How Not to Help the GOP

Be a political figure and post this:Then, by way of apology to your Missouri constituents, explain that “at one time I was a very active Republican”.No. Really:Here’s the thing, Mr. Tinsley. Good job attempting the apology. I think your heart was in the right place and that you are sorry. But when you feel compelled to explain that your reasoning for why you posted this stuff includes an implicit assertion that “active Republicans” really go for the old black people with bones-in-the-nose stuff, and that moving away from Active Republicanism means moving away from such thigh-slapping in-jokes you don’t really do Republicans a big favor. And your apology loses a fair amount of horsepower with your offended audience, who are distracted by the thought, “This is what Republicans joke about in private?”This is one of those cases where a Catholic theology of penance can really pay off. Instead of, “You have to understand, I was an active Republican” the faith teaches us to say “Through my fault, through my fault, through my own most grievous fault” and leave it at that.