UPDATE: With all the #riot apologies going on, I do feel it necessary to come clean and make my own apology: http://www.todbits.com/cerealriot
__________________________________________________
Yet another one of a growing number of rioting criminals who have posted “I’m so sorry” blog posts in the last couple of days. It’s pretty obvious they post these only when pretty much everyone knows they were involved.
In her blog post, she first apologizes, then spends the vast majority of the post defending her actions.
I posted the following on her blog, but my guess is she won’t publish my comment, so here’s what I wrote:
Thanks for the post. I’m sorry that you received hate tweets/email. I hope, in the interests of honest dialogue, you’ll elect to keep this comment on your site.
Fact is, I find it hard to believe an apology from someone who first apologizes, then spends the next 4/5ths of her essay defending her actions. It was alcohol. It was the mob. It was adrenaline.
No, I’m sorry, but it was just you.
You drank too much (by your own admission) and that made you do stupid things. Agreed. But don’t blame the alcohol as if it were controlling you mindlessly. You chose to drink. You chose to keep drinking past the point of logical reason and thought.
YOU made these decisions, not alcohol.
YOU chose to run into a store and steal, not “the mob.”“It was only theft,” you say. I think that speaks for itself as to the veracity of your “apology.”
And your line that “On any regular day I would not condone looting” is perhaps the most ludicrous of all. By extension of this logic, and your pages and pages of defence, it’s clear you believe there are certain days and certain conditions where looting is appropriate.
Let me speak on behalf of EVERYONE ELSE IN VANCOUVER when I tell you that, no, there are no conditions — no “other days” — in which what you did was appropriate.
Are there certain days when murder is appropriate? If you were a judge, would you accept a defence of “On any regular day, I would not condone murdering her.” No. You wouldn’t.
I’m glad you took this step toward reconciliation. I think perhaps you should re-consider your relationship with alcohol.
And I’m afraid I do hope you get the book thrown at you.
Tod, I think she is defensive in her post but rightfully so. We should accept her apology. She needs to take accountability. But her crime shouldn’t turn her into a social media punching bag.
I find the slander/libel (racist/sexist/idiotic) just as ugly as the rioting.
I hope she is mature enough to realize that she should never take insult if someone asks her about her involvement in the riot in the future.
If she gains anything from this experience, composure, self-possession and humility would be three things to look for.
I hope she never eludes the legacy of her actions – but I hope people can forgive her as well.
Hi JJ — always great to see your name around.
I’d like to accept the apology, but this isn’t one. Or, if it is, it’s disingenuous at best.
This reads much more like damage control than apology. One apologizes when one feels genuinely contrite — not, as is clearly the case here — when she’s been found out and simply wants to minimize the damage.
Her “apology” reminds me of those carefully worded missives from politicians who use phrases like “I’m sorry if anyone was offended…” That’s not an apology. This one may come closer, but I just don’t feel much sympathy for her — which, by her own admission — is partly what she wanted to receive by writing this.
If you are the JJ Lee I used to work with in the same building many years ago (not sure if I should say it here)… great to see your name! And I completely agree with your comment. Well said.
She made a huge mistake that may lead to a criminal record, but even our criminals should be treated with the same respect that every Canadian citizen deserves and not as you said, “a social media punching bag.” She should be punished according to the laws of Canada and not according to the laws of Joe Public as they, individually, see fit.
My thoughts exactly!
Great response, Todd. You nailed it.
I read Camille’s “apology” with bemusement. Do I feel she is sorry? It is difficult to discern because she does spend an inordinate amount of space defending her actions. Is she genuinely sorry for her actions or more sorry for actually being caught and outed by social media? I don’t know. I am certain she is sorry for being outed, losing her job, humiliating her family, drawing negative attention to her school and charity association. As for her actions: there is enough defensiveness in her words that give me reason to doubt her sincerity.
You read my mind!!
Where you read an apology I read an explanation for what happened. It seems that is a concept that is lost on many people in North America: That you can explain your actions without expecting this to be the end of it.
Furthermore. She has a point about the online reactions. Sending photos for ID purposes to the cops is one thing, posting them online, then posting name, addresses, places of employment etc. on websites is another. The latter actually being a criminal activity.
I also have to agree with her on that what she did was bad, but this new internet mob mentality from the self-righteous people who “try to do good” I find much more appalling. At least she has the excuse of the mob, what is the excuse of all those people sitting behind their computer, at home, trying to ruin peoples lives who by and far haven’t even been charged with any criminal activity much less convicted?
You can or can not accept her explanation and apology but that alone does not give you or anybody else the right to measure out your own justice on those who you perceive as having done wrong.
