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All apologies

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* Eric Zorn often writes about the ludicrous inadequacy of public apologies. As such, he has created some rules. For instance, apologies are necessary when you answer “Yes” to these two questions…

1. Did you or those who represent or answer to you do or say something that caused discomfort, or worse, to others?

2. Would you undo this act if you could?

* Apologies, he writes, are “worthless if they’re conditional.” For instance…

The grudging apology — “if anyone was offended …” — or the passive “mistakes were made” expression of blameless regret is simply churlish and not worth the time it takes to utter.

Zorn had a good takedown of a recent Illinois State Rifle Association “apology,” which you can read by clicking here. (On a side note, I’m not receiving any e-mailed ISRA rants lately. Either the group has been muzzled after its stupid rhetorical attacks on gun violence victims or I’m off its blast e-mail list.)

* Zorn writes today about an assistant Cook County State’s Attorney who called a couple of defendants “mutts” The state’s attorney’s office issued this statement…

“It was an unfortunate and inappropriate comment,” [Sally Daly, spokeswoman for Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez] responded. “The prosecutor apologized to the court immediately and we regret the statement.”

That seems like a reasonable apology to me.

* Which brings us to another apology. I told you the other day that state Sens. Marty Sandoval and Donne Trotter had sent a very harsh letter to the governor calling for the ouster of Dept. of Health and Family Services Director Julie Hamos. WUIS talked to Trotter…

Quinn’s office, however, says he still supports Hamos, which didn’t go over well with Sen. Donne Trotter, D-Chicago, who co-signed the letter.

TROTTER: “Hitler supported Goebbels too and his propaganda he was pushing forth during his crusade. So if this is the person, this is the face you want to represent your administration, then we need to get rid of both of them.”

Ugh.

That was just a stupid thing to say, and I told Sen. Trotter so not long after I saw the Public Radio story. Not only did he invoke Godwin’s Law, but Hamos is the daughter of Holocaust survivors.

Sheesh.

* Trotter said he was planning to write an apology. Here’s the beginning of what he wrote…

I apologize to Director Hamos.

My comments were inappropriate and wrong.

No weasel words. No qualifiers.

* But he’s obviously still upset about what Hamos and Quinn are doing, and he refuses to back down from that. The statement continues…

My focus will remain on the egregious disregard toward some of the most vulnerable people in our state: the mentally ill, the profoundly disabled, the sickest, the old and young.

Our state’s fiscal status should not result in the negligent disregard of our weakest.

Our governor’s mantra is “everybody in, nobody left out,” and now he is condoning leaving the weakest out.

Additionally, I would like to thank Chicago Jewish Federation President Steven B. Nasatir for calling for cooler heads and less rhetoric and for acknowledging that I have a history of speaking out against intolerance, something that I will continue to do.

The Jewish Federation had denounced Trotter’s comments shortly before he issued his apology. Trotter called the group’s executive director and apologized, then called Director Hamos’ cell phone and apologized on her voicemail. Hamos refused public comment on the matter yesterday.

Discuss.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 10:21 am

Comments

It was an inconceivably stupid statement and a reasonable apology. Still, the fact that he could even conceive of comparing Quinn to Hitler and Hamos to Goebbels is truly mind-blowing, even for Trotter.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 10:26 am
I think that another rule should be “if invoking Hitler seems like it will advance your argument, stop. Dont say anything.” This never works out well.

Comment by anon Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 10:27 am
not mind blowing at all-he has a history and he is what he is-move on and do the business.

Comment by cunobarragan Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 10:29 am
the last ten days of session — tempers flare, stupid comments are made, tensions are at their highest. What else is new?

Comment by Capitol View Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 10:32 am
Ms. Hamos’ agency will, I believe, be responsible for implementing the ACA, which will have a profound and very probably positive effect on all of the groups that Trotter et al are concerned about. So maybe they should let her get on with it.

Comment by cassandra Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 10:36 am
Rich

–On a side note, I’m not receiving any e-mailed ISRA rants lately.–

I haven’t seen any either so i am assuming someone woke up and decided to get rid of some of the crazy or i don’t know Read them first.

Comment by Mason born Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 10:38 am
It’s a real apology, but Hitler and Goebbels? How do you get there?

I have to admit, though, I called someone on here a “jihadist” a couple of weeks ago. That was stupid and wrong and I apologized unconditionally. So I judge not.

I thought the whole letter was a CYA exercise, anyway. It’s up to the General Assembly to provide the resources for services, and they have the power to do so. Tossing an agency director under the bus for budget cuts is pretty weak.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 10:43 am
I can speak from personal experience that Hamos and her top staff are implementing the cuts as required by the SMART Act as carefully and thoughtfully as possible. She has done a great job and her appointment in my opinion was one of Quinn’s best.

Comment by Just Me Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 10:45 am
With regard to the ISRA — sources tell me there was a lot of pressure on the ISRA to stay silent when the Newton victims came to town. No real apology for their earlier remarks, but at least they didn’t make the matter worse.

With regard to Trotter — he said something unbelievably stupid, but that’s the way to do an apology. I was really outraged when I heard his comments initially, but his response was appropriate. That’s rare. A lot of us say stupid stuff. Not many of us then stand up and say clearly and unequivocally that we were wrong.

