opinions are like belly buttons

It's getting a little tiresome, all these opinionated people being forced to apologize.

You have Isaiah Washington, who apparently has a thing about gay people. He apologized and went to a hate rehab.

Barack Obama and John McCain think American lives have been wasted in Iraq. They're sorry they said that. Michael Richards throws around the "n" word and apologized. Oops! Mel Gibson thinks Jews are the cause of the the world's wars. Wow, I put my foot all the way down my throat with THAT one! Sorry!

Whatever the comment, these public figures have voiced their opinions, which may not be the same as your opinions. Perhaps these opinions could be considered hurtful.

But to mount this loud hue and cry for an apology is pointless.

These are opinions, and everybody has them. To force people to make insincere apologies for feeling the way they do is just stupid. What's the point? Do we really think these people are suddenly sorry for what they've said? Do we think they've really renounced feeling a certain way about gays or blacks or women or Dems or Repugs or Muslims or Jews?

John McCain and Barack Obama apologized for saying lives were wasted in Iraq. Well, lives were wasted in Iraq. Why is saying that something to apologize for? They don't mean that these lives were somehow lived pointlessly; in fact, just the opposite. These people were killed in a misguided attempt by our government to impose its agenda on a sovereign country. We have all lost the potential these people had. You could say they died for the good of our country, but does that make their lives any less wasted in the attempt?

As much as I dislike Anne Coulter and her ilk, she speaks her twisted mind and doesn't apologize. Good for you, Anne. She hates just about everything she doesn't agree with, and she's entitled to say so. Could you imagine how transparent and worthless an Anne Coulter apology would be? And happily, it's my opinion that she's a skanky, opinionated, worthless bitch.

And good for you, Tim Hardaway. You hate gays! You were quite adamant about it. To expect a heartfelt apology from you, when it's very clear how deep-seated your feelings are, is simply dumb.

Peter Pace thinks gays in the military are immoral, and I can only assume he thinks gays in the supermarket and gay CEOs are immoral too. That's his opinion, and he's sticking to it. Hey, Peter, no need to apologize! If that's how you feel, you're entitled to feel it! I and millions of others may think you're wrong, but I'd rather just think you're wrong than demand a lukewarm apology that only serves to make you look like a spineless kiss-ass, which, being the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, is not a good look for you.

So what's the alternative?

We all carefully edit ourselves before we speak our mind, ensuring that no one is offended? Who then determines what is offensive and what isn't? Who do we check in with first? Would dumb blonde jokes still be ok?

So, Mr or Ms. Public Figure, the next time you offer up another one of your dumb opinions, don't follow it with a dubious apology. I really don't have to care what you think or say or feel. I have my own opinions, which I mostly keep to myself.

Oh, except for just now.