In late May, Japan's ambassador to the U.S. extended "heartfelt apologies" for the Bataan Death March of 1942, which killed thousands of U.S. and Philippine soldiers, proving anew that it's never too late to say you're sorry.
Last week, Wisconsin State Journal reporter Dee Hall was doing some research when she came across an Isthmus opinion column from April 2002. Entitled "The Importance of Being Sorry," it stressed the obligation of people in the justice system to admit when they're wrong and apologize, which hardly ever happens.
The column, by the guy who also writes Isthmus' popular "Watchdog" column, went on to criticize the ongoing probe into the caucus scandal bought to light by Hall's reporting, which had "no chance of leading to the successful prosecution of key legislative leaders." The writer added, parenthetically, "If I'm proven wrong about this, I will admit error and apologize."
Of course, that probe led to the incarceration of top legislative leaders, but the promised apology was forgotten. Let it be made now, to the world: The writer was wrong; the writer is sorry.