An apology and a clarification

[adam-machiavelli]

A few years ago, due to my youthful immaturity and desire to get attention, I made a comment suggesting that the convicted terrorists now labeled by the media as the "Toronto 18" should have killed Stephen Harper. Many forumers were understandably concerned, surprised, even scared by this response (Looking back, I'm surprised I didn't get banned!), and one individual declared that he or she would boycott any discussion in which I engaged! While I often express my opinions on this forum in an abrupt and sometimes sensational manner, I quickly realized that that comment was outside the bounds of reasonable discussion. It was a stupid, careless, and damaging comment that would only bring Canadian political discussion closer to its horrific equivalent heard in America.

The reason I didn't apologize immediately was because I thought it would not matter in the long run. However, the comment has been weighing on my conscience. So due to no specific event in particular -simply me maturing and realizing that (especially in planning) it is just as important to maintain good relations with colleagues as it is to hear opinions different from your own, I would like to say that I am sorry if I offended civil people (which I hope is everyone) on this forum. I do not and have never seriously supported the murder of public and private individuals.

I cannot ignore the fact that I said that hurtful comment as it is saved in the depths of cyberspace forever (Considering many journalists' desire to humiliate public figures by publishing past mistakes, I probably won't ever be able to run for public office). However, I hope you can accept my sincere apology and know that it is truthful.

I may not fill my replies with the euphemisms found in typical Canadian discussion intended to cushion us and others from the harsh realities of the truth, but I do support reading, hearing, and writing a wide variety of civil and humane opinions on a wide variety of relevant topics and I hope you all do too.

[Aylmer]

Ummm... We forgive you?

We all say stupid things. I mean, does anyone remember when I banned myself for a month?

[RTWAP]

Originally Posted by Aylmer

We all say stupid things.

QFT.

[Dado]

With respect to your comments being saved in cyberspace, are they actually still on here?

I only joined in summer 2007 and I know for an absolute fact that the forum underwent a change sometime after that and that comments from before that time are no longer available. The searching system doesn't even allow one to go back more than 100 posts for any user. I even did a search for posts by you in which you used the word 'Harper' and I find only two: the one in this thread and one from the thread on the possibility of a 2008 General Election:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...5&postcount=12

You did talk about a coup d'état in there, though...


As an aside, it's frequently said that anything you write online is available for all time, and that's theoretically true and one should always take care with what one writes online, but the actual practical truth of the matter is that a lot of what one writes eventually disappears into cyber ether. Websites disappear, servers crash and lose data or they run out of space and delete old stuff. One can't rely on it, but it does happen.