"That was my mistake."

   You know it's amazing that these days people can publicly say whatever the hell they want, crazy or hateful as it may be, and then afterwards say that oops, they didn't mean it. Then all is forgiven, right? Like the ex-Miami NBA player who said that he hates gay people. Later he apologized and said he didn't mean it. First, who cares what a basketball player thinks? Truly they are not the philosophers of our time. But why in the world of public statements does the "oops, sorry" erase everything? It's not like that in the real world.
   You say to your wife, "you look really fat." Later saying you didn't mean it will not change the fact that you're not gettin' any for a long time. You say to your boss, "you're a real idiot." Later apologizing will not remove you from the unemployment line. You say to your cat that she sheds too much and then wonder if she understood you - it won't change that she's going to cough a hairball onto your head while you sleep.
   My point is (somewhere) that people don't act or speak with integrity anymore. In a world where the government says one thing and does another and public figures flip out and claim alcoholism, who can believe anything anyone says?
   Oh, and I didn't mean that about not caring what basketball players think. My mistake.
(source: NBA's Hardaway: "I hate gay people")

Update 2/17: "We removed him from representing us because we didn't think his comments were consistent with having anything to do with us." - commissioner David Stern, source Star Tribune