Apologies...
There are quite a few articles I've been reading lately where people say something they shouldn't have, specifically in the cases I usually see where someone used an anti-gay slur where they shouldn't have, and it's the same response every time. "I'm sorry if people were offended, or if I offended anyone I am sorry.
Are either of those really apologies? Now maybe I'm just being a hypersensitive little whiner, I do that sometimes, but in my opinion when the conditional "if" makes an appearance, it's not really an apology. When I read something like that, I read it as you saying that you apologize under the condition that someone was offended, however, if you weren't kindly disregard this apology, because it's really what I think.
For example, there's this article about, surprise surprise, someone from the WWE using an anti-gay slur. http://www.towleroad.com/2011/03/wwe-commentator-.html. It doesn't exactly fit my conditional if criteria, but he's not fully admitting that what he said, was wrong. He's only saying that he doesn't want people to be offended by it. Specifically, I'm citing his response, which can be found in the article:
"“I apologize to any and all who were offended by my tweet toward young Josh Mathews,” Cole wrote. “It was obviously not meant the way it was taken.”
At the same time, I realize this could be read at his apologizing to those who were offended, and why would you need to apologize to people who were offended. Maybe what bothers me is just his last sentence. What other way can you take calling someone that? Unless you're gay yourself; then it can be seen as reclamation of the word, there's pretty much no excuse for using the word. Even in some circles of friends, it's unacceptable to use the word. I use it only when I'm around people who know what I mean, exactly. Usually only joking with my brother.
So am I being hypersensitive, which as I said is a real possibility.
PS. As a reference, this article here: http://www.izzoiz.com/2011/03/illinois-sheriff-regrets-anti.html, that is how you apologize in such a case as we are discussing.
Are either of those really apologies? Now maybe I'm just being a hypersensitive little whiner, I do that sometimes, but in my opinion when the conditional "if" makes an appearance, it's not really an apology. When I read something like that, I read it as you saying that you apologize under the condition that someone was offended, however, if you weren't kindly disregard this apology, because it's really what I think.
For example, there's this article about, surprise surprise, someone from the WWE using an anti-gay slur. http://www.towleroad.com/2011/03/wwe-commentator-.html. It doesn't exactly fit my conditional if criteria, but he's not fully admitting that what he said, was wrong. He's only saying that he doesn't want people to be offended by it. Specifically, I'm citing his response, which can be found in the article:
"“I apologize to any and all who were offended by my tweet toward young Josh Mathews,” Cole wrote. “It was obviously not meant the way it was taken.”
At the same time, I realize this could be read at his apologizing to those who were offended, and why would you need to apologize to people who were offended. Maybe what bothers me is just his last sentence. What other way can you take calling someone that? Unless you're gay yourself; then it can be seen as reclamation of the word, there's pretty much no excuse for using the word. Even in some circles of friends, it's unacceptable to use the word. I use it only when I'm around people who know what I mean, exactly. Usually only joking with my brother.
So am I being hypersensitive, which as I said is a real possibility.
PS. As a reference, this article here: http://www.izzoiz.com/2011/03/illinois-sheriff-regrets-anti.html, that is how you apologize in such a case as we are discussing.