Spot the spin

YOUR RECENT editorial on cheating by role models raises some interesting points but raises also some awkward questions for those in the media and their behaviour towards important people they confront. Too often I have seen media pundits in current-affairs programmes receive, but not pursue, spin from politicians or sportspeople.

Sometimes it seems as if a game is being played and a push for the truth is not adopted, unless the questioner is particularly offside with interviewee. Is it not time for those in the media seeking a truth or falsehood to pause and reflect about the pursuit of a quarry without fear or favour? That the Lance Armstrong business went on for so long is an indication that wrong questions were raised and easily spun responses accepted, giving an impression of complicity.

John D Mahony, Christchurch LANCE ARMSTRONG lied. He is in good company and arguably small fry in the greater scheme of things. More than half the MBA students in America, when surveyed, admit to having cheated.

The Vietnam war, resulting in 1 million dead civilians, was built on lies around the Gulf of Tonkin incident. The Iraq war, with tens of thousands of dead civilians, was built on lies by the Bush Administration (supported by Tony Blair).

In his book Fixing The Facts, the author Joshua Rovner shows how policy is formulated and facts then produced (by the CIA) in support. When there is an obsession with personal wealth or fame and glory, the incentives to lie and cheat become too big to resist. And, once a culture of lies is established, it is very hard to root out.

Frank Olsson, Auckland