An apology is in order

Gordon Meriwether
Published: July 9, 2008

Another Sunday afternoon spent at Dulles International Airport waiting for another delayed aircraft, this time to Los Angeles.

It’s the end of the Fourth of July weekend, and as expected the crowds are heavy with returning vacationers, most speaking a language I don’t understand. The delays, crowded terminals and uncomfortable airplanes occasionally get so bad that the airlines are forced to apologize out of decency and concern for their passengers, but more often out of concern for their stockholders and the bottom line.

Rare as they come, I find an occasional admission of fault and the promise to do better refreshing. This is a basic tenet of our culture. We all teach our children to apologize to the injured party when they do wrong, don’t we?

Apologies are a cleansing. Whether it’s an apology to a loved one, a friend, a stranger or God, apologies are the mulligan of life, a promise to do better, a human connection of pain and trust, and a source of bonding between the parties. Apologies clean the slate.

Apparently, this unfortunately does not apply to our leaders unless they have been publicly exposed in an unforgivable act of sexual misconduct or bribery.

“A violation of the public trust” is how it is always labeled.

It’s unfortunate that our leaders can’t see the value of an apology, especially when they have so much to apologize for. Instead, they race for the end of their terms in office with the hope that a book is in the offing that will set the record right or history will be a kinder judge of their legacy than the current polls. But no apology is forthcoming.

Plenty of excuses and blame, but no apology.

But today an apology is in order. An apology to our children and future generations for the mess we — my generation — has made of our nation and our world. Our greed and arrogance have left a mess that I fear may be our undoing. 

The lack of a simple apology by public figures has conse-quences that may not be apparent, but eroding to the fabric of our nation just the same; eroding our values, making lies the truth, immoral behavior acceptable, violation of our laws legal.

When their decisions result in today’s chaos, rather than apologize our leaders hide behind national security, the free market or even word games. But the need for a cleansing apology becomes clearer each day.

Our leaders may not understand the benefits of a good old fashioned apology, but I do. And whether I like to admit it or not, they are my leaders. I believe somebody needs to apologize to our children, why not me? I beg your patience and indulgence in what follows.

Let me apologize for choosing to ignore the scientific warnings of global warming, for the lack of an energy policy and $4-plus per gallon gasoline, for the economic mess and runaway deficit, for the high price of food and the mortgage crisis, for not doing the homework and then sending our troops into harm’s way based on a guess, for cowboy diplomacy, “mission accomplished” and “bring it on,” for blurring the lines of justice for political ends, for lack of an immigration policy, for under funding our educational system and finally for not trusting the American people.

I hope you children will accept my apology. I promise to do better in the next four years.

I promise not to look the other way when I see the potential for a train wreck. I promise to question everything and accept nothing on face value. I promise to openly and respectfully debate all the issues, accepting the outcome as the will of the people, and I promise to occasionally apologize for my failings in judgment.

Gordon Meriwether is an independent columnist who lives in Culpeper. He appears every other Thursday in the Star-Exponent. E-mail