If you think a riot in Vancouver, which barely made the sports pages outside of Canada, then how do you think your own vigilantism will come across?
Here is my hope at the end of all this: Those who fell under the mob mentality will be punished to the full extend of the law, that goes for both those who rioted in the streets and those who decided to do it online. You both deserve each other.
Hi Michael — I’ll agree with you on one of your points. I don’t think this stuff should follow any of these people around forever, which Google has a way of doing, so I’ve removed her name from my post.
Her name is still attached to your post – check out your http:// address.
Thanks, good catch. I’ve changed the URL. Any visits with the old URL will redirect to this new one and won’t display her name in the Address Bar.
I think this public outing serves another purpose — maybe next time there’s a public event and people think of doing something stupid/criminal, they’ll remember that cameras are everywhere, remember this experience, and think twice.
Or, then again, perhaps they’ll just be bright enough to bring ski masks next time.
I completely agree with your first point. I am certain this event – and the public outings which have followed – will cause most people to think twice about participating in such lawless behaviour, but isn’t that in itself, disturbing? That they are only deterred because they think somebody will see them or catch them?
At the very least, if it is possible for such a horrible event to have a silver lining, a huge dialogue about the place of social media has opened up. I think we all have a lot to learn from the riots, whether we participated in the riots or participated in the discussion that has followed.Regarding the ski masks, I think the pre-meditated participants of the riots did bring ski masks anyway, but those “regular” citizens who were caught up in their extremely misguided frenzy, did not and would not in the future, bring ski masks, even in light of the public outings.As an aside, I think the issue of an individual’s moral compass should be brought into the conversation. In one YouTube video of the riot, I witnessed an inebriated man defend an overturned car and shout at people to disperse and discontinue their riotous behaviour. Even while intoxicated, this man’s moral compass was firmly planted on the lawful side of things. What I don’t understand is how, when intoxicated (or not), so many people were so easily lured to the lawless side of their morality? For me, the cheering throngs of onlookers has been the most upsetting part of this entire incident.
No kidding she has edited it since this a.m. Guess she realized the excuses and justifications just weren’t cutting it.
Yep. You can see the unedited version at
http://camillecacniouncensored.wordpress.com/2011/06/20/tell-us-how-you-really-feel/
—
apparently a parody site.
Similarly, the Water Polo athlete, in his “apology” goes to great pains to
tell everyone how he (well, his dad) petitioned the court to come out from
the young-offender ban so he could tell his story honestly.
Well, that and his full name and story had been reported everywhere.
I doubt he’d have done this had his name not already been out there.
There is a difference between an apology and damage control.
I guess what I just read is her updated apology. She did forget a few people on the list that should also be specifically mentioned: what about the visitors to our city, you know the people who booked their conference in a city they thought was safe and beautiful and fun; what about the people who worked hard all year and saved up to take their vacation here? They deserve an apology as well. Imagine being in a strange city and experiencing that violence?
I think her apology might seem somewhat meaningful if she could actually list some of the ways she affected others, the current form simply seeks to distance herself from her former associations as I am sure they have asked that she do. I would like to think she truly understands just how dangerous her acts were-not just to the people in the area but to anyone who needed emergency health care but had to wait because the emergency personnel were busy looking after the rioters. That is but one example but I don’t see any awareness of the real consequences in her post.
She notes that she will face consequences (and I suppose is already) but says nothing about how she will act to provide restitution to the community she created harm to. The harm is not limited to stealing something from a store-it goes so very much further than that.
I do agree with the comments thought that we need to be cautious about judging and convicting people without due process. Personally I wish that every person identified and properly found guilty of participating in any way in this riot would have to complete at least 10 hours per week of community service for at least two years.
Thank you!
awesome post!!
I stand by my original thought: Had these apologetic rioters not been caught would they still be apologetic? They’ve realized only after being identified that their own lives never mind the lives of their families, have profoundly changed & reputations compromised & even ruined. I would be sorry too.
This woman has extremely rotten character. If I didn’t think she was a despicable person before, I sure do now after having read her endless excuses of why her own actions weren’t her fault and that everyone is just being mean to her.
I personally think the girl could have apologised to the moon and back and people would still never have accepted it. They want her head and the heads of all the others on a stick and it is a ridiculous overreaction. I think these people should be prosecuted but not persecuted. I don’t want them to live ‘forever’ with the consequences of their crime, they should get the appropriate punishment and move on. A good lesson to all others.
