There has been a lot of chatter about President Obama's "apology
tour" in Europe and then in Latin America, the latter being
particularly distasteful given the assortment of neo-Marxists and
dictators whom he had to endure.
I guess confession is good for the soul. I am still holding out
for an apology from the Queen of England for the Irish Potato
Famine. I think it would do Her Majesty good.
Yes, there are many things for which all Americans should show
remorse. Here are a few of my priorities for some all-American
groveling before the rest of the world.
Americans really need to show some abject sorrow and regret for
hoola-hoops, Pet Rocks and Veg-a-matic commercials.
Every citizen of every city in the American League should rend
their garments for the designated hitter rule. This will, of
course, entail explaining the game of baseball to an
international audience, which could present some problems, but
the purging of our national soul on this most grievous of sins
will be well worth the effort.
Every American -- every single one of us -- needs to prostrate
him or herself in atonement for soap operas and televised
bowling.
Red-blooded fishermen and women need to show some real remorse
for televised bass fishing tournaments on Saturday morning TV. On
second thought, maybe we all should just apologize for American
television, period.
We all need to utter a heartfelt Mea Culpa for Oprah,
Dr. Phil, and all purveyors of personal advice even if we never
studied Latin in high school or were altar boys before Vatican
II.
Hollywood should hang its head in shame, shame I say, every time
they produce another sequel to one of their boorish,
unimaginative, technology-dependent, shoot-'em-up, blow-'em-up,
over-sexualized blockbusters. OK, OK. I will make an exception
for the Jason Bourne movies.
The entire American political establishment should exclaim a
great big "I AM SORRY" for the Internal Revenue Code, trial
lawyers (until you need one), and the Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) for frisking grandma at the airport.
By now you are probably getting the hang of this. There is so
much out there for which we, the descendants of Pilgrims, huddled
masses, pioneers and assorted immigrants and exiles from foreign
shores should seek forgiveness. The President may have to
schedule a worldwide tour to completely purge the American soul.
Maybe he will get off with just an Our Father, Hail Mary, and a
Glory Be.
TAS readers are encouraged to send in their suggestions
for the American Penitential Registry today! Let's keep this
going and support our President.
About the Author
G. Tracy Mehan, IIIserved at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the administrations of both Presidents Bush. He is a consultant in Arlington, Virginia, and an adjunct professor at George Mason University School of Law.
We should apologize to all the people who look to America for
hope and the possibility of being freed from oppression. We can
tell them that we haven't forgotten them, that we have only put
them on hold for the next four years. We should warn them, while
waiting, instead of elevator music, they will have to listen to
President Obama read endless platitudes off of his teleprompter.
Hopefully they won’t hang up.
Sean's Nightmare| 5.11.09 @ 9:40AM
How's the Kool Ade, Sean? Tin foil hat on a little too tight? Off
your medication? Mommy didn't tuck you in last night? Still
suffering from 'brain envy'?
I'd like to smack you in the head with a clue by four and see if
it shakes you out of your ignorance. Doubtful.
Appleby| 5.11.09 @ 10:47AM
(1) Apologize for Twitter. A generation that thinks "tweet" is an
acceptable substitute for "tell" is truly for the birds. And
while you're at it, apologize for a generation turned loose with
a spray can that cannot even spell f**k (there's a 'c' in it,
nimrod).
(2) Apologize for the fact that the only seven words comedians
can now use are the ones George Carlin said they couldn't.
(3) Apologize for all the Greenies that would rather OTHER PEOPLE
have parasites, bedbugs, rats and malaria than that anybody use
pesticides.
In fact, just apologize for the Greenies.
(4) Apologize for the undeniable truth that after having been
liberated since 1865, Black folks have still refused to get their
act together; in fact, apologize for the fact that virtually
every right White Folks died to procure for them is now
considered "acting White" by Black folks.
Ray| 5.11.09 @ 11:02AM
What we REALLY need to apologize for is the terrible blight that
American capitalism has brought the world. You know things like
TVs, Computers, Radios, Movies, Smoke Detectors, Light Bulbs,
Telephones, Cars, Trucks, Airplanes, X-ray Machines, Home
Printers, Fiberglass Insulation, Central Air Conditioning, and
everything other product we greedily inflict upon the innocent. I
mean, really, we'd all be SOOOOO much better if we were living
short, labor intensive lives sleeping in wooden shanties, cooking
our food over a central fire place, hoping that the nightly
candle, oil lamp, or lightning dosn't set off a fire that wipes
out our entire city in conflagration. Like was so much better
before American capitalism became the dominant financial system
in the world today.
Michael L. Hauschild| 5.11.09 @ 11:49AM
Being from Nebraska I feel I should apologize to all
conservatives about Chuck Hagel, but then again not nearly as bad
as Californians need to make amends for Austrian weightlifters
Ned| 5.11.09 @ 11:56AM
Apologize to the South Koreans for ruining their view of the
nighttime stars by introducing them to capitalism and
electricity. The lucky folks in the North can easily view the
beautiful stars of the dark night as they sleep on the cold
ground dreaming of eating a bowl of rice, or anything else for
that matter.
