Apologies
Better to think before erring Everyone’s into apologies these days.
Which isn’t surprising, considering that a lot of people have a lot for which they should apologize, both publicly and privately.
Apologies come from politicians to the public, from one government to another and from the famous to the fans. Public apologies cover a range of sins, from behavior unbecoming to poor judgment to words spoken either in haste or ignorance (or maybe even both).
The latest public apology comes from a key Southern Baptist official who, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, equated health-care reform with Nazism. Richard Land, the president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, apologized not just for his comments about health-care reform efforts but also for “bestowing a ‘Josef Mengele Award’ on President Barack Obama’s chief health-care advisor.”
In his official letter of apology, Land said he did not intend to “actually equate anyone in the Obama administration with Dr. Mengele.”
So he “gives an award” named for the infamous Mengele, who conducted heinous experiments on death-camp prisoners during the Nazi regime, but didn’t really intend “to actually equate anyone” with one of history’s most notorious names.
So why did he do just that?
Of course, we’ve all heard so many apologies lately that frequency has made them somewhat impotent.
The governor here in South Carolina has apologized – repeatedly.
David Letterman apologized but hasn’t suffered in the ratings yet. Congressman Joe Wilson, R-S.C., apologized but managed to boost his re-election fund in spite of – or maybe because of – his remark during Obama’s speech to a joint session of Congress.
Speaking out is wonderful. It’s the American way. But wouldn’t it be better if more people took the time to think before speaking up?
Maybe then there wouldn’t be so much for which they have to apologize and the rest of us wouldn’t have to listen to half-hearted attempts to escape the spotlight after they’ve made getting into the spotlight a full-time job.
Scripps Howard News Service