I have a real problem with how media and political types apologize. If I ever attempted to apologize for something stupid I did the way John Kerry just did, or the way Mark Foley did (right after the apology release the info that he believed he had been molested as a child and was an alcoholic), or countless others - the apology wouldn't be accepted, and if I was apologizing to a woman I'd promptly get slapped.I was just over at National Review Online's The Corner blog, and a reader sent in the following to Jonah Goldberg. We could all learn from it:
Real apologies
- Never contain the phrases "my words were misinterpreted" (to make it or "any [one] who was offended." These are weasel words. Nothing is an apology which attempts offload blame or place blame anywhere but on the person making the apology. Such "apologies" should never be accepted.
- Never transition to an attempt to balance the scales by showing any other party is wrong in any way. Such "apologies" should never be accepted. Indeed, they should be condemned not just as unmitigating excuses, but as abuses in their own right.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 8)
16. A lot of people qaulify John Kerrys statement by saying that as a war vet he would not criticize out military. To me it just proves that his service during Vietnam was nothing but a photo op for a future political career. He can not and does not realate to our military in any way, shape of manner.
Renee at 7:24PM on Nov 1st 2006
17. I'd like John Kerry to call my nephew a West Point Graduate--one and a half tours in Iraq. 4 years at THE POINT-Army Ranger and Now recalled to active duty. Stupid, I think not. John Kerry should be sent to Iraq without backup. Shame on you for taking 48 hrs. to apologize. Get over your loss and move on. You're an embarassement to your constituents and your VETS.
mamasita00 at 7:25PM on Nov 1st 2006
18. Lemme see -- I've got a bachelor's, master of arts, masters in business administration, and a doctorate of business administration. And I served in the military along with some of our nation's best and brightest. The uneducated wimps that wrote in claiming that our military is made up of the uneducated or underclass are way off the mark. Maybe they should join up. They are not patriots. They are idiots. As a college professor I can tell you what they look like: they are democrats who look dumb. Wise up! Find out about our military before you start belittling them. Our military -- person for person -- have a greater educational level than do your average Americans of the same age!
Professor C. R. Scott at 1:53AM on Nov 2nd 2006
19. Politicians should keep their mouths shut if they have nothing good to say. As soon as a politician starts tearing the other politician to pieces, I turn them off and won't listen to anything they have to say. Everything presented is backbiting and slanted and they never stand on their issues of what good they are going to do for our country. Their too interested in devouring the other candidate. Everyone thinks that they can do a better job, and when they get in office they don't. I bet none of these candidates were raised this way. If I was their mother I would be ashamed of their behavior and what they represent.
Shirley Herberger at 7:30PM on Nov 1st 2006
20. Kerry: You might as well quit now. You are dead meat after making such an insensitive and frankly, stupid, statement about our troops in Iraq. It pains me to think of the kids over there laying their lives on the line to protect your sorry butt.
Judy at 7:41PM on Nov 1st 2006
21. Don't believe J Kerry's explanation that he simply left out a word or two from his prepared remarks! Remember, he lied to Congress about his fellow soldiers many years ago, after getting himself awarded medals and discharged for self-inflicted injuries. What he said may well have been a "Freudian Slip", but is truly what he thinks about our military. What a limp-wristed sop!
Diana Morehead at 7:46PM on Nov 1st 2006
22. Does anyone remember Jessica Lynch, the solider taken prisoner by the Iraqis early on in the war. When asked why she joined the military as reported in Newsweek she replied "because I couldn't get a job at Wal-Mart".
The draft during Vietnam and the grave responsibility felt by earlier generations in Korea, WWII and I resulted in a greater cross section of many different classes serving in the army.
Statistically, most recruits today have little more than high school eductaion and dismal job prospects ... I go back to Private Jessica Lynch as just one example of many.
John Kerry has nothing to apologize for. For those who would say given his own record in Vietnam he has no right to his beliefs I would add by extension of that logic that the current Commander in Chief who still has never explained why he went AWOL in the last months of his service and his VP who avoided the draft because he "had better things to do" (direct quote) are even less qualified to lead the country into war.
If apologies are due it is by the current administration’s mishandling of the war, the nearly 3,000 American dead and the 10 if not 100s of thousands of Iraqi lives lost and ruined not to mention the $300 billion dollar and still counting deficit the war is burdening our children with.
To those who say they're going to pray .. I would say yes, pray very hard and ask how one who claims to respect life could send 2500 plus Americans to their deaths?
Who should be apologizing here and who has committed the graver mistakes?
