An apology. What is it? It is an admission of wrongdoing on my part. It is an attempt to relieve your anger or disappointment. The hope is you feel better. Can I apologize for what others have done? I'd say I could, but it means nothing. Then that apology just becomes a pious platitude. I'm telling you what others have done wrong. For that reason I question all this apologizing going on today. I see it and hear it everyday on the news. We are being told to apologize for what happened before our birth, before our parents birth, and even before our grandparents birth! In fact we should apologize for what happened hundreds of years ago. And what is the purpose of that apology? What is the intent? I really have no idea. Perhaps for some it makes them feel better, the one issuing the apology that is, I can't see it doing much for whomever is being apologized too. Well, unless that apology includes some monetary compensation or other benefit. Then it really isn't an apology, it's a bribe. Forgiveness for something I haven't done, given by someone that wasn't wronged. It's a strange concept. It is easily perpetuated however, just keep looking for injustice in the past and claim that injustice as your own. I was wronged, by proxy, in the past. Therefore I should receive, at a minimum, an apology today. But now, now an apology isn't enough. That's what I'm hearing anyway.
I am responsible for my actions. I am not responsible for yours. I am not responsible for what my ancestors may or may not have done. Fact is, rarely do we know what our ancestors did. We only know what was recorded. Oh, I can know some facts about their lives, where they lived, their occupation, possibly their political affiliation. What I can't know is their personality, who they were. You know just because my ancestors were white Europeans doesn't mean they held slaves, it doesn't mean they slaughtered native Americans, it doesn't mean anything beyond they were white Europeans. How they felt about all those things I have no clue. My great great Grandfather fought for the union army. guess that means he was fighting to free the slaves. His own father had been an indentured servant, a European form of slavery. But the truth is that is just speculation on my part, I can't know his feelings. I also can't apologize for anything he may or may not have done. The best I can do is acknowledge his existence. If he did something wrong I had no control over that and therefore no responsibility. The only thing I am responsible for is perpetuating an unjust action or policy. That is my responsibility!
I can not apologize for the actions of others. I will not apologize for that. I will acknowledge whatever wrongdoing others have committed in the past. I won't attempt to justify them, just acknowledge that they happened. I will apologize for anything I do whenever I feel I should do so. And when is that you ask? When I decide that what I did was wrong is the short answer. That is all I can apologize for! Now I can empathize with you, understand how you feel about whatever injustice has been committed, but I can't apologize for that. Empathy may dissolve into pity, I feel sorrow for you. Then in an attempt to ease my own sorrow I do something for you, a transference of emotion. I feel better having done something.
We all know about Christian Apologists.They use reasoned arguments to defend the Christian faith. The name is a bit misleading, as they are not apologizing for anything. Well I'm thinking I am becoming an American Apologist. I find myself defending America and her philosophical, moral and ethical percepts on a daily basis. I am constantly hearing that I should be apologizing, which is ironic considering those who are insisting on that. They are usually the first ones to use America, the rights granted to them by our constitution, to justify their actions. So okay, I will apologize for America! I'm an American Apologist. I always will be.
I am responsible for my actions. I am not responsible for yours. I am not responsible for what my ancestors may or may not have done. Fact is, rarely do we know what our ancestors did. We only know what was recorded. Oh, I can know some facts about their lives, where they lived, their occupation, possibly their political affiliation. What I can't know is their personality, who they were. You know just because my ancestors were white Europeans doesn't mean they held slaves, it doesn't mean they slaughtered native Americans, it doesn't mean anything beyond they were white Europeans. How they felt about all those things I have no clue. My great great Grandfather fought for the union army. guess that means he was fighting to free the slaves. His own father had been an indentured servant, a European form of slavery. But the truth is that is just speculation on my part, I can't know his feelings. I also can't apologize for anything he may or may not have done. The best I can do is acknowledge his existence. If he did something wrong I had no control over that and therefore no responsibility. The only thing I am responsible for is perpetuating an unjust action or policy. That is my responsibility!
I can not apologize for the actions of others. I will not apologize for that. I will acknowledge whatever wrongdoing others have committed in the past. I won't attempt to justify them, just acknowledge that they happened. I will apologize for anything I do whenever I feel I should do so. And when is that you ask? When I decide that what I did was wrong is the short answer. That is all I can apologize for! Now I can empathize with you, understand how you feel about whatever injustice has been committed, but I can't apologize for that. Empathy may dissolve into pity, I feel sorrow for you. Then in an attempt to ease my own sorrow I do something for you, a transference of emotion. I feel better having done something.
We all know about Christian Apologists.They use reasoned arguments to defend the Christian faith. The name is a bit misleading, as they are not apologizing for anything. Well I'm thinking I am becoming an American Apologist. I find myself defending America and her philosophical, moral and ethical percepts on a daily basis. I am constantly hearing that I should be apologizing, which is ironic considering those who are insisting on that. They are usually the first ones to use America, the rights granted to them by our constitution, to justify their actions. So okay, I will apologize for America! I'm an American Apologist. I always will be.
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