Apologizing for the US

This concept is so clear and easy in retrospect, that it's strange that I didn't realize it before.

It's traitorous, unpatriotic, or evil for US citizens to apologize for or acknowledge:

• Unsavory business practices of some US companies, past or present.
• Gingoistic claims by Americans.
• Covert operations by Americans that have resulting in coups  and/or deaths in other countries.
• Military actions by American troops that have resulted in civilian casualties and/or coups in other countries.
• Torture that had been called 'enhanced interrogation.'

On the other hand, it's reasonable to apologize or express shame or remorse for:

• Civil unrest by US minorities.
• Shootings of police by US civilians.
• Previous administrations asking other countries to recognize and honor human rights.
• Any actions by those evil anti-American presidents, Democrats, liberals, pinkos, and (what the hell) fags. 

What prompted this observation? Donald Trump said this:

"I think right now when it comes to civil liberties, our country has a lot of problems, and I think it’s very hard for us to get involved in other countries when we don’t know what we are doing and we can’t see straight in our own country. We have tremendous problems when you have policemen being shot in the streets, when you have riots, when you have Ferguson. When you have Baltimore... When the world looks at how bad the United States is, and then we go and talk about civil liberties, I don’t think we’re a very good messenger."

Edit, then cut and paste.

Image: 56packardman.wordpress.com

The Good, the Bad, and the Redemptive

Today I feel surrounded by death. There was another shooting, this time at a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Ohio. On the local news, there was a story about a New Hampshire police chief shot and killed during a drug raid. Four other police officers were also shot.

In the Trayvon Martin case yesterday, Trayvon's mother said that she thought the shooting was an accident, and Zimmerman needs to own up to that and apologize. That huge step in forgiveness and shared humanity was retracted later that day. Does anyone doubt a lawyer was involved in the retraction?

In the meantime, Zimmerman's new lawyer has a sense of the gravity of the case. The new lawyer is not pushing for bail immediately because he understands that Zimmerman needs to spend sometime in jail to assuage the local (or national?) sense that he's not paying any price. The lawyer is also not immediately asking for immunity for his client based on Florida's "Stand your ground" law.

We are better people when we don't grandstand on our rights, as though we (the small we) are the only ones who matter or who know what is correct. We are better people when we humbly acknowledge that we can make mistakes, sometimes horrible ones.

So, today, this story of Corey Booker, the mayor of Newark, New Jersey, floored me. I'm already in an emotional state, and I watched this video where he discusses how he and a detective ran into a neighbor's house, engulfed in fire, and Booker ran though the burning kitchen to save a woman sleeping in the back of the apartment. He carried her back through the flames and outside. She is alive, as is he, the detective, and the other residents.

I'm reminded of the fire fighters on 9/11, who entered the burning towers and were marching up the stairs to try to save those in the upper floors. People can be so fine and heroic. I hope I can do something today and something in my life that is as selfless as these people have done. Wish me luck.

People saving a motorcyclist from a fiery accident

 Photo credit: msnbc.msn.com

Practical note: You should have a fire extinguisher and you should know exactly where it is. This knowledge prevented my neighbor's stove fire from getting out of hand. She didn't know where her fire extinguisher was, but we did. Today, my family gets a quiz on where the extinguishers are. The only acceptable score on the quiz is 100%.

Being a Republican means never saying I'm sorry

This seems to be one of Newt's principles. I suppose Newt apologized for making the commercial with Nancy Pelosi, but not for:

• Having an affair while persecuting Bill Clinton for having casual sex.
• Following a political strategy that cost a number of Republican House seats.
• His questionable ethics while Speaker.
• His lobbying consulting work after quitting the House.
• His lies about his lobbying consulting work.

According to Newt, Rush Limbaugh needn't apologize for calling a 30-year law student a slut and a prostitute, and demanding that she upload sex tapes for his and other taxpayers to enjoy.

The president shouldn't apologize for what the military does in any of those insignificant foreign countries, but should be accountable for situations beyond his control, such as gasoline costing over $2.50 a gallon.

I'm really tired of politicians demanding that other politician apologize for or repudiate this or that. Tell me why the other politician is wrong, but don't go into a long, moralizing harangue. And when someone does decide to apologize, don't go into a long, moralizing harangue about why he shouldn't.

We aren't 8 year olds forced by our parents to make apologies. We are supposed to be adults who are capable of deciding when to apologize and when not to. Let's try to treat one another like adults, and steer clear of the apology circus.

You're not the boss of me, so I'm not listening ...

Update 3/6/12. I just found a compendium of the 21 insults Limbaugh said about Sandra Fluke, the law student. Another indication that he's a shock-jock, not a political commentator.