Yes. Exactly. I'm confused on how I feel about all of this. Maybe everyone here can help me gain clarity on taking a side.<br><br>
Marion Jones will go to prison for six months not for steriods or taking an illegal substance but rather for lying under oath about using steriods and being part of a check-fruad scheme. Yet most of us see it as if she has been framed for putting an illegal substance in her body. And although media outlets will say, often as a mere footnote, that she is going to jail for lying, they too sentence her in the public eye for having taking steriods.<br><br>
The part I have trouble with is, does the punishment (six months in prison) fit the crime (lying under oath for taking steriods and check-fruad)? Like, say, what would be the punishment for Barry Bonds if, say, he gets framed for lying under oath? Or Roger Clemens? Or Flyod Landis? Say they were all guilty, but say their guilt was more about lying under oath about taking steriods or some other illegal performance enhancement drug. Does that warrant six month prison?<br><br>
I don't know. Part of me thinks it is grossly unfair, that there are so many more crimes for which people commit that go unnoticed that maybe should not. Seems almost misguided to go after somebody like Marion Jones and slap her in the slammer for six months.<br><br>
The other part of me thinks about her role as a role model and all the kids she has misled and the other athletes she cheated. Still, I come to the stunning denial that six months is just, well, it seems unjust. I refuse to think it is so. But it is. She is being sentenced for six months.<br><br>
What would you do if you were in her shoes? And remember, it's not a black or white, this or that situation. It starts slowly. Somebody has suspicion and asks you about it. You, protecting yourself, deny it. Then more people find out. And by then you've already informally denied it over and over that, in a sense, you almost have to continue the lie. Until the lie becomes bigger than your penalty and you go under oath and get caught. What the hell is an oath anyway?<br><br>
Six months seems unfair if her only punishment was lying about taking steriods, even if she had her hand on a bible. I don't know the extent of the check-fruad, and maybe that's where they came up with the six months from, but let's say that didn't exist. Six months for lying under oath about taking steriods seems grossly misguided.<br><br>
Or maybe not. Explain away. I'm still trying to understand how I feel about this. And yes, I realize that with her taking steriods she in turn hurt and cheated every single one of her competitors, teammates, fans, and family and friends. It's wrong.
