Monday, April 14, 2008

Polly Makes Amends...

A very good friend of mine was recently asked to have a look at my VINCA Cards website and my blog; here on Polly's Peri-wrinkle's! His remit was to have a good look and then review it truthfully; providing me with the type of constructive critique which most people are too nice to give.

Knowing just how candid my friend can be, it came then as no surprise that he had a number of suggestions to make in relation to both 'sites'; much of which will be attended to in the near future. It was interesting to learn that on the Apple Mac my Gallery doesn't load quickly, if at all. This is something I will have to attend to as a matter of urgency; especially considering the quality of the photo's can also be improved now that I am in possession of my new Hewlet-Packard Photosmart scanner/printer.

What did horrify me was the fact that my friend bluntly stated that a crack I had made about Eddie Hobbs' accent was cheap and un-necessary. It wasn't that I was upset to hear the truth; merely that I was upset to realise that he was right and that it was indeed cheap and un-necessary.

In the light of this I have recanted and edited the post concerned. I have also posted a comment appropriate to the post in which I offer my sincere apologies to both the people of Cork and Eddie Hobbs. However, I feel that it is encumbent upon me to make this apology as public as the original remark; rather than hiding it away in a dark corner hidden away from sight.


I am leaving this comment in the hope that in the course of the above post I have not caused offence to anybody; the people of Cork and Eddie Hobbs in particular.

Prior to my editing the above post I made a remark which has been described as cheap and unnecessary regarding Eddie Hobbs Cork accent.

I must state categorically that I have nothing against the people of County Cork or Eddie Hobbs in particular and apologize if I have caused offence. The remark itself was indeed cheap and unnecessary and both Eddie and I deserve better.

I have therefore edited the post to reflect my feelings on this matter and can only hope that this makes amends and that no lasting harm has been done.

Sincerely

Polly Peirce
April 10, 2008 2:50 PM
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In essence; I feel that the remark which caused me to apologize is quite unacceptable, not least because of my own experiences of being discriminated against because of my accent or heritage.

At the tender age of 12 years; my parents decided to move to my Dad's home country, the Republic of Ireland. Although I didn't really want to go, I had little choice in the matter; so I went any way. One positive thing should have been that at least the bullying at school would come to an end; after all I was Irish and I was moving to Ireland, wasn't I?

Suffice to say that things couldn't have been more different from how I had imagined they would be. It was very much a case of changing gear; the bullying continued. This time I was English and what's even worse I was Protestant! At that time ALL English people were Protestant's.

What utter nonsense; in both cases. I was Irish; unfortunate enough to have an English accent and I was Catholic! In England I had gone to a Catholic school and had therefore been in the minority too...

If I learnt anything from those childhood experiences; it was that it doesn't matter who or what you are, if you are human you have a basic right to be respected and treated with dignity. I have no time for people who discriminate against others and am offended by that type of behaviour; even when it isn't directed specifically at me.

I was shocked then when my eroneous ways were pointed out to me, by my friend, to whom I shall be eternally grateful. Please accept my heartfelt apologies for this appalling lapse of judgement.

Yours faithfully

Polly Peirce

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