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Kanye, Serena, Joe Wilson: Are their apologies enough?
I have always been fascinated as I've watched my kids and other kids apologize. Because you can tell when it's heartfelt and when they are just mouthing the words to please their parents or teachers.
Those same feelings came up as I've watched the insincere apologies of three public figures in the past few days: Congressman Joe Wilson, for yelling "You lie!" to the President during a session of Congress; Serena Williams, for threatening a lineswoman during the US Open; and Kanye West, for telling singer Taylor Swift during MTV's Video Music Awards that Beyonce was more deserving of the award she had just received.
They all "apologized," but I believe their actions could have been prevented with some self-control. They know they are in the public eye and are being scrutinized. Perhaps they are enjoying this negative publicity?
As this article in USA Today details, many see their actions as part of a collapse of civility. What do you think? Have manners and self-discipline disappeared from our society?
Gretchen Day-Bryant has a son in high school and a daughter in middle school. She’s lived to tell about the struggles of juggling little kids and work...
Joy Oglesby has an infant daughter and a sister 13 years her junior, whom she babies to the now-adult...
Cindy Kent Fort Lauderdale mother of three. Her kids span in ages from teenager to 20s...
Rafael Olmeda and his wife welcomed their first son in Feb. 2009, and he's helping raise two teenage stepdaughters...
Lois Solomon lives in Boca Raton with her husband and three daughters...
Anne Vasquez is the Online Editor in charge of overseeing SunSentinel.com. She is the mother of a 5-year-old boy and a newborn daughter.
Georgia East is the parent of a five-year-old girl, who came into the world weighing 1 pound, 13 ounces...
Brittany Wallman is the mother of Creed, 13, and Lily, 6, and is married...
Chris Tiedje is the Social Media Coordinator, and father of two boys and a girl all under the age of seven.
Comments
An apology doesn't right a wrong.
An apology doesn't mitigate the hurt or damage. It doesn't minimize the action.
You're correct in saying these people knew better in the first place.
Amazingly, we're actually talking about adults here!
Pretty sad!
We can never take back an action or words - ever. Physics is against us mere mortals.
Your observation that these were not sincere apologies is also on point.
These adults have been given public platforms, captive audiences and the courtesy of space in which to apologize.
I don't want to hear from them, I want to hear from their victims.
Obviously, these people should have never behaved the way they did in the first place. Their mental breaks should have been working just fine.
Posted by: Cindy Kent | September 16, 2009 12:59 PM
People can have a whole career based on bad publicity and they know it. I don't believe their apologies were sincere either, but the victims are right to not respond to it and give it more attention. Maybe the media ( and we) should do the same.
Posted by: Kate | September 16, 2009 3:40 PM
Joe wilson is really mean he could of just kept it to him self.
Posted by: leila | September 16, 2009 9:07 PM
I think almost the major problem in today's society is that no one has any manners anymore and no one will take personal responsibility for their actions.
Manners and self-discipline have comepletely disappeared from the map. For example, no one signals a turn, so you are behind them as they slow down, as they waver in the lane, or they cut in front of you and they just don't care enough to use COMMON COURTESY--how hard is it to flick an indicator?? How hard is it to say "I am sorry" when you hit someone's grocery cart? How hard is it to hold the door for an elderly or handicapped person? WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO SOUTH FLORIDA?? When i traveled to Tennessee, everyone was polite and thoughtful and thought of others. Not a soul in Fl thinks of anyone else. Emily Post taught that manners oil the machinery of society and we are very squeaky here.
I remember a very important man whose teachings our society are built on, Jesus Christ, who said, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." If we would all follow this advice, what a nice world it could be. A world where we are all in it together and it is not every single person for their own selfish needs.Not every single person who has to have immediate gratification NOW. Whose cell phone conversation is more important than whether their car kills you.
Obviously, I have very strong feelings on this matter and would be interested in hearing what others think of what i have said.
thank you,
waterpam1
Posted by: pamela gordon | September 20, 2009 7:39 PM
It’s happened to me. I have had too much pride and selfishness to apologize to a loved one I had hurt. When I did want to apologize, I couldn’t bring myself to facing the other person. This is the pride I’m talking about.
Posted by: creatinine | October 2, 2009 2:38 AM