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Is it too late now to say sorry? No, we’re not singing Justin Bieber’s hit song from 2015. We’re genuinely wondering, because apparently, there are some people who are long overdue for a massive apology from the public. 

Redditors have recently been discussing celebrities, scientists, public figures, and regular citizens who were treated extremely unfairly by the world. Whether they were publicly ridiculed for their discoveries or shamed for speaking out against injustices, it’s unfortunate that they didn’t receive apologies much sooner. But better late than never, right? Here’s a list of people that we sincerely want to say “I’m sorry” to.

#1

Concrete dam structure with control houses under cloudy sky, representing people who should get an apology. Kotoku Wamura.

He was the mayor of the Japanese village of Fudai for several decades after WWII.

He'd seen a tsunami destroy Fudai as a boy, and knew that the village had been rebuilt in the same place. There was nothing protecting it.

He was mocked locally, nationally and internationally for spending billions of yen on a state-of-the-art floodwall. He asked engineers to determine the most powerful tsunami that could happen in the region, and to build a wall that would prevent even the worst case scenario from hitting the village.

Wamura passed away in 1997, with the controversy over the cost of the floodwall essentially ruining his legacy.

Then the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami happened, taking the lives of tens of thousands of people and damaging hundreds of thousands of buildings all over Japan.

Except in Fudai.

It was in the middle of the worst hit tsunami zone. But Wamura's floodwall held. The only damage was to a few buildings built outside the wall, and there were no casualties in Fudai.

Wamura saved over 3,000 lives, many of whom weren't even born yet when he passed away.

tommytraddles , Sed Report

StPaul9
Community Member
1 hour ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

His village reported only one victim, a man who had gone out to look for his boat after the initial earthquake. The villagers gave thanks at his grave.

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    #2

    Woman with short dark hair wearing a patterned shirt, appearing upset in a photo related to people who should get an apology. " the dingo ate my baby" mother who was mercilessly mocked even jailed . They eventually found proof she told the truth and until this day people use that line as a joke despite the fact it was a tragedy.

    Xmaiden2005 , Nesnad Report

    #3

    Young woman with a rare condition wearing a floral sweater, one of the 27 people who should get an apology for treatment. Lizzie Velasquez. She was bullied online for years for being “the ugliest woman” and had interviews where she shared how much it hurt her, and understandable so!

    Concinnous325 , Larry D. Moore Report

    #4

    Portrait of a serious man in vintage clothing, representing one of 27 people who should get an apology for how they’ve been treated. Ignaz Semmelweis. He was an obstetrician in 19th century Vienna that proposed that staff wash their hands before delivering babies. For that, he was thrown in the insane asylum. The doctors did not like being told that their hands were unclean. Worst of all, it was actually working - mortality rates were plummeting.

    pingbotwow , József Borsos / Albert Doctor Report

    Angarade
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Poor lad was beaten to death by his warden in that asylum. It took a fortnight for him to die.

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    #5

    Close-up of a woman smiling outdoors, one of the people who should get an apology for how they've been treated. Monica Lewinsky. I admire her for not just hanging her head in shame for the rest of her life. She was taken advantage of at a young age by a powerful man and was humiliated for it.

    golfismygame , PhilipRomanoPhoto Report

    #6

    McDonald's restaurant at night with cars parked outside, highlighting people who deserve an apology for how they've been treated. That woman that got burned by the McDonald’s coffee and sued for medical bills. We all made fun of her and the legal system. However, she had a legitimate case and what actually happened to her was horrifying.

    4and2 , Shahbaz Ali Report

    StrangeOne
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I never made fun of her. There were some smart people with empathy and a conscience who sided with the burned woman. We got ridiculed for sticking up for her, too. Obviously coffee is going to be hot. It's not supposed to be searing hot lava temps.

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    #7

    Woman in a black lace dress holding a microphone, representing people who should get an apology for how they’ve been treated. Courtney Love for calling out Harvey Weinstein years ago effectively ending her acting career.

    peptide2 , Raph_PH Report

    StrangeOne
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've always wondered how much Courtney has been misunderstood. No, she has not been anywhere near a saint, and has had many, many faults. But she has also been the black sheep in the music industry for decades, now, and deeply immersed in the ugliest sides.

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    #8

    Portrait of an older man holding a telescope, representing one of the people who deserve an apology for mistreatment. Galileo Galilei.

    He was ridiculed and punished for saying Earth moves around the Sun, something later proven completely correct.

    ColdAntique291 , Justus Sustermans Report

    Spidercat
    Community Member
    1 hour ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hypatia is spinning in her grave reading this...

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    #9

    Smiling woman with curly hair holding a microphone, featured in a list of people who should get an apology. Janet Jackson deserves the biggest apology from Justin Timberlake. He did that on purpose and we all know it.

    Ok-Historian-8741 , Ritchkraft Report

    Phantom Phoenix
    Community Member
    Premium
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think THEY did that on purpose - a planned stunt. It's just ridiculous that Janet copped all the flak

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    #10

    Athletes on the medal podium raising fists during a historic moment highlighting people who should get an apology. Tommie Smith and John Carlos. 1968 Olympics, had their medals taken away b/c they dared to non-violently protest white supremacy.

