one man, countless lies

This post has nothing to do with the theme of the blog, but I need a place for it ...

I’ve found it interesting how people have reacted to the Lance Armstrong breakthrough.

There’s the people who are personally hurt, even though they didn’t personally know him. His story erected emotions in them that were then attached to success, beating cancer, winning and all things good. He was accredited with stirring up a fire in them and igniting will and courage to fight. Now that it’s known he lied, it makes their fight, their story and their life…a lie. Yea, that’s personal.

There’s the people who are upset at him for ruining their first love: sport. He has made their sweat, pain, competition, early mornings, losses, championships, teammates, childhood memories, memories last week…insignificant. What is sweat, when you were training for a fixed match? What is pain, when your competitor is cheating? What is a win, when it’s not a level playing field? What is a loss, when it’s really a win? Then what has become of our love? Does the pure enjoyment and competition of sport still exist, he has left us wondering?

There’s those who are desensitized, who say, “Whatever, they were all doing it.”  This, to me, is the saddest of all. It goes beyond a personal brokenness or losing the credibility of sport. It’s the disillusionment of mankind. How easily we forget what kind of people in history have said, “Whatever, they were all doing it.” The Nazis must have agreed to kill millions of people in a similar fashion. The divorce rate is up to 50% now, because it’s become OK, and often because it’s become a rationalized and accepted act to cheat. Kids are picked on everyday in school, because it becomes normal, and to get ahead, you have to join in. To me, Lance Armstrong represents a large portion of what our world is veering toward. It’s not new news. But it’s the biggest disappointment that we have experienced --desensitization toward corruption -- being rubbed in our face. A big fat reminder, as if we need one.

…Or do we? Because that brings me to the last reaction I encountered: “I’m over it.” People who are sick and tired of hearing about Lance Armstrong. Tell that to the people whose lives now feel like a lie, who are questioning their greatest passion in life, and who have been affected by someone who has given into corruption. I guarantee you they aren’t over it. We can’t ignore the problems that face the society in which we live. We have to fight.