Originally Posted by jpwkeeper .
It is a confession by definition. You can question the motives, which is really the point, but it is a confession. It holds no more or less weight with me if he confesses on Oprah or if he confesses in front of the USADA honestly since I'm not a member of USADA, WADA, or UCI. In fact Oprah may be a better forum for him to confess and apologize to me than the latter example.
It very well may be just a PR stunt, but that isn't the crux of my question. What would sway you? Would you soften your stance if it wasn't a PR stunt?
So said another way, what could Lance do, either via this interview, some other interview, or something else, that would soften your stance toward him? Try to exclude what you think he's trying to do now; I want to know what you WANT him to do, not what you think he is actually doing.
This question has importance that goes WAY beyond Lance himself as it speaks to how anyone can get redemption or forgiveness in our lives. And no I'm not talking religion here, I'm talking redemption among our fellow humans.
Back in the old days when I was growing up, people in public life who lied and were shown to have lied, had the gumption to acknowledge their errors and to go away quietly and remain out of the
public gaze in the hope that life would go on.
Even inveterate lying scumbags such as Richard Nixon had a modicum of self awareness to do the correct thing and to STFU after they were exposed for the people that they really are.
It seems to me that these days, so called celebrities and their enablers, would have it that their defective characters not only be acknowledged but somehow celebrated.
The industry that surrounds these people and their enablers would have it that character defects are "not bad" and that the actions stemming from those same character defects "are not bad"
They would have it that no one "should be accountable" for anything because none of us were "in their shoes" when they did what they did.
This sort of relativism eventually exonerates everyone of everything ultimately.
Rationalising defective characters and their associated behaviour is indulged far far too much throughout certain sections of Western society in my view.
Celebrities, their enablers and their PR advisors have no interest in right or wrong. Equivocation and spin are all they're interested in.
The choice presented to Armstrong 13 years ago was clear then as it is now.
Oprah Winfrey has zero mandate to restore the Uniballer to competitive participation.
Armstrong needs to make a full and detailed confession of doping activities if he wishes to participate in sport again.
Personally I think USADA are being generous in offering this option.
My own view would be to throw away the key at this juncture.
Recidivism is the Uniballers way.
