There has been this extremely popular trend as of late on the American landscape. It is the incredibly hollow trend of apologizing when we don't mean it. Were not talking about apologizing for leaving the toilet seat up here, where talking major public perception apologies.
Now as weird as this sounds the inspiration for this blog was the current trouble of Officer Justin Barrett.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/07/30/gates.police.apology/index.html
According to CNN officer Barrett sent a very unflattering e-mail in regard to the arrest and "public fall out" that followed of Professor Henry Louis Gates. Officer Barrett went on national television to apologize for saying that Professor Gates acted like a "banana eating jungle monkey". ..... I know, take a minute to process. "Banana eating jungle monkey", is the funnest term I have heard this week. I digress though. Officer Barrett didn't just stop there, he proceeded to use the term about three times in the e-mail, then direct one of his "BEJM" bombs at the writer of the column that he was responding to. Now that is rich! This dude must have really been mad. And that is okay!
Now, was it racist? Of course, but at this point should African Americans really be surprised at this type of mindset. A Boston police officer uses the term "Banana eating jungle monkey" and then tries to apologize for it and says that he is not a racist. Never would have seen that coming. How in the world can you back track at this point dude? You sent this term around in a mass e-mail and to the Boston Globe! There is no going back once you have crossed that bridge. At this point why even try to apologize? It is painfully obvious that you meant what you said. Either that, or it a practical joke gone horribly wrong.
Now this brings me the to bigger point that I'm talking about. Don't make an apology if you don't mean it. It is worthless and nothing more than an insult to our intelligence. I won't pay a dime for that type of bogus, far fetched, weak apology. The worst part is that it numbs people to the entire apology process. Think about the last time someone apologized to you for something and you actually let out a sigh of relief. Maybe I'm just that cynical. Apologizing on cue is embarrassing to you and to the general public. The fact of the matter is that you said what you obviously had to say, and that is what you will forever be known for. In a sense you are only sorry because you got caught. If you wanted to apologize and you meant it, you should do it before the story gets to CNN and the daily globe. No apology is necessary. It is just funny when we try to have serious discussion on race in this country people won't realize that we have serious hurdles to cross. You have to realize that you have a problem , before we can address it. This cat really says that he is not a racist. If he isn't then I don't know who is?
In the end, this is America and you have the right to say whatever you want. Just remember that having the self restraint to watch what you say and realize how it will effect others is the difference between being a mindless hate mongering brute and being a responsible adult. And for god's sake save your weak pointless apologies!
