Being duped by the doper: Why I still support Lance

He lied.  And he lied again. And then some more.

He lied over and over.

All with the intended result of helping people who were unable to help themselves.

He lifted them up.  Infused them with pride and hope and a reason to live.

Helped them live.

Others did what he did but it never got the same attention, probably because of the extraordinary measures he employed to cover up his actions.

Had his fellow countrymen known what he was doing, they likely would have been repulsed.

But he was very persuasive.

And in the long run, he was responsible for saving countless lives.  You could argue, generations.

But still, people will ask: Did he do it for them?  Or for himself? 

We’ll never know.  Because Oskar Schindler died almost 40 years ago.

Oskar Schindler deceived people. Like Lance Armstrong.

Oskar Schindler inspired people. Like Lance Armstrong.

The circumstances couldn’t have been more different.  You may find the comparison insensitive.  If so, I sincerely apologize.

But it proves a point about the importance of inspiration and the incredibly powerful force it can become, regardless of how that inspiration came to be.

Lying should not be taught.  But inspiration can’t be taught.

It’s not in any textbook.  It comes instinctively.  And often it comes when people manipulate, tell white lies, and stretch the truth; teachers, coaches, even parents will do it, for what they believe is the good of their pupils.

The world shouldn’t condone lying. But the world needs inspiration.  As much as it can get. The everyday Do a Good Job kind, and far more important, the Life-Affirming, Life-Saving kind.

It’s in short supply.  And in great need.

Now that the momentum has tilted to schadenfreude, it’s time to villify Lance Armstrong and be repulsed by his actions.

Not me.

From what I’ve read from cancer survivors who were inspired by Lance Armstrong, he helped them fight and livestrong.  And just plain live. That’s some serious life and death stuff.

In my mind, what he did to make that possible pales in comparison.

When you can have that kind of affect on a person, I’m OK with it. I’d bet the generations that will live because of it are OK with it too.

PS, don’t miss this late breaking story on the recent death of the youngest person from Oskar Schindler’s list.