[Skybird]

Accepting or claiming responsibility:

An element of punishment is what it is about. The politicians who not only leaves an office but accepts to be held legally viable at court for whatever he claims he takes responsibility. The terror organisation or the criminal who make themselves targets of military, lethal retaliation for the crime they confessed to.

Somebody being hindered to continue with his doing, somebody not being elected once again, or leaving office - that is not what it is about, such "accpeting of responsibility" is just empty phrasing.

A criminal is not already being held responsible just because he gets arrested and thus hindred form repeating or continuing his crime. That he gets sentenced and must endure the penalty for the crime - that is what means he is being held responsible for something. Penalty, damage compensation and prevention are three totally different things.

Politicians most of the time never are being held responsible for anything. They are just changing the office for their political career, and even if they are kicked out of politics, which rarely happens only, they are being paid hilarious ammounts of money for their "expertise" or for holding speeches or lectures. Same is true for business lobbyists, and major business leaders. Usually they must not fear to be held accountable with their private property for their decisions, or that they are being sent to jail. The copnsequences of their misdxeeds only must be shouldered, endured, paid for by the people.

Where this personally punishing element lacks, "claiming responsibility" only is about making sound waves in the air. Its meaningless.

Same about forgiveness, and apologies. Before there maybe will be forgiveness, there must be confessing of guilt. Before confessing guilt, there must be remorse. Before there can be remorse, there must be insight. Without insight, remorse, confession of guilt, and accepting responsiblity, an excuse is a worthless waste of time, an offence of the receiver, at best the speaker is aiming at securing an opportunistic deal at court or an opportunistic advantage for their goals in life.