Divorced Dads are Equal Parents

Divorced Dads Matter was started by a typical father who was, and is still, constantly amazed at the prevailing social view of fathers as secondary parents and the court systems rubber stamp approval of this attitude.

Practical Information and Support for Divorced and Divorcing Dads

4

A Public Apology to Alec Baldwin

I posted the Alec Baldwin audio message to his daughter when it surfaced several days ago. I was appalled at how he spoke to his daughter and was ready to roast him. I promptly posted the audio and made several smug comments about upcoming “Alec Baldwin Parenting Courses.” It was also published to several major news sites.

Now, I wish I could take it back. I still feel the same way I did about his actions. There is really no “good” excuse to speak to your child. But, I also know that there are two sides to every story, and I didn’t bother getting his before acting as judge and jury, quickly condemning him as a poor father. I do stand by my comment that his actions are a great example of what NOT to do for a father going through divorce. However, I feel that I have contributed to the problem of mis-informed societal views of divorced dads and, in doing so, have gone against the intention of this blog.

I know the pain of divorce intimately, and the terror of a my ex threatening to bar me from seeing my own child- the intense anger that it causes. I can’t say how much Alec Baldwin loves his daughter. It is not my place to make those determinations. That is between him and his child. If every parent had a tape recorder going every second of the day, I’m sure most would find themselves sitting on the bench next to Mr. Baldwin within 1 week, no doubt feeling empathy rather than ego.

So, Alec Baldwin, I apologize for being so quick to join the witch hunt. I have removed the audio from my site, and I have replaced it with a link to information on Parental Alienation Syndrome. I hope that you and your daughter can heal your relationship and find the peace I’m sure you both deserve.

Sidenote: Everyone should read this great post on the Alec Baldwin Audio from GlossLip that says what I should have said in the first place.

Share This

4 Comments to 'A Public Apology to Alec Baldwin'

Hawa
April 27, 2007

I can’t tell you how happy I am to see this apology. Since the whole Baldwin-Cell-Message-Gate started, my mind raced to the other side of the coin. News coverage of the divorce has revealed terrible behavior on both sides, and this past incident reeked of Kim Bassinger taking advantage of a human father having a human moment.

And like so many others have shared… parents lose their temper over the course of a life, but don’t pay the price of public humiliation and further loss of custody.

We’ll never know all of the details, but I hope Kim Bassinger decides to do the right thing regarding her daughter and shared custody.

With all of Alec’s public appearances regarding how he loves his daughter, any attempts by Kim to commit PAS could blow-up in her face as the daughter gets older. ::sigh::

Lynda
April 27, 2007

Hi Eric, well I have been checking back and I was really pleased to see your apology to Alec Baldwin. That audio piece was all over the Australian news and, of course, i just had to have a listen. My immediate reaction was one of horror… who talks to a child like that! But then I remembered reading your blog - and I started talking to a few friends and we all agreed that even with our own children there have been times when we could easily slip over the line into that type of abuse…and we don’t have the added pressure of what is happening between Alec and his ex-wife. I think it takes a big man to apologise and I was pleased to read that it is possible to back up and look at things from another perspective. Thanks again for giving me a ‘view from the other side’. Cheers Lynda

Eric
April 27, 2007

Hawa and Lynda, Thanks for you support. I try to teach my son that being wrong is okay. It’s how you respond to it that matters. This life is about progress, not perfection. So, I figure I better practice do as I do, not do as I say. Thanks again. It’s always great to hear from you.