Dear Friends: Sometimes, each of us has to stand up for our deepest beliefs, even in the face of adversity or opposition. In this issue of Spirit, you'll find two examples of Special Olympics leaders who were faced with situations where they had to muster courage in the face of challenge. Clint Armistead is a longtime volunteer and youth organizer, and Frank Stephens is a longtime athlete. Over several years, they have each worked in separate ways as Special Olympics leaders, volunteers and athletes. Clint knows that the power of Special Olympics doesn't end on the playing field. He's learned that Special Olympics athletes are people of skill and commitment who rise to athletic excellence through hard work and dedication, but he's also learned that the respect our athletes earn on the playing field is too often denied them in day-to-day life. When Clint is with peers who casually use the word "retard" to express images of buffoonery or failure or hopelessness, he challenges them and they've not always been receptive to his message of dignity. But he's willing to risk his own comfort for a belief larger than himself, and by doing so, he reminds us all of the importance of standing up for our own beliefs. In a similar way, Special Olympics athlete Frank Stephens mustered his courage to write a beautiful article for his local newspaper about how he feels when someone uses the word "retard," even in jest. "I get the joke, that only dumb and shallow people are using a term that means dumb and shallow. The problem is, it is only funny if you think a 'retard' is someone dumb and shallow. I am not those things, but every time the term is used it tells young people that it is okay to think of me that way and to keep me on the outside." Frank and Clint represent so many of our athletes, family members and volunteers around the world who have to be courageous every day. Just consider the case of Lukas Moeller, who is an avid cricketer in Australia. Shockingly, his family was denied permanent residency in Australia because of Lukas' Down syndrome. While we are joining a chorus of outrage and demanding a reversal of that decision, we must also rededicate ourselves to engaging citizens all over the world in the power of sports to change attitudes and build communities of respect for all. Nothing less will suffice. One of the great lessons of sport emerges when the rigor and dedication of training enable athletes to rise to a level even they didn't think possible. Reaching deep within themselves for strength and skill, they find the courage to overcome. And when they find their courage, we each find ours too. Timothy Shriver, Ph.D. Chairman, Special Olympics International