Comment by HenryVK Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 10:47 am
thumbs up on Zorn’s criteria…

Comment by Charlatan Heston Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 11:04 am
Listen I was not a big fan of Julie Hamos when she was a Representative. I don’t think I ever saw her smile while she served as a Representative. I do have a great deal of respect for her as the Director though. She might have the toughest job on any state employee, and she goes above and beyond her duties.

Why Trotter is even making comments like this given his terrible lapse of judgement recently is baffling. Some legislators of certain caucuses have made terribly inappropriate comments towards other races in recent years and its got to stop. Some legislators think that they are insulated from blowback/accountability for their offensive comments because of their constituency.

Comment by Pepe Silvio Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 11:06 am
Not a criticism of Zorn in the least, but Richard Roepper has written about the “non-apology / blame-the-victim apology” many times in the past. Just giving RR some credit.

Comment by lake county democrat Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 11:15 am
The only apologies I offer are “I’m sorry that you are lilly livered and lack the intestinal fortitude of a grown up. Man-up or woman up.”

Comment by Wumpus Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 11:25 am
A rule for living - “If more people would keep their mouths and legs closed, the world would be a much better place.” And I include me, as I’ve had my share of blunders… But too many politicians don’t appear to have learned that lesson in any way, shape or form. It is much easier to not have to apologize…

Comment by ProblemChild21 Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 11:30 am
Hyperbole and inappropriate rhetoric aside, I really think the Senate Democrats are just plain wrong about Julie Hamos and HFS.

The legislature continues to cut funding and demand more for less. The agencies are trying to modernize and improve collaboration with our archaic care delivery systems - changes that are necessary. But sometimes change isn’t easy. But from what I see they are doing a good job.

Comment by siriusly Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 11:44 am
I am no fan of Hamos but she has been given an arduous task and is doing it well. It is a fact of life that cuts must be made at the agency and the propensity of them affect the Latino and African American constituencies of many in IL. I can see why the pols are upset, but instead of complaining, come up with a way to mitigate the cuts.

Trotter just cannot stay out of the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. I hope he is feeling ok.

Six more days to go….

Comment by Loop Lady Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 11:46 am
I concur with the person above who pointed out that the fact an apology is even necessary is the real issue. Whether it involves a friend, a business associate or a politician, that such statements even pop out are evidence that they were already part of the speaker’s inner bias and thought process. A filter against oopsies would not need to work for people if the thing that should have been filtered out did not already exist.

Comment by Responsa Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 12:35 pm
===the fact an apology is even necessary is the real issue.===

Yeah, because you’re perfect.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 12:38 pm
If more people would keep their mouths and legs closed, the world would be a much better place.

That would rule out at least four of the things I enjoy most in this world.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 12:40 pm
If I was unclear, the “apologies” I was referring to were the ones, especially Nazi references and other deeply hurtful ones such as are being discussed here. Not “sorry I forgot your birthday”.

Comment by Responsa Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 12:49 pm
The General Assembly voted for the biggest Medicaid cutbacks in history. Now Trotter and company blame Hamos for carrying out the cuts the legislature voted for. I guess that’s easier than taking responsibility for what the General Assembly did.

Comment by reformer Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 12:58 pm
====That would rule out at least four of the things I enjoy most in this world.

– MrJM ===

Perhpas, but we trust you to … whatever … responsibly.

Comment by titan Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 1:00 pm
=thumbs up on Zorn’s criteria… =

I agree. From what I remember, Eric Zorn issued a sincere, public apology to Jack Ryan on a certain matter. If memory serves well, he saw something that made him realize that his original assumptions were inaccurate and was kind enough to admit it when he could have just let it go as there was no benefit to him, other than correcting a wrong (which, unfortunately, doesn’t mean much to some).

But it did to him, and I’ve always admired Eric–greatly, for that.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 1:49 pm
Anonymous @ 1:49, I think this is what you’re referring to:

http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2005/07/22/index.html

Comment by ??? Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 2:40 pm
There’s no point in burying a hatchet if you’re going to put up a marker on the site.
~Sydney Harris

Comment by tomhail Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 2:54 pm
Cannot help but think of learning yesterday that Monique Davis referred to a Jewish doctor as “Dr. Bagel” during committee hearings a few years ago.

I hope she apologized just as Senator Trotter has.

But something tells me she probably did not.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 2:55 pm
Yes, ???. I didn’t want to get into the specifics of the matter, but that is the column. (And, just in case someone is planning to question or analyze certain portions of it, sincerity, etc., all I’ll say is that I will not engage in such discussions.)

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 3:05 pm
With all due respect to Zorn, even a meaningful apology is incomplete.

1. APOLOGY: Admit your mistake.
2. AMENDS: Fix any harm you have caused, if possible.
3. CHANGE: Do your best to make sure it never happens again.

Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 3:20 pm
Juvenal, are the you the Juvenal from “way back when?”

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 3:35 pm
(The “ghost” in the keyboard strikes again. Should have typed):

Juvenal, are you the Juvenal from “way back when?”

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 3:36 pm
Apologies for asking, Juvenal. I respect your privacy either way, and withdraw my question.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 3:44 pm
To “Formerly Known As” -

I doubt Davis did. The only article I could find on the incident was this one, and it sounded like she hadn’t:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1996-02-19/news/9602190087_1_chicago-teachers-anti-semitic-slur-president-of-northwestern-university

Comment by ??? Wednesday, May 22, 13 @ 3:49 pm