Ignorance Was Bliss

Greatness, it seems, always comes at a cost, and no individual embodies such a mantra better than Lance Armstrong. His was the perfect story, the man returning from a near-fatal bout with cancer to win seven Tour de France titles. However, on January 18, 2013, the legendary cyclist’s world and athletic career came crashing down, but the good he has done , intentionally or not, can never be undone. 

     Armstrong was an inspiration. To millions of cancer survivors, he was walking proof that anything was possible. To others, he was a testament to the resiliency of the human spirit. He was on episodes of Arthur, wrote two books, and made millions through endorsements. A poster of him once hung in Mr. Zimmerman’s classroom, a reminder to us that we could succeed in a class that, at times, seemed impossible. The man started his charity, Livestrong, to aid cancer research and averages nearly $30,000 in donations every day. Despite all his achievements, Armstrong was, quite literally, half the man he used to be, yet still proceeded to dominate his sport with reckless abandon. It seemed too good to be true. In retrospect, we now know that his story actually was. In this case, ignorance was indeed bliss. He is now seen as the great pretender, a liar, a mere mortal, human, a man determined to propagate falsehood, all without recognizing the largely positive impact Lance Armstrong has had on the world. Despite his obvious shortcomings, the careers he has ruined, and the hearts he has broken, any objective code of morality Armstrong has sinned against by doping, any kind of wrong he has done because of it, not by the ensuing lying, is far outweighed by the good he has done. 

    One of Armstrong’s autobiographies is titled It’s Not About the Bike. No statement could better define the man’s legacy. His achievements were not confined to what he did on the bike, what he did off of it was and still is far more important. The hope he instilled in the masses can be withered, but never taken away. The seven yellow jerseys he won were the lights at the end of the tunnel, and he was showing us the way. At least we hoped he was. Ultimately, the cyclist’s narrative raises the question judging the merits of telling a beautiful lie rather than the ugly truth. However, sometimes the truth isn't good enough, sometimes people deserve more. Sometimes people deserve to have their faith rewarded, regardless of the truth. Armstrong’s ultimate sin in doping is not in the act itself, it is in the deception. But looking back at the good that has come from it, is that necessarily a sin? Destroying careers and tarnishing the reputations of innocent men cannot be forgiven, but I believe that his cheating can be.

     Lance Armstrong’s greatness came at a price-his soul. However, if we look at his entire existence, not just his career as a competitor, we see that he was a man who put his reputation and  life on the line to inspire the masses, whether that was his intention or not. His greatness is not defined by his achievements or failures, but what he has done for the benefit of humanity. Some may say that choosing to cheat was selfish and for monetary gain, and rightfully so, though he donated winnings and endorsement money to research, but if we see that he risked the totality of his being by doping to breathe life to the dying, it is obvious that such actions were not selfish, but selfless. The poster that hung in my classroom may be gone, but the impact the cyclist had can never be taken away. In the televised interview, Oprah said that “the truth will set you free,” but in all honesty, sometimes the truth isn’t good enough. Sometimes we deserve more. At the time, we deserved more than the truth. We needed a hero. Lance Armstrong gave us one, at least for a while.   

 Images retrieved from: abcnews.go.com, si.com,

A Pointless Lance

     Cancer. We have all been affected by it in some way, shape, or form. Whether it be through the loss of a loved one as I have, or through the suffering of those inflicted by it, cancer is by far the most researched and prominent disease in our world today. Because of the press and the stories about our own unbearable pain, organizations like the Susan G. Komen and others have poured billions of dollars into research for cures. Celebrities aren't afraid to voice their support either, as stars ranging from actress Christina Applegate to Sharon Osbourne have supported cancer organizations. None the stars however, are as active in campaigning or as polarizing as cyclist Lance Armstrong.

     Armstrong has been the guiding light for cycling for years. Who would be a better representative than a man who only has one testicle? While I say that in jest, Armstrong's story was the perfect one for his sport. The man had testicular cancer that spread to his brain and lungs and still won seven Tours de France. He was Tim Tebow, at least in a come-backy way, before Tebow was even a time of day. The man even appeared on popular children's show Arthur as a character named Vance Legstrong, inspiring a young child to do his best and to have confidence. The man is a good person. At least I hope he is.

     Armstrong has been a leading supporter of cancer research, as was stated above, and has even considered a career in politics to support his cause,, though he ultimately sided against it, fearing, and rightly so, that if he campaigned and was elected as a member of a certain party, he would alienate members of the other, effectively slashing support he would have had as a lobbyist, which he and his Livestrong organization act as. He helped with a proposal, which the state of California is in the process of approving, that would put a $1 tax on tobacco products, the proceeds going towards cancer research, effectively cutting risks for lung cancer while helping find ways to cure the others. His impact on cancer is not what has been questioned as of late, as his record of charitable actions is undeniable. The issue, at least to most of the mainstream media, is that he used performance-enhancing drugs.

     I really don't know if Armstrong did performance-enhancing drugs, nor do I care. All I know is that he never failed a test, and that the allegations against him are from disgruntled teammates and very elaborate as well. That's all that anyone can prove beyond a reasonable doubt as of now. I know what Livestrong has done for the world, and I would still support him if he was proven to to use drugs. What Lance Armstrong has done for cancer patients and the entire world far outweighs any sort of bad. He instilled hope into the hearts of millions. He took cancer, looked it straight in the eye, and gave it a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick to the groin. The greatness he achieved made me believe I could do anything if I put my mind to it, just like Armstrong did. I looked to him for inspiration when I tore my labrums in both of my hips. Well, ripped is an understatement...think shredded, as I couldn't kick a soccer ball without screaming, but I digress. Armstrong's contributions to the medical field and to cycling are undeniable. Hell, if he asked me ten years ago to help him dope to win,  I probably would have done so for the sake of those bed-ridden through the atrocities of cancer like my uncle was. That's not being selfish, that's being selfless. If Armstrong saved one life a day juicing, the whole universe would support him. He has.

Image retrieved from: www.wjla.com