Apology Nation

Should you apologize for saying something you truly believe in?

From Cultural Rhythms for Jada Pinkett Smith...

A speaker at Harvard University is under fire for a speech that was overly “heteronormative” and made gay students feel uncomfortable by not sufficiently addressing their status, reports The Crimson.
Organizers of the Cultural Rhythms show are apologizing for the offense caused by a speech by Jada Pinkett Smith. In the speech, she was said to be giving the story of her life “and her perspective was a heterosexual perspective.
“She wasn’t trying to be offensive. But some felt she was taking a narrow view, and some people felt left out,” the apology reads.
Members of the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, and Supporters Alliance (BGLTSA) said Pinkett Smith’s comments implied that standard sexual relationships are only between males and females.
“Some of the content was extremely heteronormative, and made BGLTSA members feel uncomfortable,” said BGLTSA Co-Chair Jordan B. Woods.

‘Heteronormative’? So does that make Gay ‘Homoabnormative’?

and from Lawrence Summers...

Dear Members of the Harvard Community:
Last Friday I spoke at a conference on women and science, hosted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. I attended the conference with the intention of reinforcing my strong commitment to the advancement of women in science, and offering some informal observations on possibly fruitful avenues for further research. Ensuing media reports on my remarks appear to have had quite the opposite effect. I deeply regret the impact of my comments and apologize for not having weighed them more carefully.

He's apologizing for what most people understand as simply common sense?!?

and from Lou Novak...

A businessman who made derogatory comments to an AIDS awareness group at the Washington State capitol has resigned from his position as first vice president of the Rental Housing Association of Puget Sound. "Looks like it's anal sex week,"
Novak said Wednesday evening that he regrets his remarks and will apologize to those involved. "The remark was made in private, and they just happened to overhear it, and that's very unfortunate," Novak said. "I'm certainly sorry that anyone was offended by it." Novak, a Seattle landlord, said he did not recall repeating the remark in the capitol cafeteria.

Apologize for what? Do Gays not engage in ‘anal sex’? Hmmm, guess I must have misunderstood the lifestyle.

There is very little I respect about Ward Churchill, but at least he doesn’t apologize for his beliefs. My God, if you believe in what you say, stand up for it. Don’t be beaten down by the P.C. police.

I promise you, someone somewhere will be offended by anything you say. Seems taking offense is the flavor of the month. It's this years black. But really, if you are offended by what someone else says, just get over yourself! Mostly, it says more about the one who takes offense than about the speaker’s words themselves. In the end, a person chooses to be offended, offense can not be imposed upon a person by mere words! It is painfully obviouss that narcissism runs rampant in our society today. Didn’t our mothers ever tell us that ‘the world does not revolve around you’ or ‘sticks and stones may break your bones...’. Oh, sorry, was that ‘matriarchnormative’?


The author apologizes in advance if any persons felt insulted or were offended by any of the above comments.