so on the cover of the new york times today was a picture of a sobbing marion jones as she received her sentence of six months in jail for perjury.

in the past, i've been a real hard ass about people getting what they deserve,
but i think my views have matured considerably in the past year or so.

i say this because as i was looking at this picture and reading the headings and just generally thinking about the whole situation, the only clear thought going through my mind was:
"leave the girl alone. hasn't she had enough?"
i mean,
1) she was found guilty of cheating in the biggest sports event in the world,
2) all of her medals were taken from her,
3) she has to carry one of the greatest sporting indignities EVER with her for the rest of her life,
4) she was embarrassed in front of the WHOLE WORLD, so it's not even like there is some country she can escape to,
and 5) now she has this half-healthy steroid-contaminated body that she couldn't give back even if she wanted to.
in short, the girl's life is fucked.

now, you're telling me that on top of all that,
this girl should spend time in prison?
i don't buy it.
so what if she lied in court?
it's not like she lied about hurting or killing someone,
she lied about a stupid game.
they already took her medals and her name is pretty much disgraced worldwide,
leave the girl alone.
let her live her life with the little dignity that she has been able to retain.
if you put her in prison she'll lose even that.
just let her be,
no one should have to go to prison for lying when the truth is found out and no one got hurt.

her judge may be following the law,
but sometimes you have to look past that and show leniency to a person who's endured enough,
because sometimes the law is just so dumb...