2008 Woodie Awards
Nothing to apologize for
Gregory Pratt
Issue date: 5/5/08 Section: Opinions
One of my favorite albums is Kimya Dawson's "I'm Sorry That Sometimes I'm Mean." It is worth listening to because it is good music but also because it is an honest and occasionally cheeky discourse on human existence. Dawson isn't actually sorry that sometimes she's mean. And I, like anyone, am capable of a good pejorative comment. I recently made the remark to a friend that a man I am not fond of will wind up working as a "modeler of cheap underwear." Someone overheard the quip and interjected. "Well, that's just your opinion."
"Who else would I be speaking for?" was my response, and that was that.
When Harry Truman became President, he had a confrontation with the Soviet ambassador over their refusal to follow the Yalta Conference. The ambassador protested Truman's blunt criticisms, declaring that he had "never been spoken to like that before!" Truman countered that if he would carry out his agreements, he wouldn't be spoken to like that. And that, as they say in Missouri, was that.
Pedro Martinez, who dominated baseball as a pitcher in the 1990s and early 2000s, was once asked by a reporter about "The Curse of the Bambino" that had allegedly kept the Boston Red Sox from winning a World Series since the 1910s. This was after a particularly frustrating night for the Red Sox, and Martinez told the reporter "I'm starting to hate talking about the Yankees. The questions are so stupid. They're wasting my time. It's getting kind of old. I don't believe in damn curses. Wake up the damn Bambino and have me face him. Maybe I'll drill him in the ass, pardon me the word." As they say in the Dominican Republic, eso fue eso.
On the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq, a good friend of mine had harsh words for me due to our disagreement on the conflict. He later sent me an e-mail apologizing. I told him he had nothing to apologize for, because if you can't tell your friends that you think they're wrong, then who can you tell?
Now don't get me wrong, I am not a man who goes around with willy-nilly belligerence in an attempt to "blast the truth" or whatever it is loudmouths think they're doing. I happen to believe there is great wisdom in Publius Ovidius Naso's admonishment that "it is annoying to be honest to no purpose." But I also think we must be honest about our strengths, weaknesses, feelings, thoughts and goals if we are to ever achieve anything, and that truth is something we all need.
"Who else would I be speaking for?" was my response, and that was that.
When Harry Truman became President, he had a confrontation with the Soviet ambassador over their refusal to follow the Yalta Conference. The ambassador protested Truman's blunt criticisms, declaring that he had "never been spoken to like that before!" Truman countered that if he would carry out his agreements, he wouldn't be spoken to like that. And that, as they say in Missouri, was that.
Pedro Martinez, who dominated baseball as a pitcher in the 1990s and early 2000s, was once asked by a reporter about "The Curse of the Bambino" that had allegedly kept the Boston Red Sox from winning a World Series since the 1910s. This was after a particularly frustrating night for the Red Sox, and Martinez told the reporter "I'm starting to hate talking about the Yankees. The questions are so stupid. They're wasting my time. It's getting kind of old. I don't believe in damn curses. Wake up the damn Bambino and have me face him. Maybe I'll drill him in the ass, pardon me the word." As they say in the Dominican Republic, eso fue eso.
On the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq, a good friend of mine had harsh words for me due to our disagreement on the conflict. He later sent me an e-mail apologizing. I told him he had nothing to apologize for, because if you can't tell your friends that you think they're wrong, then who can you tell?
Now don't get me wrong, I am not a man who goes around with willy-nilly belligerence in an attempt to "blast the truth" or whatever it is loudmouths think they're doing. I happen to believe there is great wisdom in Publius Ovidius Naso's admonishment that "it is annoying to be honest to no purpose." But I also think we must be honest about our strengths, weaknesses, feelings, thoughts and goals if we are to ever achieve anything, and that truth is something we all need.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
kimya
posted 5/06/08 @ 5:17 PM CST
actually...i am sorry that sometimes i'm mean.
Gregory Pratt
posted 5/07/08 @ 1:31 PM CST
I hope you are.
jan
posted 6/07/08 @ 10:09 AM CST
Yes it's true people are mean and nasty,But it only goes 2 show u that u haven't looked in the mirror and discover 2 see who u are.I feel that people should mind their own bussiness and keep there bad comments 2 their self and this world can get along well try doin something willing that u can be remember fom the good things u sad and did not the bad because it will comeback and hurt u later. (Continued…)
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