re: #61 philosophus invidius

OK, let’s forgive him. But if some people decide that they can’t forgive him, that seems to be their right too. I don’t think that the White House invite respects that right sufficiently.

Wait, so long as there’s anybody who can’t forgive him the White House isn’t respecting their rights?

I think this is similar to the case of Kramer from Seinfeld. He apologized, but if some people feel that his words cannot be forgiven, then that is their right.

Richard’s apology was rambling, poorly worded and self defeating. In it he called his victims a couple of “afro-americans,” said he’d lost his temper but didn’t really talk about what he’d learned about himself. In his rage he singled out individuals and attacked them on the basis of their race, betraying a deep seated personal animus. Richard’s apology was pro forma, and smacked of insincerity. He was sorry he said it in public, not that he’d thought it.

Psy attacked the US because of US policy and the specific actions of US soldiers on South Korean soil. Actions that because of immunity agreements the US military was then able to absolve them of. This is the same issue that has made us so unwelcome in Okinawa, finalized our departure from Iraq and will soon do the same in Afghanistan. Psy’s apology on the other hand seems deeply genuine, thought out and describes in detail the lessons the incident has taught him and how he’s worked to change his thinking.