This is Not a Joke: Marion Jones to Represent US State Deparment Internationally

I voted for Obama. To the extent that this State Department junket for MJ represents the convictions of the current Administration, I'm truly appalled.

The following, from Abrahamson's article, is worth repeating:

"Again from the government’s sentencing memorandum:

“The defendant’s use of performance-enhancing drugs encompassed numerous drugs (THG, EPO, human growth hormone) and delivery systems (sublingual drops, subcutaneous injections) over a substantial course of time. Her use of these substances was goal-oriented, that is, it was designed to further her athletic accomplishments and financial career. Her false statements to the [investigating] agent were focused, hoping not only to deflect the attention of the investigation away from herself, but also to secure the gains achieved by her use of the performance-enhancing substances in the first place. The false statements to the [investigating] agent were the culmination of a long series of public denials by the defendant, often accompanied by baseless attacks on those accusing her. regarding her use of these substances.

“The context of the defendant’s use of performance-enhancing substances, as detailed in the documents seized from BALCO, shows a concentrated, organized, long-term effort to use these substances for her personal gain, a scenario wholly inconsistent with anything other than her denials being calculated lies to agents who were investigating the same conduct.”

Sometimes journalist go too hard on people for the sake of creating the tension needed for an interesting story, but there's little question in my mind that Jones is still under the sway of denial.

Heck, she would prefer that her life as a star not be over. If you can't be a star by setting records facilitated by PED's, you might as well admit to having lied big-time, once, soft-pedaling as required in order to enable the current/future career as a "role model" who has sinned and then repented. The world loves a good conversion narrative. The problem is, a conversion narrative ("Once I was lost, now I'm saved!") requires a true and honest inventory of personal failure.

Weldon, I think that we have something that we can finally agree on. I am completely DISGUSTED.

There's one issue that I am really confused about here. I thought that convicted felons were not allowed passports, right?

wejo wrote:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iuWF5zCkwQZUhuaJKTN_QlcnQIgQ?docId=dd5aa5b1ee4f4f7da84f8d77f00da89d

I'm appalled.

I can't believe the State Department did not do more research on her to see she has never confessed her wrongs.

I'm all for forgiveness and a second chance but the first step means coming clean and I believe Marion still denies knowingly doping.

I think we take this thing too far-with regard to Marion lying and not coming clean.

Haven't presidents done the same and still they represented America?

Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan........

It's probably best if this doesn't turn into a political discussion. All administrations make mistakes.

The State Department probably does not know the extent that Marion still is not repentant and has not fessed up to cheating for years. She pretends she made a little innocent mistake and it cost her huge.

That is not what happened. We need to bring that to light.

'The point of the program is for emphasizing that, in spite of making bad decisions, America is willing to give people second chances'

The message is do what you want and you will get away with it

Give me a break. NYRR coddles dopers like Lance Armstrong and Alberto Salazar. NFL, MLB, NHL, UCI, USATF, USA Swimming, USA Gymnastics, FIFA, IAAF won't use independent testers nor make the lab results public enabling researchers to verify the protocols.

Weldon, and the rest of the letsrun community: Perhaps a letter-writing campaign to the respective Senators and Congressmen would get the word out.

I am all for second chances, but the problem is that there are so many more amazing DRUG-FREE, CONVICTION-FREE athletes out there who could represent us overseas.

get the patch wrote:

Dr. Drew for Surgeon General , anyone ?

I would have laughed more at this if I didn't think it could potentially happen.

Anyone here know whom we can write?

Seriously. Is it Hilary?

We have absolute traitor such as Dennis Ross positioned throughout the US State Dept and you have your balls in an uproar ovr Marion Jones?

Buffalo Billy wrote:

Sorry folks--- she did the jail time--she was repentant--so should she be viewed as a type of OJ for the rest of her life?What is the matter with you people? Are you all that perfect?

You're right, except for the repentant part. Maybe we should appoint Bernie Madoff as ambassador to Switzerland, after all, he actually repented. We can show the whole world how kind and fair we are. Never mind all the poor saps who kept their noses clean and worked hard their whole lives.

Marion Jones needs to go earn an honest buck instead of living lavishly off the fame she stole from others by cheating.

To Hillary, lying is commonplace and something you don't even notice anymore. It's just another useful tool to use in your everyday life.

Hey WeJo,Do you have the clout to get an OpEd in New York Times? I think that would do more good than any letters to congress etc.Just a thought.

wejo wrote:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iuWF5zCkwQZUhuaJKTN_QlcnQIgQ?docId=dd5aa5b1ee4f4f7da84f8d77f00da89d

I'm appalled.

I can't believe the State Department did not do more research on her to see she has never confessed her wrongs.

I'm all for forgiveness and a second chance but the first step means coming clean and I believe Marion still denies knowingly doping.

The Marion Jones story (close to chronological order):

Take a bunch of drugs.

Run really fast and win some medals

Make a lot of money.

Piss off your coach enough that he sends PEDs to investigators.

Write books and do speaking engagements talking about how awesome you are and how bad drugs are (no one would listen if it werent for running fast and winning medals).

Lie that you never did drugs.

Lie that you may have done drugs by accident.

Go to jail.

Go on Oprah. Lie about how accidentally taking drugs ruined your life (even though you won 5 medals because of those drugs).

Play on a WNBA team that only wants you because you took drugs and ran fast and won medals.

Represent the state department talking about how accidentally taking PEDs ruined your life even though without running fast and winning medals the state department wouldn't care about you.

Not a bad life except for the short jail part.

This State Department gig doesnt sound like a second chance, it sounds like a chance of a lifetime.

Where is the practical morality, if she does not admit what she did wrong? She has no MORALS... She denies she did PED's? she is a HORROR story and a disgrace.....

I am reading this as I sit in my Russian hotel room having traveled to St. Petersburg for the U.S. State Department to speak with Russian journalists and getting only a few dollars to do it. This story makes me want to puke. I'm disgusted and ashamed. I do my best to represent my country as honestly as possible and they are using a convicted felon to represent our nation. It's just impossible to believe.

I think everyone deserves a second chance but this simply doesn't put our nation's best foot forward because Jones has never shown real remorse for what she did.

Fits in quite nicely with the rest of Obama's administration. It's all been a sham, so why not add this to the mix?

kennylagat wrote:

Hillary Clinton's worst decision ever?

I really hope Hillary Clinton, or any of the deputies secretaries of state, are not involved in who is speaking to school children in Serbia and Croatia. They have much greater responsibilities.

I would be surprised if the ambassador in those countries had any say as to picking Marion. Some underling communications person probably was tasked to bring somebody in and reached out to Marion for whatever reason.

wejo wrote:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iuWF5zCkwQZUhuaJKTN_QlcnQIgQ?docId=dd5aa5b1ee4f4f7da84f8d77f00da89d

I'm appalled.

I can't believe the State Department did not do more research on her to see she has never confessed her wrongs.

Bah! Humbug!

I didn't see you getting appalled when Bristol Palin decided to go out on the speaking tour circuit speaking about teen pregnancy (!) and made $265,000 last year alone.