What's in an apology

Did anyone catch the non-apology, apology by the deputy prime minister on TV last night. Unfortunately most politicians are not wont to issue heartfelt apologies and are good at not taking full responsibility – ‘I was provoked’, ‘the intelligence was faulty’ – but wouldn’t it be more refreshing to see someone stand up and admit their failure, apologize from the heart, and change their behavior going forward rather than get all defensive (or aggressive even) seeing it as a character deficiency. Did you know Emperor Henry IV trekked across the Alps to beg for the Pope’s forgiveness after being excommunicated. Only after three days of kneeling in the snow did he finally convince the Pontiff to welcome him back into the Catholic Church. Can you see any of our leaders going to that extreme for a mea culpa?

An apology (if it is sincere) is worth its weight in gold. Our independence heroes even more than compensation want an apology from the British government for the unspeakable atrocities committed. The Australian government in 2008 gave a famous apology to the stolen generation of the Australian Aborigines - grown men were crying is how much that long overdue apology meant.

These days many people struggle to issue a simple, “Oh, I’m so sorry” when they do something wrong. Instead, they play the blame game. Everyone has had to apologise for one thing or another but how do you feel when someone gives a less than heartfelt apology, I know it makes me feel even more offended. An apology doesn't need to be long or repetitious. You just need to mean it, and to acknowledge that you were wrong - not that someone thought you were wrong.


You be the judge - the apology is in the first two minutes of this clip

Here are some more famous or is it infamous mea culpa’s


Minister Sally Kosgei apology


Tiger Woods apology - was he really sorry for what he did or getting caught?


Bill Clinton's apology


Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart's tearful apology