Category: Politics Politics by Richard R. Tryon and others
The diplomatic flap caused by the deadly accident in the air off of the coast of China is not an easy problem to solve. What the Chinese always want because of their social structure is an abject surrender to show that they won in spite of their obvious taking of a stupid risk. How can we give them their 'victory' without losing face or looking stupid ourselves while recovering our crew and plane?

US apology to China
by Richard R. Tryon

In the history of China and in its language, it may be difficult for its current leaders to understand the meaning of the word apology. In a totalitarian state where the people are told what and how to think in the interest of state solidarity, the word apology really has implied meanings that are very important to it.

For example, it is always of greatest or paramount interest that it be proved or shown that the state of China is always superior and never wrong! Anything that gives any hint of error must be shown to be somehow the result of ‘enemy of the state action’. Use of the word ‘apology’ by such enemies is very important to enable the state to claim and show to the people how the enemy was forced to ‘apologize’. It is assumed that the one who is so forced is not only humbled, but put into a subordinate position because they have ‘lost face’ and this is thought by Chinese to be the most terrible fate to happen to anyone.

What the people of the freedom loving part of the world known as the U.S. need to remember, is that in a society where the individual is allowed to make choices and decisions that do not relate to the orders of the state, it is also possible to use the word apology in ways other than to indicate a one side condition or error or wrong.

Therefore, I propose that we send the masters of the 1.2 billion people who report to the leaders of the state and do as they are told, the following apology.

We, the people of the U.S., through our most significant leader, the President of the U.S. hereby extend the following multi-faceted apology to the leader of China to deliver to all of his loyal subjects.

1. We do sincerely apologize for the fact that the militaristic efforts by the Chinese leaders require that its internal communications be kept as secret as possible from the people of China and the rest of the world. If our open style of communication and willingness to share or sell so much information to the leaders of China causes them to want to avoid our military routinely flying near its borders in international water with equipment used to listen to communications that can warn others of hostile military actions, then we apologize for our need to do so. It is not necessary for Chinese to fly alongside of our borders- they are open and many Chinese are engaged in such activity all over the U.S. We apologize for this too. Of course, we have supplied much of the technology needed for such and in addition do not guard our sources of information well at all.

2. We also apologize that our flyers in slow moving aircraft are so hard to avoid hitting or being hit when fast jet interceptors are flown by pilots that are too inquisitive. As one of your pilots learned the hard way, it is dangerous to fly a high speed jet at very slow speeds next to such an aircraft as collided recently with the Chinese jet. We can not apologize for any claimed action on the part of the U.S. pilot for we do not have any way to ask him if he took some aggressive action to attack the fast jet with his lumbering aircraft. If he managed to lure the Chinese pilot into playing ‘tag’ with the big plane, we apologize for the thought that the Chinese pilot had not been trained to avoid such a stupid game. In America, life is important and we do not encourage our pilots to play such risky and stupid games. We had 24 lives at risk in any such game, the Chinese pilot had only his own life at risk and apparently he either followed orders or chose to get so close that such an accident could happen; or he had other messages to show our crew via cards in the window and lost track of the need to fly his plane more carefully.

3. We will be happy to sign a governmental document of mutual apology. One that indicates that we both not only regret the incident but apologize for the fact that each was willing to let their aircraft to be flown so closely together. We may well suggest that ways be considered to eliminate the need to fly in such a manner.

Sincerely on behalf of all Americans,

President George W. Bush