Frankly, it would be so much better to become conscious and act in a more decent manner in the first place and to avoid so much grief. The most immediate remedy that comes to mind is that the people who make the rules and decisions for us should also be directly affected and experience the consequences. The fact that this seldom happens makes for an ease of detachment. In other words, if McNamara and his staff would have had to actually dodge the bombs and the bullets themselves, personally, the whole Vietnam story might have been different. And if the bishops and cardinals had had to exchange their lifestyle with Third World mothers and children for one day, the whole argument about birth control would have faded away.
Real life has a sobering effect and begets much wisdom.
Maybe someday soon wisdom will replace apologies. Martha Mendicino is a long-time resident and writer, and came to Athens by way of Vicenza, Italy, and Cleveland, Ohio. Write to her at 125 Brookwood Drive, Athens, GA 30605.