Isn't Armstrong's Apology Enough?

When I learned that Lance Armstrong would be having a discussion with Oprah Winfrey, I worried that there would be cynics who would accuse him of trying to use Oprah's profile to wipe out his alleged transgressions. And yet even before that interview was broadcast, it became clear that he would neither find forgiveness nor any understanding from a section of viewers whose minds were made up. And yet I thought that the published commentaries such as this about the discussion with Oprah were dominated by the unproven view that the confessor was not entirely contrite.

Tim Black's article in Spiked-online reflects the fact that the responses to Armstrong are that he did not react in the way that the apologies industry expected him to. To my mind, here is the illustration of the fact that an apology is often demanded for misdemeanor and yet it is never enough. So yes, this man made many grave errors and was very deceitful and unkind to many people but dispassionate people must detest the fact that there are people who seem to enjoy kicking him while he is down. To me, this episode proves that those in positions of power and leadership should be more circumspect and less vulnerable to hubris. And that includes  journalists, warriors for morality and the rest of us. This is not the moment to be fastidious because Armstrong has given his apology. To me, that is acceptable and enough.