COME-TO-PAPA Apology from the New York Times

What do you make of this?

QUOTED IN FULL:

Apology

In 1994, Philip Bowring, a contributor to the International Herald Tribune’s op-ed page, agreed as part of an undertaking with the leaders of the government of Singapore that he would not say or imply that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had attained his position through nepotism practiced by his father Lee Kuan Yew. In a February 15, 2010, article, Mr. Bowring nonetheless included these two men in a list of Asian political dynasties, which may have been understood by readers to infer that the younger Mr. Lee did not achieve his position through merit. We wish to state clearly that this inference was not intended. We apologize to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong for any distress or embarrassment caused by any breach of the undertaking and the article.

NEW YORK TIMES "Correction" March 24 2010

SOCIAL JUSTICE: "the forced redistribution of wealth, with a hostility to individual property, under the guise of charity and/or justice." Glenn Beck

Social Justice entails a "forced" property redistribution?


Social Justice contemplates a "hostility" to individual property ownership?


Sure but only if, like Glenn Beck, you just make it up as you go along.
   


Compare the Beck nonsense with Pope Benedict XVI (Caritas in Veritate) - one of the most militantly conservative recent Popes: 


"It must be borne in mind that grave imbalances are produced when economic action, conceived merely as an engine for wealth creation, is detached from political action, conceived as a means for pursuing justice through redistribution."


(Both quoted by Jim Wallis, Huffington Post, March 24 2010)

"He was a better scholar than myself in college, a better athlete."

Maryland Senate President Mike Miller II, speaking in 2008, about why the Maryland Senate ought to vote to make his son a Judge:


"He was a better scholar than myself in college, a better athlete. He's much more compassionate than myself, and he'll be a better judge than I would be." 


Persuaded, the Maryland Senate, in 2009, voted to confirm the appointment of Mike Miller III to a judgeship in Anne Arundel County - even though three lawyers on the nominations commission resigned, objecting that Miller III was not qualified and also objecting to political interference with the nominations process.


Baltimore Sun, March 9, 2010
By Annie Linskey

“If you’re looking for a handout, you’re in the wrong end of town.”

At a recent anti-health-care-reform Tea Party protest in Columbus Ohio, a man was sitting on the ground with a sign that said he had Parkinson’s disease. A Tea Partier leaned over him and said, "If you’re looking for a handout, you’re in the wrong end of town.”

Bob Herbert, Op-Ed Columnist

New York Times

March 23, 2010 

Pope Benedict XVI: "Many of you found that, when you were courageous enough to speak of what happened to you, no one would listen."

Confronting a sex abuse scandal spreading across Europe,  Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday apologized directly to victims and their families in Ireland, expressing “shame and remorse” and saying “your trust had been betrayed and your dignity has been violated.  . . .  Many of you found that, when you were courageous enough to speak of what happened to you, no one would listen." . . . 

In 2001 the Vatican issued a directive by Benedict, then a cardinal, reiterating a strict requirement for secrecy in handling abuse cases. The directive also gave the authority in handling such cases to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; Benedict was prefect of the congregation from 1982 until becoming pope in 2005.

NY TIMES, March 20, 2010
by Rachel Donadio and Alan Cowell 

"BABY KILLER!"

Randy Neugebauer says he called out 'baby-killer' as Stupak spoke on House floor

Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-Tex.) acknowledged Monday  [MAR22 2010] that he yelled out "baby killer" toward Democrats during debate over a Republican abortion amendment in the final minutes of consideration of health-care legislation. 

The backbench Republican from west Texas said he has apologized to Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), who was urging the House to vote down the amendment when Neugebauer made his outburst.

Neugebauer said Monday that the debate brought out too much passion in his disagreement with the deal Stupak struck with Obama and congressional leaders over abortion provisions in the legislation.

"In the heat and emotion of the debate, I exclaimed the phrase 'it's a baby killer' in reference to the agreement reached by the Democratic leadership. While I remain heartbroken over the passage of this bill and the tragic consequences it will have for the unborn, I deeply regret that my actions were mistakenly interpreted as a direct reference to Congressman Stupak himself," Neugebauer said in a statement. 

The outburst drew immediate shouts of derision from Democrats in the House, but no Republican took ownership for making the comment and Neugebauer's GOP friends declined to identify him Sunday night.

Washington Post

March 22 2010

By Paul Kane