A Post Apology

I wrote a piece making fun of the fact that a Trig Palin joke was given as the reason that Sarah Palin left office. I wrote jokes that were offensive but my intent was for them to be ironic and therefore not offensive. I was wrong. Within ten minutes of my post I received some emails from the loved ones of the retarded and I saw that my piece was hurtful. Therefore, I removed the post right after receiving the first 2 emails.

I removed it immediately because I saw that it did not come across as I intended. I apologize to all of those who were offended.

Comments

[calamityjohn]

Thank you for your apology. Stating flat out "I was wrong" was certainly something that needed to be done. .. as a start.

The effectiveness of those three words was somewhat diminished for me by some of the other words in your apology.

"to all of those who were offended" ... that statement has a long history in such apologies .. and seems to imply that you are not sorry for your actions but you are sorry that the perspective of a group of people led them to be offended by your actions.

You also used the "irony" defense .. (most recently by Ben Stiller) .. this always seem to imply that those who may have been offended were only seeing the surface layer of your comments and did not possess the intellectual or literary intelligence to grasp the true irony underneath.

[BlackRabbit]

Sarah Palin is a grown women who chose to get into politics. Fire away at her.

But as David Letterman found out, LEAVE THE CHILDREN OUT OF IT. The fact that their mother is in politics, or that the children appear in photo ops, is not a license to make cruel jokes at their expense.

And Nelson, apologize to Trig explicitly, not just "all those who were offended." I know Trig won't be reading this, but it's the right thing to do.

[Conserv]

What would have happened if they went after the obama's offspring???

[KVB8]

For such a supposedly bright guy the original piece didn't show much intelligence, but kudos to you for issuing an apology of sorts.

Lacking that apology, if itt was an actual platform you could have been slated to fill the roll as the poster child.

;-)

[Potfry]

And here's another.

Dear Erik:

Take heart. Throughout time, all the brilliant writers were often rejected at first. The mainstream population simply couldn't appreciate their genius. You sir, have demonstrated literary bravery that will stand the test of time. Kudos, you monocled cherub, kudos.

[Potfry]

Here's one, Erik. Feel free to use it.

Dear Erik:

As President of the Retarded Americans Club, I want to tell you that I found your post absolutely hysterical, and I think I speak on behalf of all retarded Americans in saying that we can't allow a little thing like political correctness and decency get in the way of destroying Sarah Palin.

You sir, are a hero.

[PurplePeon]

Funny when you don't know right from wrong, and people need to tell you.

[missionmom]

Erik, I thank you for apologizing.
Before I had a child with special needs I probably went through life a little like you. I never gave people who were different any real thought. Now when I do go to Wal-Mart and see the greeters with special needs I think about their parents and how happy they must be that their kids are working and productive. Not all of us wish for our kids to be doctors or lawyers, or even bloggers. Some of us just wish for our kids to find any work that gives our kids a real some sense of accomplishment.
My daughter is a human being, with real feelings. She understands when you are mocking her. She's funny, she has lots of friends and she has a real life. Maybe not a life that would work for you, but a good life. She brings joy to everyone she meets. I think that is what Sarah Palin was probably trying to say (and I'm not a fan of Sarah Palin). My hope is that you learned something from this and will maybe even try and spend a little time with people who are different than you and me (maybe volunteer at Special Olympics?).
Anyway, it's not easy to apologize and I thank you for that. Maybe now you can work on Ben Stiller????

[jayjayga]

I think it's great that he apologized and that the offensive piece was removed. However, that apology doesn't take away the fact of who he must be inside to think that it was appropriate, ironic, or even remotely funny to write in the first place.

[16MPG]

Erik, I've lost all respect for you and writing after reading your 'retardation' hit piece on Sarah Palin. Not only was in insulting, it was hurtful. And a gratuitous political cheap shot. In spite of your lame apology, you did the deed and it speaks of a crippled mind and rotten soul.

[jlarue]

I am one of the relatives that emailed you. I was not offended..­.at least not to the extent that Palin offends me! I appreciate your willingness to admit you may have not quite expressed yourself the way you thought you should have.

[moyeti]

OK so you hate a politician more than you love your inflicted love one? What? Are you serious?

[Papa Joe]

Don't listen to the haters.... Sure the joke was unfunny and in bad taste, but that's all it was - a joke, nothing more and nothing less. I don't like what you said, but I will defend your right to say it. That is all. Thank you.

[been2there]

*Thank you for removing the posts. As Jesus might say, "Now, go on your way and sin now more."

[moyeti]

"now more" ? Quoting Jesus and you let a Freudian slip in? Nice work. What is that a signal to all that it is OK to replicate such hate? For what politics?

[ccahill]

Is it really necessary to attack someone just because they fat-fingered their post when they were typing?

[Joe Caps]

You should be ashamed.

[jasperjava]

He is. That's why he apologized.

[TerryOtt]

Maybe he's ashamed. Not clear. He says that he was wrong, that it didn't work out, and apologizes to those offended in spite of his intent.

Let's use the situation where a spouse apologizes:

"I slept with Suzabelle last night. I now realize it was hurtful but my intent was for just a secret fling. I was wrong. When seen through the window by our daughter, I realized it would be hurtful to you. I left immediately because my intended little harmless visit did not turn out as planned. I apologize to all who were hurt."

Frying pan to the face, justifiably.

He might want to try, instead: "I must live with the humiliating realization I made a choice so absolutely wrong. It shames me, and no amount of apologizing will ever be adequate. I now realize how hurtful it can be to do something like this, and to have that understanding driven home to me in this way is a terrible feeling."

Better? Now, let's rephrase Erik's apology:

"It's indefensible to disparage people who have done nothing to deserve it, not even in jest or with intended irony. I am ashamed to have crossed over that line in something I wrote. I can try to "take it back", but that doesn't change the hurtfulness. I will have to live with it, and sincerely apologize for my mistake. I hope never to relearn this valuable lesson."