How not to apologize

by: WVaBlue

Mon Aug 17, 2009 at 09:14:21 AM EDT

After offending many of his fellow West Virginia Young Democrats last week by forwarding along the email without comment about Don Blankenship's anti-environment, anti-labor, anti-Democratic Party rally in West Virginia, Justin Marcum, chairman of the Labor Caucus and president of Mingo County Young Democrats, received criticism and questions from several WVYD labor caucus members.

Instead of apologizing he wrote:

I was not intending to offend any of you about the Coal News messages. It showcased our event and that is why I sent it out. Furthermore, I do not support the Friends of America rally but think its educational for everyone to see what is being said. Also, this is not a coal caucus, I am currently working on things for the teachers and their unions. Lastly, the messages were not the views of the labor caucus or anyone in it; just an informative message for all to see what is being said.

I understand that the message came across the wrong way but this caucus nor myself is pushing any kind of an agenda in the direction of the newsletter. Moreover, I understand that we must focus on other issues of labor within the State. Labor unions are the backbone of this State and America and I sincerely regret the misinformation that could have been construed the wrong way. Lastly, I am interested in working through this caucus to help Matt Sowards and the rest of WVYD with the healthcare issue. I am also interested in working on something for the teachers. Please feel free to help me with this issue and once again, I sincerely regret the way each of you viewed the message I sent out a few days ago.

In other words, he does not regret he sent it. He regrets that people took umbrage. It's wrong how they viewed the message and not that he sent it.