Commentary

Big men say sorry

ON WEDNESDAY, THE STAR carried a very unusual story. Singer Ken Boothe made a public apology to his wife Joan, his partner of many decades, and asked her forgiveness.

The rift and the apology arose out of an incident at the Norman Manley International Airport, where Boothe embarrassed his wife.

In our macho society, it is unusual for a public figure to figuratively go down on his knees and ask his lady for another chance.

It is a really big move from Ken Boothe and he must be commended for his courage and his honesty. Of course, it would have been good if he had not embarrassed his wife in the first place and there had been no need for the apology, but once a fence is broken the only option is to try and mend it.

Too often, men publicly embarrass their partners by word or deed and expect that no apology is necessary, or if one comes it is done in private, and life should simply continue as before. However, if the woman makes the slightest mistep, it is termed a 'dis'.

The essence of prejudice is that the treatment of one person or set of persons is not applicable to another. It applies to racial prejudice just as much as gender prejudice.

Ken Boothe has made a public move that goes against the ingrained prejudice against women that is the norm in much of our society and he is a big man to say that his sorry.