Kevin Hart: The Joke, The (Seemingly) Neverending Apology and Forgiving The Past On (and Off) Social Media

Welcome to Free Byte. Today I'm thinking about this whole entire mess surrounding a joke by actor/comedian Kevin Hart. Now, let me lay my lead card on the table: I like Kevin Hart. I think the guy is funny and talented. My secondary card (which I believe I should have lead with) is that I believe in forgiveness... on AND off social media.

Let me start this Free Byte with my commentary on "THE JOKE." Let's get this part out there: the joke was done A DECADE AGO! Ten years ago. Nobody said word one about it until TEN YEARS LATER when he was announced that he would be hosting The 91^st Annual Academy Awards. Our Twitter friends get all up in arms at this announcement. "Oh No! We can't have him hosting the Oscars®. He's homophobic" Ten years ago, he started the fiery joke by saying he doesn't have a homophobic bone in his body. Again, here comes the Twitterverse still on Kevin Hart's case. This reaction led Hart to step down as host... a position The Academy hasn't filled in yet or even thought about filling in.

Now we come to the apology. How many times must he apologize for this? Let me quote Boyz II Men's Shawn Stockman from the song Human II (Don't Turn Your Back On Me)

Boyz II Men's Human II (Don't Turn Your Back On Me) wrote:SHAWN STOCKMAN: "I know this was my fault but, how much should it cost to make things right?
Do I have to pay for life?
We all fall short sometimes and I'm guilty of that crime.
I just want to make you see that you can still believe in me...

Apparently, forgiveness, especially on Twitter and other Social Media does not apply here. The closest thing I can equate is what happened to Hulk Hogan a few years ago. He too, said something he shouldn't have said. It came out in social media. Hogan was fired and taken out of the WWE Hall of Fame. It was even reported that WWE tried to erase Hogan from their history and wrestling history in general (as if that were possible). While there are a lot of Hogan fans who have forgiven him (myself included), there are some fans who have not, to the point they still claim Hogan as being a racist.

Kevin Hart is basically getting the same backlash. There are a few of his fans who have forgiven Hart, others (especially on Twitter and Instagram) haven't. If it had been someone else, would you be as quick slam on that comedian? Seriously. I'd like to know. Also, why is it easier for some of us to forgive (be it on Social Media or not) for anyone's past misdeeds, and for others, not so much. Yes, we can make mistakes in using our words. But how long must we pay for that mistake? We are human. We make mistakes. In life away from the computer, yes. But once you are on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., it seems to me that this rule goes out the window. Well, I look at it from this perspective:

Matthew 6:14-15 (NKJV) wrote:For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive your trespasses.

Having quoted that piece of scripture, I will say the same thing I said on Twitter to all of those people who are still attacking Kevin Hart for the comments he has repeatedly apologized for and is admittedly "sick and tired" of apologizing. If I were the Almighty God, and I had the power to condemn every last one of you for all the sins of your past... YOU WOULD ALL BE BURNING RIGHT NOW! Since I'm not, open your hearts up to forgiveness. What's the harm in it?

Just Saying