Apology Index: Recent Comments

Comment on Pope John Paul II Apology List

2008-11-23T20:36:00Z

And thank you for the reference! Took a bit of hunting to piece that together -- between news stories and Wikipedia you can assemble the list, but chasing down the dates of the original infractions is a royal pain...

Comment on Obama Apology to Nancy Reagan

2008-11-10T16:50:03Z

It's refreshing to see a politician who elects apology as the first resort, not the last. American leaders can always be depended on to do the right thing--after they have tried everything else. Obama seems to have the confidence to acknowledge mistakes when he makes them and take personal responsibility.

Comment on Southwest Airlines Apology to Allegedly Underdressed Passenger

2007-09-21T15:52:03Z

Michael -- Good points. Many businesses that serve the public do in fact post dress codes. It may be as simple as "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service" or requiring a jacket and tie to be seated for dinner. I have no quarrel with their ability to do so, nor even with an airline doing so. Given that societal standards and individual taste (or lack thereof) in what is appropriate public dress have grown increasingly lax, there may well be a place for privately imposed dress codes. Of course, any business imposing a dress code must balance its desire to set standards with those of its customers. If you require a tie and no one wants to wear ties, you may soon find yourself out of business. Where Southwest ran into a buzz saw was the apparent arbitrary application of dress standards. While it is true we are probably not seeing Ms. Ebbert exactly as she appeared on the flight that day, once the story passes into the realm of public perception that almost doesn't matter from a damage control perspective. She took control of the narrative and Southwest got themselves cast as the heavy. Southwest obviously believes they were in the right and apologized only grudgingly in an effort to make the whole thing go away. Which it will, because OJ Simpson is back in the news.

But all that said ... thank you for being the first person in history to post an official comment here on Apology Index!

Comment on Southwest Airlines Apology to Allegedly Underdressed Passenger

2007-09-21T14:44:32Z

The angle that we don’t want an airline policing attire unless there is a dress code is the exact reason we need to pay attention to this closely. Do businesses need to post dress codes now? The more codes and laws we demand the less freedom we really have.
I watched Kyla on Dr. Phil receive her apology which she now claims was not good enough because of its word play.
I’ve been playing devil’s advocate with Kyla Ebbert’s story since I read it last week. And I find myself asking questions which lead me to seriously consider if the airlines acted justifiably. The outfit we see Kyla wearing on The Today Show and in The San Diego Union-Tribune is now in its most conservative state. In all likelihood the skirt was higher and the shirt was pulled down so the public could admire the new breast augmentation. While watching the clip from The Today Show I could see clearly see the crotch of Kyla’s white panties.
Remembering this is in its most conservative state we have to ask ourselves to what degree could this same outfit be in its most liberal state. Is it possible she wasn’t wearing panties? Is it possible her wardrobe was inappropriate? This is a good story because of its shock value and because it involves a local, young college co-ed. If a 300lb man were sitting next to me on a plane in nothing more than a Speedo I would ask a representative of the airlines to address the situation. Is it illegal? No. Inappropriate? Yes.
If a passenger boarded the plane wearing a shirt with a swastika logo, I would be offended even though that original symbol is thousands of years old its Nazi implications are overt. It is implied that we as individuals use good judgment when interacting with each other. And when someone doesn’t show good judgment, as is very possible in this situation, we ask a representative of the business to use their good judgment on our behalf. If you go to original Kyla’s myspace page, the first photo she chooses to represent herself is her in a black bra and black panties wearing high heels with a few friends dressed the same way.
What we are doing by giving Kyla so much attention for this story is encouraging some of the same behaviors many of us find nauseating: Litigation because a business refuses to apologize for using what may have been good judgment. Does every business and public place need to outline a proper dress code? If we keep flaming this story from the perspective that Kyla is a victim of big business without first giving the airline the benefit of doubt, we are doing all of ourselves a disservice. It seems to me Kyla enjoys using her new breasts and her body, in general, to get attention and financial reward: her myspace page, Hooters, the lack of wardrobe, her many flights via Southwest, etc… And that is fine in the appropriate venues.
She is making the circuit on as many of the media outlets which will have her before she ends up nude in December’s issue of a men’s magazine. But before we all feign outrage, I s