Fran O'Sullivan, that notorious "right-wing blogger" (Quote: Helen Clark, 2006) devotes her opinion-piece in this morning's Herald to the government's apology to Vietnam veterans.
Keeping Stock has already posted our opinion that Helen Clark did not go far enough in her apology to the troops. We concur with other commentators who agree that Helen Clark should not have used her speech to distance the government and the anti-war protest movement from fallout. We agree with other commentators who have criticised Clark for her pointed failure to use the word "sorry" at any point in her apology. We join those commentators who have applauded John Key for putting that part right in his speech in reply. We also agree wholeheartedly with Fran O'Sullivan when she states:
"If any politician was in a position to deliver a compelling and eloquent personal apology to the Vietnam soldiers it is our Prime Minister.
But instead of drawing on her own rich insights into why this group of New Zealand soldiers was so shamefully treated and for so long, Helen Clark delivered the bland words of a Crown statement."
As we opined at The Hive, the words of Sir Elton John seem to describe Helen Clark's attitide towards past wrongs:
"Always seems to me, sorry seems to be the hardest word"
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