John II| 5.11.09 @ 12:04PM
We should apologize to:
--the Cuban people, Palestinian people, Venezuelan people,
Nicaraguan people, Iranian people, and God knows how many other
people for sucking up to the creeps who control the lives of all
those people
--all sensible people all over the world for permitting Hollywood
and electing Barack Obama to represent America to those people
Tom | 5.11.09 @ 12:35PM
He could have apologized all he wanted when visiting Europe. All
he had to do was visit two places to subtly pay respects to
history. Normandy and Auschwitz. But, alas, he cut history class.
Old Texican| 5.11.09 @ 12:37PM
We Americans should apologize to the world that some fifty
million of us failed to go to the polls last November, thus
saddling the world with a new dark age and the end of pax
Americana if we don't stand up and just say NO!
Appleby| 5.11.09 @ 1:03PM
Apologize for the fact that the people who make Hot Wheels and
Matchbox cars made more money last year than Chrysler, GM and
Ford did. (Thank you, Neil Boortz).
Apologize for Al Franken and all who voted for him.
Apologize for Gary Bettman and for anybody who thought it was a
good idea to put a short wannabe American basketball guy in
charge of Canadian hockey.
Apologize for Mrs. Obama wearing $540 sneakers when she went to a
homeless shelter to serve the homeless with food donated by
people she publically sneers at and scorns. And while you're at
it, apologize for her sneer that the $600 sent to my parents as
stimulus money would be spent on earrings. In fact, they spent it
on funeral plots in a Veterans Cemetery, where they will rest
because Daddy went to war for her sorry a** Mama.
Apologize for buzzing New York City in your New Ride, just
because Rahm Emanuel thought it would be fun to see the white
folks scurry out of the tall buildings like cockroaches in his
home ghetto.
Tim| 5.11.09 @ 1:21PM
Apologize for the baby boom generation (cue 60's montage and "all
Along the Watchtower").
Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater| 5.11.09 @ 1:44PM
Apologize for this abysmal attempt at humor. NOW.
Aaron| 5.11.09 @ 2:23PM
The AMC Pacer
Jimmy Carter
Farrah Faucet's televised heroine induced body painting
Jane Fonda
and... Mullets!
I appologize for the rude comments by poster Sean aka pumpkin
peter eater. I appologize that they had to post it twice when it
was not even funny the first time.
I appologize for letting our kids grow up in an ineffective
education system that turned them into hateful, narrow minded
people with little to no faith in a higher power to help govern
their values and morals. Hopefully into their adulthood they will
come to respect each other and to respect the sanctity of life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Before it is too late.
spacetuna| 5.11.09 @ 5:38PM
I apologize to my boss for wasting time reading cool websites
like the American Spectator when I should be working.
ben| 5.11.09 @ 7:26PM
We should apologize for living our lives how we see fit and
wanting the freedom for others to do the same, and for not
submitting ourselves to the tyranny and oppression much of the
rest of the world knows. And then we should apologize for our
lack of understanding and compassion for their predicament.
stephanie| 5.12.09 @ 1:06PM
Tell it Appleby. Spot on sir/madam.
ds80| 5.12.09 @ 7:14PM
Here ya go, Barry O. Some more apologies to train your
teleprompter with:
(1) the Left apologizes for not aborting more conservatives
(2) the Left apologizes for the 1st Amendment, especially AM
radio
(3) the Left apologizes that the Republicans ended slavery
(4) the Left apologizes for having to tolerate religion,
especially Judaism and Christianity
Sean| 5.11.09 @ 7:43AM
Apologize for this abysmal attempt at humor.
Ned| 5.11.09 @ 9:24AM
We should apologize to all the people who look to America for hope and the possibility of being freed from oppression. We can tell them that we haven't forgotten them, that we have only put them on hold for the next four years. We should warn them, while waiting, instead of elevator music, they will have to listen to President Obama read endless platitudes off of his teleprompter. Hopefully they won’t hang up.
Sean's Nightmare| 5.11.09 @ 9:40AM
How's the Kool Ade, Sean? Tin foil hat on a little too tight? Off your medication? Mommy didn't tuck you in last night? Still suffering from 'brain envy'?
I'd like to smack you in the head with a clue by four and see if it shakes you out of your ignorance. Doubtful.
Appleby| 5.11.09 @ 10:47AM
(1) Apologize for Twitter. A generation that thinks "tweet" is an acceptable substitute for "tell" is truly for the birds. And while you're at it, apologize for a generation turned loose with a spray can that cannot even spell f**k (there's a 'c' in it, nimrod).
(2) Apologize for the fact that the only seven words comedians can now use are the ones George Carlin said they couldn't.
(3) Apologize for all the Greenies that would rather OTHER PEOPLE have parasites, bedbugs, rats and malaria than that anybody use pesticides.
