June 25, 2005

IT'S GONNA TAKE MORE THAN THAT

In the comments to this Mother of All Apologies by Gerard of American Digest, TmjUtah of Three Rounds Brisk has the right idea.

A million years ago I told a Gunnery Sergeant that I was sorry for something I'd bollixed.

What an education that was.

"Don't apologize. Marines are NEVER "sorry". Take responsibility, then go fix anything that needs fixing."

I agree.

An apology isn't about words, it's about atonement. An act to repair damage. An act of support commensurate with the act of degredation.

Without it, an apology is just moist sounds in dry air, ephemeral and evaporating.

The bare minimum act is promising not to do it again, and following through on that promise to the very best of your human ability.

From Durbin, that would be, I suppose, something like "I promise never to use Nazi or gulag analogies again unless they're in reference to an actual genocidal dictatorship."

THAT apology I would accept.

[submitted to the Outside The Beltway Traffic Jam]

posted by Harvey on June 25, 2005 at 09:01 AM | Permalink | 2 Liars | Ponderings
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Comments on IT'S GONNA TAKE MORE THAN THAT
Sissy exemplified on June 25, 2005 10:02 AM

Oh that sounds way to familiar. My dad used to tell us "take responsibility" and don't give excuses, give solutions.

I hated it at the time...but boy does it make sense now!

cal skinner exemplified on June 25, 2005 05:32 PM

Good point!