This will become known in history as the Apology Era. The era when politicians, comedians, TV personalities get caught in criminal misconduct & come out swinging in their defense with apologies while at the same time feigning ignorance about their crimes: the victims misunderstood their warm & huggy nature; their hands just accidentally fell down to women’s backsides; it was just a joke gone wrong–but golly they’re sorry the women took it wrong or can’t take a joke. Now the pope apologizes for legitimizing a fascist regime engaged in genocide as if an apology makes it all better.
Apologies are endearing. It means a man knows how to play humble-pie when he’s caught dead to right. But the best apologies come with prosecution–just so we know contrition isn’t a cynical career-saving move; just so we know that you know how it feels to be humiliated. Just so there’s a modicum of justice. Without accountability, stuff the apologies.