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Show Wednesday, September 1,2004 Editor-in-Chief: Natalie Clemens Editorial Phone: 626-7121 Nation's hometown hero No doubt about it, wrestling fans across the country are proud of Rulon Gardner. A native of Star Valley, Wyo., Gardner overcame the odds, in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and beat legendary Aleksandr Karelin to take the gold medal in Greco-Roman style wrestling. Immediately, this nation fell in love with Gardner's eager enthusiasm and humble personality. Gardner took the bronze in greco-roman style wrestling in the Athens Olympic Games on Wednesday, Aug. 25. He lost to Kazakhstan's Georgiy Tsurtsumia, which pitted him against Iran's Sajad Barzi, whom he beat for the bronze. Concerning his loss, USA Today reported in an article on Aug. 26, that Gardner said, "One throw. That's the whole match, one mistake." Mistakes are okay, as Star Valley athletes know. That's what Coach Draney said. Gardner took off his wrestling shoes, literally, in farewell to his career as an Olympic athlete. According to USAToday, Gardner said, "To leave them on the mat meant I left everything on the mat as a wrestler." That's a Star Valley athlete's attitude. Maybe it's an American attitude. It's no small wonder, then, that Star Valley was put on the map. Outdoorsmen of every variety know the wonders of Star Valley - from its ideal snowmachining conditions (Star-Vallean for snowmobiling), to its abundant streams and lakes. While millions of Americans take pride in the fact that Gardner is from the U.S., Star Valley residents take additional pride of their home-town athletes. A Star Valley High School volleyball and track coach, Draney was diagnosed with cancer a few years back. Everyone who knew this man (and thousands of those who didn't) supported the family in their time of need, as Draney had always supported others in their times of discouragement. Draney taught his athletes many things, including the fact that it's okay to make mistakes - that once you stop making them, you've also stopped trying. He trained for the Olympics as a sprinter in Puerto Rico, but never had the opportunity to compete. Even after his death, Draney remained {and is) an inspiration to everyone, including Rulon Gardner. After Gardner won the gold medal in Sydney, he came back home to Star Valley. He was carried on a platform through the streets of Afton, gave a speech at the high school, participated in a banquet held in his honor, and spoke at a fund raising event held on behalf of Draney, who was only a few years older than Gardner. Thousands of Star Valley citizens will never forget that nightfilledwith expressions of goodwill from both Draney and Gardner. Both men were incredible athletes, though one's leg had recently been amputated. Both men were admired by the people of the community, though made famous for different reasons; Both men were humble - and for that, they will be remembered. Sporting events are held in the name of those remembered, and sometimes even streets are named after them. But the memories of those who are truly great really do run deeper than any external reminder. To find out more about the odds that Gardner has overcome, his future plans and hometown visit rulongardner.com and starvalleywy.com/Rulon.htm. 'God gap' in politics By JANE EISNER Knight Ridder Tribune So the received wisdom this election cycle says that Republicans believe in God and regularly go to church, while Democrats don't do either. And this is just one values clash that is redefining American politics and (so we're told) dividing the nation into faith haves and have-nots. This "God gap" could be more significant than the gender gap in determining November's outcome, so we're told. My response is borrowed from those lovely warning signs posted on the London underground: Mind the Gap. Let's try to avoid tying a complicated electorate into a tidy, predictable package. Despite their differences - The Signpost Editorial Board on specific issues, Americans make a remarkably consistent distinction between individual faith and institutional entanglement in politics. Weber State university University Let's also avoid associating religion •~ui A weueroutie with only one set of values, to the exclusion of others. Some notions, such as the "sanctity of life," can be used in more than one direction - to defend a stand against abortion, or against the Editor-in-Chief Natalie Clemens 626-7121 death penalty, or against preemptive Managing Editor Maria Villasenor 626-7641 war. News Editor Shane Farver 626-7655 "There is a distinction between Sports Editor Ryan Howe 626-7983 Americans' views on religion in politics Copy Editor William Hampton 626-7659 and Americans' views on churches in Features Editor Roy Pyatt 626-7621 politics," says Luis Lugo, director of the Entertainment Editor Colleen Batchelor 626-7105 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, Business Editor Candice Dallin 626-7624 which released results of a new poll on Photo Editor Mo Williams 626-6358 Tuesday. It found widespread comfort Graphics Editor Samuel T. Platt 626-7661 with politicians who talk about their Online Editor* David Adams / 626-6358 religious beliefs and who rely on religion Advertising Manager Devon Crus 626-6359 in making decisions. Seventy-two percent Office Manager Georgia Edwards 626-7974 of voters say it is important to them that a Advisior Allison Hess 626-7499 president have strong religious beliefs. Distribution William Hampton 626-7974 This is not new, but it is ecumenical. Publisher Dr. Randy Scott 626-6464 Ronald Reagan was considered a good Signpost Fax 626-7401 * Christian, even if his Christianity was The Signpost is published every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during * vaguely generic. Sen. Joseph Lieberman the semester. Subscription is $9 a semester. The first copy of The Signpost was an acceptable vice presidential is free, each additional copy is $.50. candidate, even though his Orthodox - The Signpost is a student publication, written, edited and drafted by Weber State University students. Student fees partially fund the printing of Judaism is as far from Bible Belt this publication. Opinions or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed Christianity as Brooklyn is from Kansas. by the university. The Signpost • The Signpost welcomes letters, to the editor. Letters must include name, address, telephone number and the writer's signature. Anonymous letters will not be printed. - The Signpost reserves the right to edit letters for reasons of space and libel and also reserves the right to refuse to print any letter. Letters should not exceed 350 words. Bring letters to the editorial office in SUB 267, mail to: The Signpost, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah, 84408-2110. " Attn: Editor in Chief, email thesignpost@weber.edu It's almost as if the details don't matter as long as the religious beliefs fit easily into mainstream Judeo-Christian expectations. Faith, then, becomes a proxy for other characteristics Americans want in a leader: morality, consistency, humility. Individual belief is one thing; institutional activism quite another. The Pew survey found widespread dislike of religious leaders who dip into electoral politics, regardless of party. So the public (69 percent) is not happy that the Republican National Committee has sought directories from certain churches to mobilize their parishioners. And the public (64 percent) is not happy with leaders of the Catholic Church who would deny communion to politicians who support abortion rights and stemcell research. At work here is the traditional American distrust of institutions, especially institutions of faith. We don't like self-appointed prophets telling us how to vote, be they white evangelicals or black preachers; 65 percent opposed churches endorsing political candidates. • More important, these trends are an expression of the strength of the American faith tradition, which treasures the free exercise of religion but rejects the establishment of any one church, synagogue or mosque. American religion has thrived in part because of the freedom to start a new church if the old one won't do any more. Decentralization is our saving grace. This is why I believe attempts to equate "faith" with only one set of religious values will eventually be selfdefeating. It is institutionalization under another name. Besides, some of the issues in which faith and politics collide - such as views on embryonic stem-cell research - are still evolving. That could be why we see shifting views in the Pew poll, with those in favor of such research growing from 43 percent in March 2002 to 52 percent this month. Between worship on Sundays (or Saturdays, or Fridays) and voting on Tuesdays, there is at least a day for personal reflection. Mind the gap. HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? Tell us by sending your letters to THESIGNPOST@WEBER.EDU |