Pingback: Matt Friesen
Pingback: brittanyyu
Tod, after lecturing someone on being individually responsible, it’s pretty ballsy to say you speak for everyone in Vancouver. Frankly, you don’t speak for me, so don’t assume that. Unless of course, you just got caught up in things. Then I forgive you.
Brian — Really? My statement does NOT represent your position on whether there are days or circumstances in which looting is appropriate? Okay then, if that’s your position, on which days is looting appropriate? Tuesdays? Fridays?
Pingback: bOB HOmer
Pingback: Klaus Schoenwandt
I feel like she is the last person that should tell anyone what they should and should not do. She certainly has no place in an “apology” throwing around Canadian ideals, and telling people to “leave our country”. Her thoughts and feelings are worse than her crime.
After reading all her opinions about everything, her critical, greater than thou attitude makes me queasy. Her essay is mistake number two, a mistake that makes it hard to be neutral. She probably won’t face stiff consequences – the court of opinion might be all there really is.
She states in there some where that she believes things were blown out of proportion because she has lived her life in a way that has made some enemies. First, that doesn’t sound apologetic, that sounds like “hey, what’s the big deal?” Second, if this is what she thinks an apology sounds like, I can see why people who have known her don’t like her. And I’m not being mean in that I think the long form essay are her real attitudes and opinions.
I don’t think she deserves threats and harassment… she does need a reality check, some humility – and maybe some authentic empathy. Her apology was a display of education gone wrong.
Pingback: Dan Udey
Pingback: Bret Taylor
Pingback: Corinna Carlson
Pingback: Jenny
Pingback: Ceci Graber
Pingback: Kelli - with an i
Pingback: Brynn Prince
Pingback: donnamatrix
Jail time fits the crime. Take out the trash. We all know she’s guilty, apology or not. Fast track her through the court system, punish her with some jail time. Give her a criminal record, smear her face like she smeared our beautiful city and then 20 years later when we forgot where we put the key, just apologize to her and blame it on the alch alch ah alch ah alcohol.
I’m sick and tired of punks with half a brain getting away with disrespecting everyone these days. It stems from really crappy parenting and children that have no motivation to learn how to do things the way it used to be, respecting elders and earning what you get. This obvious sense of entitlement is why this world is full of greed. We owe her nothing, nothing at all and she owes us everything.
It absolutely comes down to lack of respect and every single person that embarrassed us should be made an example of and prove that our criminal system isn’t a push over. I’ll gladly pay taxes to keep people like that in jail.
P.S. Give your jersey away.
Pingback: Rebecca Bollwitt
Pingback: Tim
Pingback: Leighton Matthews
Pingback: Stephen Phung
Pingback: Candace Koch
I did respond on her blog yesterday (read below) but the post was immediately deleted. I believe there is a ”sanitized” version of the apology that is a tad more contrite. The refusal to accept her role in the riot / looting speaks volumes.
My deleted post:
Very well written, which only goes to prove that you are well educated thief. How dare you pompously lecture your fellow citizens, for pointing out that you are a criminal (now a self confessed criminal). When you decided to loot and steal, you lost any right to criticize anyone who condemns your criminal behaviour. Your “apology” shows a distinct lack of humility and remorse.
Dear Camille:
The damage is done and it is probably much more severe than you anticipate and maybe even deserve.You justification that you did not steal “just took a souvenir” and that the size “42″ pants did not fit you or your father… suggests that you still do not get it. Your attempt to portray yourself as good in character flies in the face of your actions.Ok you were drunk and got “caught up” in the excitement.That does not excuse you!That does not make you and less a thief!That does not show you as having good judgment!That does not show you as having good character!As a former senior executive when making a hiring decision and given two choices of equal education and experience whom would I pick?The one with a clear record of good judgment or the weak one who went with the mob?The one with the morals to not steal or the one who stole goods she could not even use?The one who justifies theft because it was not as bad as burning a car or the one who did not participate and steal?The one who felt pressure to enjoy the moment by showing poor judgment and poor character or the one who did not? The one who embarrassed her family and upbringing or the one who did not?Sadly your poor judgment will have consequences and you will end up paying for a long time.Perhaps the only good to come out of this will be to teach a lot of young people to understand responsibility and go with their upbringing and not their selfish desire to please themselves. Personal responsibility is important and now your peers have help identify you and many others who simply have lost their moral compass. Our legal system has been too lenient on people who simply do not care. Bravo to the Facebook group for helping restore a sense of responsibility.
Lol she amended her apology post! Did you see?
She just cut out everything after the apology. Probably what it should have
looked like in the first place.
Pingback: Esther Schönwandt
Pingback: W Kris Kennedy