For massacring hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians, abusing between 100,000 and 200,000 Korean “comfort women” and rewriting history books to suggest it never happened: Japan says, “Not sorry” for years. Finally, in 1998, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto apologizes. Sorry, too late. 0, 0 and another 0.
For mistakenly slaughtering 500 livestock because officials misread a map reference: “Mistakes are made,” quoth Britain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. No bowing to peer pressure here. But then, it’s only animals. 2.
For midair spy-plane collisions: “We’re very sorry” (for the accident, whoever was at fault) and “very sorry again” does the trick for Dubya. China is happy to interpret that as it will. 4 for effort but a 10 for perfect obfuscation.
For the massacre of more than 1,500 Polish Jews in 1941 by the Nazis: “We cannot apologize until the Jews apologize for turning over their Polish neighbors to the Soviets,” said Catholic priest Edward Orlowski. His superiors quickly promised a formal apology later this month, with or without the tit for tat. 0+10/2=5.
For covering up a tragic explosion in a village school that claimed 42 lives: “I want to apologize and reflect on my own work,” said Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji. Accountability and apology. Not bad, especially for Beijing boss. 8.5.
For slavery: Bill Clinton admitted that “we were wrong” for ignoring the slave trade and its crimes committed 100 years before his time. He learned that people love a good apology, though. More “sorrys” flooded in soon after, as Bad Ole Bill’s ratings soared. Shrewd politics indeed. 9.
For sins against Orthodox Christians since their split from the Roman Catholic Church in 1054: “May the Lord grant us the forgiveness we beg of him,” pleaded Pope John Paul II during last week’s historic visit to Greece. He expressed “deep regret” and even offered an olive branch. He’s sorry for an entire millennium of misdeeds. How do you top that? A perfect 10, padre!