In fact, just apologize for the Greenies.
(4) Apologize for the undeniable truth that after having been liberated since 1865, Black folks have still refused to get their act together; in fact, apologize for the fact that virtually every right White Folks died to procure for them is now considered "acting White" by Black folks.
Ray| 5.11.09 @ 11:02AM
What we REALLY need to apologize for is the terrible blight that American capitalism has brought the world. You know things like TVs, Computers, Radios, Movies, Smoke Detectors, Light Bulbs, Telephones, Cars, Trucks, Airplanes, X-ray Machines, Home Printers, Fiberglass Insulation, Central Air Conditioning, and everything other product we greedily inflict upon the innocent. I mean, really, we'd all be SOOOOO much better if we were living short, labor intensive lives sleeping in wooden shanties, cooking our food over a central fire place, hoping that the nightly candle, oil lamp, or lightning dosn't set off a fire that wipes out our entire city in conflagration. Like was so much better before American capitalism became the dominant financial system in the world today.
Michael L. Hauschild| 5.11.09 @ 11:49AM
Being from Nebraska I feel I should apologize to all conservatives about Chuck Hagel, but then again not nearly as bad as Californians need to make amends for Austrian weightlifters
Ned| 5.11.09 @ 11:56AM
Apologize to the South Koreans for ruining their view of the nighttime stars by introducing them to capitalism and electricity. The lucky folks in the North can easily view the beautiful stars of the dark night as they sleep on the cold ground dreaming of eating a bowl of rice, or anything else for that matter.
John II| 5.11.09 @ 12:04PM
We should apologize to:
--the Cuban people, Palestinian people, Venezuelan people, Nicaraguan people, Iranian people, and God knows how many other people for sucking up to the creeps who control the lives of all those people
--all sensible people all over the world for permitting Hollywood and electing Barack Obama to represent America to those people
Tom | 5.11.09 @ 12:35PM
He could have apologized all he wanted when visiting Europe. All he had to do was visit two places to subtly pay respects to history. Normandy and Auschwitz. But, alas, he cut history class.
Old Texican| 5.11.09 @ 12:37PM
We Americans should apologize to the world that some fifty million of us failed to go to the polls last November, thus saddling the world with a new dark age and the end of pax Americana if we don't stand up and just say NO!
Appleby| 5.11.09 @ 1:03PM
Apologize for the fact that the people who make Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars made more money last year than Chrysler, GM and Ford did. (Thank you, Neil Boortz).
Apologize for Al Franken and all who voted for him.
Apologize for Gary Bettman and for anybody who thought it was a good idea to put a short wannabe American basketball guy in charge of Canadian hockey.
Apologize for Mrs. Obama wearing $540 sneakers when she went to a homeless shelter to serve the homeless with food donated by people she publically sneers at and scorns. And while you're at it, apologize for her sneer that the $600 sent to my parents as stimulus money would be spent on earrings. In fact, they spent it on funeral plots in a Veterans Cemetery, where they will rest because Daddy went to war for her sorry a** Mama.
Apologize for buzzing New York City in your New Ride, just because Rahm Emanuel thought it would be fun to see the white folks scurry out of the tall buildings like cockroaches in his home ghetto.
Tim| 5.11.09 @ 1:21PM
Apologize for the baby boom generation (cue 60's montage and "all Along the Watchtower").
Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater| 5.11.09 @ 1:44PM
Apologize for this abysmal attempt at humor. NOW.
Aaron| 5.11.09 @ 2:23PM
The AMC Pacer
Jimmy Carter
Farrah Faucet's televised heroine induced body painting
Jane Fonda
and... Mullets!
political jules| 5.11.09 @ 2:52PM
I appologize for the rude comments by poster Sean aka pumpkin peter eater. I appologize that they had to post it twice when it was not even funny the first time.
I appologize for letting our kids grow up in an ineffective education system that turned them into hateful, narrow minded people with little to no faith in a higher power to help govern their values and morals. Hopefully into their adulthood they will come to respect each other and to respect the sanctity of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Before it is too late.
spacetuna| 5.11.09 @ 5:38PM
I apologize to my boss for wasting time reading cool websites like the American Spectator when I should be working.
ben| 5.11.09 @ 7:26PM
We should apologize for living our lives how we see fit and wanting the freedom for others to do the same, and for not submitting ourselves to the tyranny and oppression much of the rest of the world knows. And then we should apologize for our lack of understanding and compassion for their predicament.
stephanie| 5.12.09 @ 1:06PM
Tell it Appleby. Spot on sir/madam.
ds80| 5.12.09 @ 7:14PM
Here ya go, Barry O. Some more apologies to train your teleprompter with:
(1) the Left apologizes for not aborting more conservatives
(2) the Left apologizes for the 1st Amendment, especially AM radio
(3) the Left apologizes that the Republicans ended slavery
(4) the Left apologizes for having to tolerate religion, especially Judaism and Christianity