Sorry for all the wrong reasons

I read a story on the CNN website, “Turner Broadcasting ready to pay for Boston Sign scare” (linked via title bar). The city of Boston was nearly shut down this past Wednesday after it was reported that little boxes which began showing up all over the city might be some kind of terrorist related plot.

“Turner Broadcasting apologized for the incident. The company took out full-page ads in local newspapers apologizing to residents, according to the Boston Globe and the Boston Herald.”

"We never intended this outcome and certainly did not set out to perpetrate a hoax," the ad said. "What we did is inadvertently cause a great American city to deal with the unintended impact of this marketing campaign. For this, we are deeply sorry."

The advertising scheme which was responsible for the small boxes popping up everywhere had the image of an animated cartoon figure “flipping the bird” at those passing by in order to generate interest for some new adult programming.

When I was growing up I would say I was sorry anytime I got caught doing something I shouldn’t have done. I then got to listen to a familiar lecture, “Are you sorry you got caught or are you sorry you broke the rules?” When I said I was sorry it was because I got caught and continued to misbehave until getting caught again. Eventually I took to heart the lesson being taught and figured out that I needed to apply my efforts toward obeying the rules.

Does anyone else think it’s wrong to have an adult show, with who knows what other offensive material, that Turner Broadcasting Network should resort to “flipping” every one off who happens upon it, something they must think is rather funny? Maybe they could get Vice President Dick Chaney to do spot commercials, “Go F--- Yourself!”

No, it wasn’t ever intended to cause a public to panic. Those living in Boston are sheep that bleat at the least threatening sound; is it any wonder that they would panic when faced with such a stunt. Why would Turner Broadcasting Network be so quick to fork over money for reimbursement to emergency crews dispatched in efforts to “save the public” from a terrorist threat which never existed or a hoax which never was a hoax. It was a publicity stunt that went badly, not because anyone was offended for having been “flipped off”, but because it scared the sheep.

I wrote about “Symptoms of Decay” (link below) in our society this past week. This is just another example and validates what I had to say in that article. “Ted, your apology is not acceptable, try again when you have had a chance to think it over. Now go to your room”; that’s what my mother would have said.

http://tfsternsrantings.blogspot.com/2007/01/symptoms-of-decay.html

This just in:

I shut down too soon, having found yet another article on CNN ( linked below):

“An officer who arrested a man for cursing in a public meeting violated the man's right to free speech, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.”

“The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court's decision that Montrose Township police officer Stephen Robinson had probable cause to arrest Thomas Leonard in 2002 when Leonard cursed while addressing the township board.”

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/02/02/Profanity.arrest.ap/index.html