Walter at 8:41PM on Nov 1st 2006
23. John Kerry came off as the idiot that he is, first he says he wouldn't apologize then probably after being pressured by his party he flip-flopped on that too! Now they're turning it around on Bush - saying the GOP is jumping on the band wagon - well didn't the Dems jump on the wagon with Foley? I think it's very offensive to our troops for anyone to say the majority are minority or uneducated - that's absolutely not true - people should get their statistics from someplace other then Hollywood or the Dixie Chicks. Does it really matter which way the election goes - if the Dems win they'll blame everything on Bush and if the GOP wins the Dems will say the election was a fraud - Gee, isn't it amazing that's it's never questioned when a Dem wins. Grow up, deal with what's happening now and stop whining about the past!!
Donna Bognar at 8:05PM on Nov 1st 2006
24. from the lips of a truly stupid person (kerry)
my son will be over there soon!fighting so stupid people like him will have the freedom to say things like that. my son was a b student made 97 out of 100 on his test to join the U.S. MARINES.
WOULD I TAKE HIS PLACE YES!!!!!!!!! ENJOY YOUR FREEDOM! SOMBODY PAYED FOR IT IN BLOOD!!!! SO YOU WOULD NOT HAVE TO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
joel at 8:02PM on Nov 1st 2006
25. Mr. Kerry obviously hasn't any sensitivity for either those who are so "bravely" serving our nation, or the family members of honorable men and women who are listening to his dull and pious so called "joke". We are at war, and his excuse for stupidity is that he failed at making a joke? God help us if this is the quality of Democrat people that want to "run" our nation. I personally know brave men and women who are serving our nation who have re-enlisted knowing that they were going back to Iraq or Afganistan. These people are from all social backgrounds and educational triumphs. Mr. Kerry, why don't YOU re-enlist? After all, 3 months in Viet Nam was a pretty short stint when others were serving there for years. Quit putting your foot in your mouth and volunteer to take the place for one brave person in Iraq. Infact, RESIGN NOW, go to an Army Recruiting Office and sign up!!!
Bonnie at 8:02PM on Nov 1st 2006
26. I agree that John Kerry should resign from his senate seat. He would do us all a favor. He is nothing more than a traiter and I am still trying to figure out why he isn't in jail. Oh well, I do believe that he meant to say what he said. As a veteran(one that went to college and did very well) I am very offended by his remarks. How dare he make any comments about our troops period. The man is pathetic.
Tami Worden at 8:02PM on Nov 1st 2006
27. Although an unfortunate attempt at a joke, do you really think this will change anyone's mind? We all know the truth about what a huge mess our country is in and whose fault it is. Time for a change. Republicans can twist, lie, spin and deflect all they want, it's too little too late. Sorry to disappoint you, Busheep!
Lauren Vaughan at 7:26AM on Nov 2nd 2006
28. John Kerry Should Have been proscuted for treason,for his support of the north vietnames, i was there, when he was there, he was a coward then and still is
Dale Aleshire at 8:21PM on Nov 1st 2006
29. I think the people who are stating our Military are not educated should take a close look at the Stats. This would include you Marilynn Lowder. Stats show that our troops are in the 90 percential and the general population is in the 80 percential rating. Get your facts straight before you open your libral mouth.
Wm. Newman at 8:11PM on Nov 1st 2006
30. First of all if your going to apologize, just apologize, don't attempt to remove the blame from you because then you aren't really apologizing, rather you are making an excuse. Second of all, why is everyone making this into a political issue? If an individual from either party were to say something like that it would be reacted to in the same way, I really could care less that it was Kerry.
Even if what Kerry said was true, which in my opinion I beleive it to be false and ignorant, I think that doing something like that is morally wrong. You don't go insulting people who are fighting for your country whether you beleive it to be true or not. I can't beleive Kerry would say something like this especially since he was in the military. The troops in Vietnam were treated in a similar fashion which reaffirms my veiws that was expressed in this statement by Renee "To me it just proves that his service during Vietnam was nothing but a photo op for a future political career." Why would a Vietnam veteran insult the troops after the way they were treated when coming hime?
For all of you that don't beleive that we are fighting so we don't have to fight here let me just say that you clearly aren't forward thinking. If anything were to ever happen on American soil you would all be freaking out. Face it none of you know what it's like for bombs to be going off around you. I would rather fight there right now that have a battle on american soil.
Also, we just simply can't risk a threat of an attack on America. What would happen if one day Washington D.C. or New York City or any city disappeared. Face it these people only have hatred towards America and have been greatly influenced by the propaganda they hear. The soldiers are defending us and if any of you are so rude to insult soldiers who are dying to protect you, just move to France where you can live with other sissy's.
A Young Intellectual at 8:10PM on Nov 1st 2006