It has become fashionable to apologize in a formal and ceremonial way for ill deeds performed by ancestors. Specially selected apologists, awkward about apologizing for other folks’ past actions – feeling that since they were not involved originally, often do not feel right performing these latter day actions.  Sometimes there are strong memories of bad former times and a desire of some for retribution.

It may be necessary to do this but, of course, it should have been done much more quickly and acknowledged to be the crime it was at that time. Shame should be placed on those living while others who were harmed are still around to enjoy the retribution.  No one, except perhaps for miscreants, feel that forgiveness ends the bad feeling and the blot on those involved is erased.  We have long memories.

This is somewhat like the story about the President of a company telling his stockholders that he is so sorry that he did them wrong – that he is nothing, absolutely nothing, and he hopes to do better in the future.  The vice-President, sensing that the President has latched on to a way out of the pickle both have found themselves in for not carrying out the mandate of their jobs, thought he would get into the act.  He cried out, tearing his clothing in the process, that he was nothing, worse than nothing, and he would do all that he could in order to restore confidence in the leadership in this company. It just so happened that the janitor who was sweeping up was inspired by these two confessions and decided he would get into the act.  He, too, proclaimed his sorrow that he didn’t sweep up fast enough or get into all those hard to reach corners and that, in the words of his bosses, he exclaimed.  “I am nothing for the lack of attention to my part of our business”.

The President and Vice-President looked at this late entry into the apology game.  The President was heard to say to the Vice-President – “Look who thinks he is nothing.” It is no laughing matter to look at someone with hurt in his eye and tell him words.  You cannot show that person that you feel like nothing.  You had nothing to do with the original crime or crimes that reverberate down to today but, perhaps the motions must be gone through even though no restitution is enough.

There are some basic rules about misbehavior.  One simple one expressed by a young inmate in prison that had just had an influx of teachers imprisoned by a judge for not going back to work after striking for a week to get the school board to sit down and negotiate a contract – he said “ If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime.”  Times change and what was once against the law is now lawful and vice-versa.  Declaring regret, particularly for something you never did and for something that should not have gone that far are just words. Formal and ceremonial apologies are just that -and way too late.