Revealing tirades can bring new year's resolutions

How many of our parents taught us to "think before you speak," that "you can never take back what you say" and that "what's in the heart and mind comes out of the mouth"? That's why excuses and apologies from Michael Richards and Mel Gibson are so hard to accept.

Is Richards a racist or Gibson a militant anti-Semite? Maybe; maybe not. But there is no doubt that in order for them to have lashed out in the ways they did, there is more to their sentiments than can be "excused" by either alcohol or anger. If they really don't believe or didn't mean what they said, why would their hateful speech ever have come out of their mouths?

Doesn't it seem as if anger and alcohol mean that with the guard down, the "true person" comes out - physically and verbally? How can they excuse their behavior with a simple apology? Now they are horrified at their actions - or perhaps more horrified that their true biased and bigoted thinking was on public display.

There is a fine line between being funny and being offensive; Michael Richards the comedian should know that. Gibson has been a public figure for a long time and has seen the public persona developing around him as an anti-Semite. Surely, he knows that. Is it better to have people simply think these terrible things about you because of perceptions you have created or for you to open your mouth and confirm those opinions, as Richards and Gibson did?

For sure, we are all different in many ways. New Jersey is one of the most diverse states in the country. We are different in our towns, workplaces, communities and schools. Differences hardly provide a green light for hate speech or for prejudice.

The American Conference on Diversity is dedicated to valuing diversity, educating leaders and promoting respect. Perhaps as we enter the new year, we can all learn something from Michael Richards and Mel Gibson. We can learn what not to do and how not to speak. And we can make a resolution with great meaning: to make our society more civil and respectful.

We would say Happy New Year to those commitments.

Diane Schwartz

president and CEO

The American Conference on Diversity

New Brunswick