Another Olympic Mom: Hero or Not?

I was excited yesterday to watch Melanie Roach, a U.S. weightlifter in the 53-kilo (117-pound) category, set a new American record and come in sixth in her competition. Roach is the mother of three, and returning to competition after a five-year break and a herniated disk that required surgery. One of her sons was also diagnosed with autism, and she is a member of “Athletes Against Autism,” a group dedicated to finding causes, treatments, and cures for the disorder.

Cool, I thought. Another Olympic mom like Dara Torres, not taking an unbroken path to Olympic fame, but getting there nonetheless.

I looked further into Melanie’s background, however, and discovered that she is married to four-term Washington State Representative Brian Roach, a Republican who voted against the state domestic partnership bill. Her own politics may differ from those of her husband, of course, but she has been active in his reelection campaigns. Even if she disagrees with him on this one issue (and I have no evidence either way), she’s kept a vote in the Legislature against our families.

Sigh. This doesn’t take away from her accomplishments as an athlete or as a mother who has managed both kids and career and contributes to a charitable cause. Still, she has done so while directly or indirectly working against families like mine, and that spoils my admiration for her. I admit, though, it is a bit unfair to say that while lauding Dara Torres and others, whose politics I don’t know one way or the other. Like most other athletes, they have been apolitical in their interactions with the media during the games.

Athletes are as varied and complicated as anyone else, and it is no surprise to find reasons for rejecting potential heroes. We pick them as best we can, and hope they don’t disappoint.

Have you ever had a hero (athlete, rock star, thinker, etc.) whose actions or beliefs caused you to reconsider your admiration?