Brian Williams and that memory issue, forgive and forget?

It’s all over the news. You must have heard it by now dear readers, the “scandal” surrounding Journalist Brian Williams?  Go to this link to read his story. 

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When I first heard the news that he had embellished what happened to him while he was covering the War in Iraq, I must admit I was very disappointed.  I wondered how he could have made such a serious mistake in judgment, because he is a seasoned professional and really good at it.  He is also one of the journalists whose broadcasts I enjoy tuning into. 

I tuned myself out of the melee his confession caused.  Upon reading that he had decided to “take a step back” from his job and any future activities in his moment in time, I wondered if he was forced to do that by his employers, or came to this decision on his own accord.  And of course, the melee continued en-mass in the media with name calling, judgment and even ridicule.

It suddenly dawned on me that here “we” are throwing stones (figuratively), all of his career achievements momentarily forgotten, any good he has done, gone.  He has become the disgraced one, nothing he says or do now will ever get him pass this.  Or will it?

Let’s take a step back for a moment.  Who has not at one time or another misspoke, embellished an event, or a story, over-dramatized an experience they went through, especially if it was one with tragic outcomes?  You might disagree with me here because of the “seriousness” of this lie.  We’re talking about The War in Iraq, our men and women who served, some having given their lives to protect us.  This is a lie against them; against “we” the people; against what our military men and women stand for; what we stand for!  This. Is. Serious.

Let me put two things to you; one, is it 100% Brian Williams' fault that he told such a tale, spinning it so well, it became his reality, after all, it must have happened to him?  Perhaps not fully.   Memory researcher and Professor of Law and Cognitive science at the University of California Irvine, Elizabeth Loftus, suggests that it may not be Mr. Williams fault that he has “developed a false memory”.  Professor Loftus shared this information in a Well article I read in the New York Times online, written by Tara Parker Pope.  She said that many of us believe we have a photographic memory, like a video camera, but alas, we don’t.  She also said we are often deceived by what we remember, creating a “False Memory”, and explained further in the article that there have been “Numerous scientific studies” that show how our memories fade with time, often becoming “distorted” to the point where we “embellish” what is reality which gets altered into “new false memories” that are real to us.

Two, Does anyone remember the word “forgiveness”?  Are we so cynical that we can’t forgive Brian Williams of this mistake, even after his confession, and subsequently, his apology?  Have you never, ever, done something, maybe not as grand as this, but enough to make you plead in remorse “Lord, forgive me”?  Aren't you then forgiven, relieving you of guilt and you continue with your life, unscathed?  Yes, our Lord forgives us, and it is with this same mercy that Mr. Williams ought to be forgiven. It will be more difficult for those personally involved to forgive this grievous mistake, but hopefully in time they will, even if they don’t forget.