I had one. I'm sure you have had one,millions did and still do. It's a representation of hope, hard work,and perseverance. It is a symbol of the American dream, and for me,a hometown hero. And it was all a lie.
Am I surprised that Lance Armstrong actually used performance enhancing drugs? No, not really. But did I, like many others, want desperately for his story to be true? Of course. This is not another story of an athlete cheating to get,and stay, at the top.This was a story of a man conquering the steepest of mountains, both literally and metaphorically to come out a winner.All those years he doped, we were duped. I'll admit I rallied behind him, believed him, mainly because I wanted to believe his story.
The public isn't who should get an honest apology from Lance, though. Those ex-teammates of his, and their families have been the most negatively impacted by his cycle of lies, (pun intended). The bullying of these people, the surprise good guys in this story,is the saddest part.Those who spoke out against him had their worlds turned into a modern day David and Goliath.
Maybe there is a light at the end of this tunnel, though. Maybe the American dream isn't necessarily achieved through winning and being the best, but maybe it's standing up for what is right and true.I'd rather be a decent person over winning any day of the week.So let the Lance Armstrongs of the world ride off into the sunset, because the real American heroes are those who stand up for what's right,and good will always prevail over evil. So let those who stand up for the truth be those you think of next time you look down at your Livestrong bracelet.
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