You would think by now that it would be pretty clear that some things are not funny and that no sensible person these days would do them because they are offensive. And yet, some people still do not seem to have got the message.
One group of high school students in North Dakota thought that it would be hilarious to don KKK hoods and robes at a hockey game. But in their defense, these were young people who sometimes do not consider all the ramifications of their actions and, on the plus side, other students near them immediately told them it was offensive and they removed the attire. So that is a sign of progress, of a sort.
But what can excuse the behavior of an adult, a prominent New York City politician, who puts on blackface makeup and an Afro wig to attend a party, supposedly as a basketball player? How dense do you have to be to realize that that was not a good idea, especially when you live in a cosmopolitan area?
The politician has since ‘apologized’ in the “I’m sorry people were offended” format that has become popular among politicians.
Well Dov Hikind is not exactly a mental giant.
“I’m sorry people were offended” format that has become popular among politicians.
I thought the “taken out of context” excuse was popular with politicians.
Yes, but the second is a way of denying responsibility altogether while the first acknowledges the facts but tries to avoid a heartfelt apology for doing something wrong or stupid.
Dov Hikind isn’t just some thoughtless person who made a bad call. He is a dedicated racial supremacist. Hikind is active with the Jerusalem Reclamation Project, which aims to turn Jerusalem, or at least old Jerusalem, Jewish. His wife, Shani Hikind, runs the organization. Dov Hikind was formerly involved with the Jewish Defense League, a racist terrorist organization.
Interestingly, the article linked above says they only kept the hoods on for 30 seconds to a minute, but the UND student that snapped the photo says they kept them on for 10 to 20 minutes according to local reporting (happened in Grand Forks) http://www.wday.com/event/article/id/75848/
Looks like the students were / are being punished though -- http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/257498/publisher_ID/40/
I agree the first acknowledges the facts, but it is simply a ‘victim-blaming’ response not an apology in any form, heartfelt or otherwise. It’s akin to someone responding to my comment with ‘I’m sorry you are so stupid.’ They are not sorry and got in a bonus jab.