Because I’m so big on apologies

Joe Barton would like to apologize. Since, you know, the GOP made him apologize for the apology that he issued to BP.

Remember kids: pandering will only get you so far.

I feel vindicated about that apology thing

I’m really big on apologies. I mean, I hate to apologize, because it sucks to acknowledge that I was wrong, but I think it’s even worse not to say anything when I clearly wasn’t in the right. My mom never used to apologize when she was obviously wrong, and it made me angry. Why would she admit that she was wrong, and then not take the obvious (to me) next step and apologize to the person she’d wronged? I didn’t get it, and I felt that it undercut some of the things she and my father taught me about being a good person. She got over it and began to apologize like a normal person when I was a teenager (why then? I don’t know), and I really feel like it has contributed to our generally excellent relationship today.

And apologizing is not just for myself or my mom; I feel that everybody could benefit from including more sincere apologies in their life. I know it sucks to say sorry, but I feel that what one gets in return, the other person’s restored faith in your understanding of right and wrong, and perhaps in the universe at large, not to mention maybe forgiveness, is worth more than wounded pride. Anywhozit, here’s a list of some interesting psychological studies that were conducted in 2009, including one on apologizing.

Was that wrong? Should I not have done that?

Remember Stephen Lewis, the Murfreesboro Free Press columnist who thought it would be hilarious to rewrite the theme song to The Jeffersons with the Obamas in mind? Well, as the person who commented on my post mentioned, in addition to reworking songs and ridiculing the accents of naturalized Americans in his free time, Mr. Lewis spends his days as a principal of an elementary school. Oh goody, because he is exactly who I want overseeing the next generation! (Overseeing! See what I did there?)

It seems that, in addition to the apology published by the editor of the Free Press, Mr. Lewis emailed his own tepid apology to the parents of those children who attend his school.

Although my hobby as a columnist is not connected directly to my position as principal I should have known better than to attempt to find humor in a subject so sensitive to so many. With all of that being said, I truly apologize to those of you who were offended by my comments.

What an apology, huh? I’m guessing that the school board or whoever actually hired him told him to write that. It certainly doesn’t sound heartfelt. To me, it sounds a lot like, “I’m sorry you overly sensitive whiners can’t take a joke.” I still really cannot believe that anybody would be dumb enough to write that column, but especially somebody who works with diverse populations every day and knows about the standards to which educators are held. How could this have seemed like a good idea? It would have been a terrible thing just to forward to a few friends, so how much more boneheaded was it to submit it for publication in a newspaper? You have to wonder about some people.

For those people who were directed to this post because of its title, George said that in an episode of Seinfeld, a show I generally don’t care about at all, but which I find selectively quotable.