 meters
on Feb. 20, he bettered his
own previous world record
by an astounding 13 sec
onds.
So impressive was this
victory, Eric Heiden (win
ner of five speedskating
golds in 1980) remarked,
"He just put the world
record to shame." He also
set world records in the
1,500 and 5,000 meter
races previously. Similar to
many of the athletes, Koss
has decided to donate his
money to Olympic Aid, a
fund for needy countries.
This athlete is already
considered such a legend
that they have proclaimed
that a statue of him will be
built in front of "the Viking
Ship" in Lillehammer.
Still, we can only wonder
how he managed to do it
No one can ever seem to
completely understand the
success of these athletes—
even the athletes them
selves. Said Koss after the
race, "I don't really know
what I've done."
Carl Lewis, Michael
Jordan, Greg LeMond,
Mary Lou Retton, Joe
Montana, the list goes 0n...
All these people reached a
plateau that no other could
reach. Whether it came in
a "moment of gloiy," pos
sibly in the Olympics, or
over a lifetime—it seems
not to matter. We have all
heard the wads that de
scribe them, "legend, star,
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saint, hero, immortal, blessed..." Not
only were they better than all the rest,
they were clearly unequaled.
How does anyone manage to be
come so great? For that matter, how
does anyone manage to dominate any
particular skill so thoroughly? Cer
tainly practice and training and a de
sire to succeed are necessary, but what
else? Some people are physically
gifted with certain traits, but how do
those abilities become translated into
the highest success in the world?
Our desire to imitate, understand
and even worship these athletes and
their accomplishments is virtually un
equaled by any of mankind's other
obsessions. Paradoxically, however,
the stay of these people is often unre
markable. The athletes themselves feel
no different from others, just "lucky."
The beginnings of these legends are
humble, even average—a small town,
youngest of three, ordinary
parents...etc. They are not led to their
talent, they discover it Then, eventu
ally, a glimmer. The person has found
their calling. It doesn't come immedi
ately, but these athletes, begin to stand
out from their competition. They man
age to continually improve without let
ting anything step them from reach
ing the highest plateau. Finally, they
shine brighter than all the rest, for the
whole world to see.
We are entranced by that bright
light, even astonished, yet we seem not
awed by the brightening of it at all.
We marvel at the culmination of
their tremendous improvement, yet fail
to observe the improvement itself.
What is really so fascinating about
these athletes is their sheer capacity to
improve themselves, to hone their tal
ent. What separates them from their
competition is that they posses an abil
ity to steadily devetop their skill, al
ways refining it Their physical capac
ity for greatness is important, yet not
as unique as the burning, lasting de
sire to succeed and more importantly
always improve at all costs. The cli
che rings infinitely true, where there
is a will, there is a way.
Such is the case with Johann Olav
Koss, Olympic-champion
speedskater.