By Staff
To the editor:
Daniel Kline has written the worst article I have ever seen published in the Niles Daily Star.
Up until now, the stupidest thing was done by Jimmy Carter: boycotting the Russian Olympics. Kline's article equals that.
Most of the athletes on the U.S. Olympics team get one opportunity to go to the Olympics. They are at the peak of their career. This is the only chance they will ever get to "go for the gold."
For example, Carter's stupid move prevented Mary Decker, our greatest female middle distance runner of all time, from competing when she was at her peak. All the athletes on the team were devastated.
By not sending our team to China, you are not only insulting the Chinese government, you are insulting the Chinese people, the very ones you are trying to support.
Those "poor uneducated, without hope people," have built good, state of the art, Olympic venues that they are very proud of. They are anxious to display their hospitality to the world.
Although the area will be limited you don't want to deny these people the one opportunity they will have to meet outsiders.
As for "sports nobody cares about," speak for yourself Daniel.
Finally, we are not "sending" our athletics. The money is raised by the U.S. Olympic Committee and many of our athletes have contributed their own time and money to train.
Don't punish the athletes by doing something stupid.
Paw Paw