By Stephen Witt
In founding and running Los Angeles County Politics (LACP), I have made mistakes.
I’ve been stubborn and deeply opinionated, and I’ve written, edited, and posted items that were careless, hurtful, and plain wrong.
There are people and cultures I should have covered more, but I didn’t, and LACP has posted items that completely missed the mark.
For all this, I apologize both to our readers and those noble enough to enter public service and thus open themselves to media scrutiny.
This includes those in government communications departments and advocates for issues, which this website and I scrutinize highly. In fighting the good fight as a journalist, I have at times let my own self-righteous indignation get the best of me, and for that I am truly sorry.
These humble apologies and confessions have a purpose. For I am a Jew, and according to Jewish tradition, God inscribes each person’s fate for the coming year into a book, the Book of Life, on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and waits 10 days until Yom Kippur to “seal” the verdict.
During this time, known as the Days of Awe, a Jew tries to amend his or her behavior and seek forgiveness for wrongs done against God and against other human beings.
The evening and day of Yom Kippur are set aside for public and private petitions and confessions of guilt. At the end of Yom Kippur, one hopes God has forgiven them and seals their fate for another year.
To all my fellow tribesmen and tribeswomen, may you have an easy fast and L’shanah Tova!
And to all those of other faiths and those who don’t believe in a higher power, may peace, love, and harmony follow you in the year ahead.
With this in mind, Yom Kippur starts on Sunday night, Sept. 20, and ends Monday night, Sept. 21. LACP will take that day off from our newsletter and posting. We will return as usual on Tuesday.
