Priest’s Confessions: I’m sorry, sometimes apologies aren’t enough | Columnists | Summerville Journal Scene

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Priest’s Confessions: I’m sorry, sometimes apologies aren’t enough

Published Tuesday, September 22, 2009 3:25 PM

By Ellen Priest
Summerville Journal Scene ®

Since when did apologizing become good enough?

It seems as though recently people think that it is okay to behave as badly as they want in the moment, as long as they apologize afterwards. But is that good enough?

Is it okay that Gov. Sanford shirked his duties to spend time with his mistress in Argentina – as long as he apologized afterwards?

Is it okay that U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson threw decorum to the wind and shouted “You lie” during President Obama’s speech – as long as he apologized afterwards?

Is it okay that Kanye West grabbed the microphone, and Taylor Swift’s moment in the sun, to make his feelings known about who should have won the VMA award – as long as he apologized afterwards?

I don’t think so, and I don’t think I’m alone in believing this.

Gov. Sanford had an obligation to this state, no matter what his feelings towards Ms. Chapur, and he let us down. He knew what his obligations were when he was elected and then when he was re-elected.

Rep. Wilson had an obligation to be polite and give the President the respect he deserves during his speech to Congress.

He didn’t have to agree with what was said. He didn’t have to applaud or get to his feet. He just had to sit there and keep his mouth shut.

He says he was caught up in the moment … but he had the speech provided to him in advance. How could he be caught by surprise by something he knew was going to be said?

If a U.S. Representative to Congress doesn’t have enough control to keep quiet when he needs to, we are in trouble in South Carolina.

Kanye West is known for bad behavior.

However, what he did to Taylor Swift was inexcusable. She’s a 19-year-old who was thrilled at her win and had it snatched away by a bad behaving attendee, who was caught up in the moment.

Thank goodness Beyonce was raised better than Kanye was. Now that’s a lady with some class.

Maybe he, Gov. Sanford, and Rep. Joe Wilson should go to classes to learn how to behave. Because their so-called heartfelt apologies after the fact just aren’t doing it for me.

All I can say is I’m glad that Kanye isn’t from South Carolina. We’ve gotten more than our share of attention for bad behavior here.

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