I must preface my thoughts by saying that I have always had a soft spot for Lance. I became a serious cyclist over twenty years ago to raise money to fight cancer - long before Lance. Along the way, I became knowing of the 'cancer industry' in this country - an industry of researchers, companies, and money-raisers, dedicated to 'pursuing' a cure for cancer, rather than actually finding said cure - a result that would kill the golden goose.
While I long-ago stopped raising money, I nevertheless cheered Armstrong's TDF victories. I cheered him knowing that the probability of him being clean in such a dirty business was almost nil. But just like in other sports, as long as the owners and sponsors get a free pass, I say why penalize the athletes (performers) caught in the middle of a system and public that demands winning at all costs.
The greatest indictment is not against Armstrong for cheating, but against a medical profession and drug industry, starting and ending with doctors, who have steadfastly facilitated the hypocrisy (I say pimping) of their profession, including Armstrong as a spokesperson for fighting a cancer directly resulting from his (Armstrong's) admitted doping, in his pre-cancer early professional cycling years.
He was dirty, in a dirty business (still) and he is well on the path of exposing his failings, and paying for them, like every other hero. The full measure of his sacrifice is yet upon him.
If I saw him today, I'd still shake his hand. Clean or dirty, that boy could ride.
James C. Collier
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Technorati Tags: Lance Armstrong: Fallen Hero, Tour de France, Doping, Cancer, Cycling, Acting White
4 comments:
Travis Tygart of USADA is an angry neo CON and not to be trusted. Lance has passed over 500 drug tests. This is a witch hunt.
Romney is behind this because Lance supports the president
Lance is guilty as sin, only his defenders throw around false claims of his innocence. Lance as enjoyed and profited from this protection. When you compare Barry Bonds's treatment in the media and how they "lynched" and roasted him for steroid use you can't but notice the obvious racism he went through.
If we're going to talk about steroids, can someone please tell Serena Williams to lay off the juice. She looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
I'm no cyclist but I like this writer's simple expose of the cancer fund raising industry in this piece about lance armstrong. Well done - the author just says outright what I know having raised money endlessly,with no end in sight and little to no impact on the disease, or the lives destroyed in the maladapted delivery of what passes for a health service. Walk, run, cycle away from any more fundraising for cancer research!
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