When I’m sorry just doesn’t cut it

There was a time when a genuine heartfelt apology meant something. I was raised in a pretty conservative environment where young people were taught to address adults with terms like Mam and Sir. The idea of addressing an adult (read grownup) by their first name was…well I never even thought of it. I was also taught that when I wronged someone; I should apologize…like go tell your brother you are sorry for smacking him in the back of the head. In all honesty, sometimes the apology was truly heart felt and accompanied by an internal desire not to repeat the infraction. Other times, it was just to get mom off my back.

Today, I’m sorry or I apologize has become the standard line for politicos when they get caught with their hand in the cookie jar or some other nefarious act. Rarely does a day pass, without the mainstream media carrying a public apology from a politician or CEO admitting that they in fact knew a part was defective and they knew it might result in death, but that at the time it didn’t appear to be significant enough to warrant a recall. Or we knew the danger to personnel in our embassy was critical but we didn’t do anything about it.

American’s are generous and forgiving people. It is part and parcel of who we are. Forgiveness is a divinely ordained act and one that I will continue to exhibit for the remainder of my life. But…I, we Americans are not stupid, and when some dufus stands before us on camera saying I’m sorry…just to get us off their back hoping the news cycle will move on…you need to know….that we know. And you are less for it. Sometimes sorry just doesn’t cut it. Please do not abuse our generosity.