by Samantha Pratt-Tyler

Created on: January 15, 2008

To me this is a hard one, I see both sides of the issue, I am a Marion Jones fan and loved watching her race. But I know in my heart it she did wrong when she lied under oath to the grand jury.

The sad fact is a lot of people have and they have not been prosecuted which makes me want to go to the no side. (I feel those people should also be in jail)

Whenever we lie to a judge, jury, or our friends we are doing something wrong. There is no such thing as a "little white lie" all lies hurt when found out and a lot of people do get found out.

A lot of people do not realize what steroid use can do to one's body, how it messes up your metabolism but also your emotions, depending on the type. For you have heard of roid rage, and what it can do to you and those around you. Steroid use is not safe, and Marion Jones was a role model to athletes.

The other part to this story about Marion Jones is the check fraud she was in, and that too should be part of the title for she is going to jail for both.

It is hard to see someone you admire fall, but we are people and we fall, we all fail someone at one time or another and for Marion Jones, this is the time she let down a lot of people but mostly herself. As a role model, her actions showed it was okay to take an illegal substance and then lie about it. That is not the type of role model we need.

Her speech after the conviction sentencing, even though she wanted to stay with her sons, (is understandable from a mother's point of view)was to tell others to learn from her mistakes, she acknowledges what she did is wrong, that is commendable and the advice is good.

The fact she acknowledges she did wrong means she knew at the time it was wrong and therefore should not of done it. Hindsight is always better, but, doing steroids and check fraud are things that are not good period. She knew she was wrong but went ahead to further her career, gain her gold medals and the status of it and went from then on to lie to everyone about her steroid use and to compound the matter she got involved in a check fraud and lied about it. Her lies came back and got her. I hope it shows people who pursue power at all costs that the cost is too great and lying will only make that much more worse. If she told the truth, I do not believe she would of been in jail, but pride can get the better of people and it did her for she lied to protect her image and now that image is destroyed, all medals and her records stripped from the books and she is left with nothing but her sons and the jail time awaiting her.

She is young enough that I hope she sees the error and destructiveness of lying can bring upon herself and others and change her course in life.

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