    CplusMaker , Angelo Cozzi Report

    Bob Jones
    Community Member
    1 hour ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Peter Norman, who came second, was also ostracised when he returned home to australia for supporting them. He did however receive an official apology from the government in 2012 (he was dead by then though)

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    #11

    Smiling elderly man outdoors, representing one of the people who should get an apology for how they’ve been treated. Howard Dean. Dude yelled a bit and had to drop out of a presidential race, and now the mainstream press lets politicians get away with, well, anything you can imagine.

    uncultured_swine2099 , St. George's School f Report

    Multa Nocte (she/her/8647)
    Community Member
    Premium
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I mean, he never even flipped someone off in public when angry, never said "fu‍ck you" publicly when angry, never called anyone "pig‍gy," and never even sent a rac‍is‍t video out about some people because he knew they were better human beings than him. What ever was he thinking about trying to be president of the US?

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    #12

    Large airplane assembly line inside a spacious factory with workers and equipment, showing people who should get apology. Whistle blowers at Boeing that ended up deceased.

    They knew there were short cuts being taken. They tried to blow the whistle and were silenced. Worse yet, the report says "self inflicted wound".

    SharpTool7 , reddit Report

    StrangeOne
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If that's not a red flag to never apply for a job at Boeing...Oo

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    #13

    Stone statue of a bearded man representing one of 27 people who should get an apology for how they've been treated Socrates - they poisoned him for corrupting the minds of the youths of Athens - when in actuality he was opening their minds.

    phlopit , Greg O'Beirne. Report

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    #14

    Young man with glasses looking at the camera in a close-up photo, representing people who deserve an apology. Jeffrey Dahmer’s Victim, 14-year-old Konerak Sinthasomphone escaped from Dahmer’s apartment. Witnesses called the police, but Dahmer convinced the officers that the boy was his adult lover and that it was a lovers’ quarrel. The police believed Dahmer and returned the boy to his apartment, where he was met his end.

    Mystepchildsucksass , Uk newspaper Mirror Report

    StrangeOne
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The police could have done a lot more. Like ask for ID.

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    #15

    Middle-aged man in a suit and tie smiling in front of American flags, representing people who deserve an apology. Romney for warning us in 2012 that Russia is our biggest threat.

    InternetExpertroll , United States Congress Report

    #16

    Mature woman with short brown hair wearing a red jacket and gold hoop earrings representing people who deserve an apology. Brooksley Born

    She was sounding the alarm bells on credit default swaps and other shenanigans that led to the 08 financial crisis and got crushed for it. .

    Affectionate-Act6127 Report

    1-800-OMG-STFU
    Community Member
    1 hour ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Then the government played roulette with a headless chicken, and Bale Out winning. Iykyk

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    #17

    Smiling woman wearing a navy blue suit and pearls, representing a notable figure among people who should get an apology. Kamala Harris - she was right about everything. From Trump turning the military on citizens to destroying the economy to the revenge lawfare to the transfer of money from the US government to trumps pockets. She was right about it all.

    Edit: guys, I really don’t care why you didn’t vote for her. I don’t always agree on everything with the people I’m apologizing to. In fact, when I’m apologizing to someone it’s almost always someone I disagree with, or did initially. Regardless of how you feel about her politics, she was right about it all and instead of taking her word for it and letting a few things go, people allowed Trump to take office and release these horrors on our country and she literally warned us.

    Naptasticly , Lawrence Jackson Report

    StrangeOne
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I don't get it either. What was it that's so horrible about Kamala that Trump was the better option? I've asked this before and got very vague, no answers.

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    #18

    Young woman in apron smiling confidently in a cafe setting, representing people who deserve an apology for mistreatment. Middle school lunch ladies/men.

    FairField-SD , Getty Images Report

    #19

    Black and white photo of a man in a suit sitting on a couch, representing people who should get an apology. People that were kept going on and in about the Epstein files.
    It's worse than we could have imagined.
    No investigations, no justice. Massive corruption and horrendous disgusting actions.

    ArtDeve , Stephen Ogilvy Report

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    #20

    Icon of Jesus Christ with a halo, holding a decorated book and making a blessing gesture, symbolizing people who deserve apology Jesus (if he actually existed), for completely twisting his original philosophy into something that's been used to wipe out entire civilizations.

    Prize_Sorbet3366 , Unknown artist - Report

    Multa Nocte (she/her/8647)
    Community Member
    Premium
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It is ironic that people who call themselves "Christian" are very rarely people who follow what is written in their Bible.

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    #21

    Black and white portrait of a decorated military officer, one of the people who should get an apology for how they’ve been treated. Witold Pilecki.


    Volunteered for Auschwitz as part of the Polish Resistance. Got reports and people out. Escaped 1943 and did what he could to get the word out about what was happening.


    Arrested by the Stalinist secret police in 1947 for espionage/treason, after returning to Poland to gather information for the Polish government-in-exile. Executed 1948 and left in an unmarked grave.


    Dude deserved better than that. .

    HellStoneBats , Nieznany - Report

    #22

    Man in orange prison jumpsuit behind bars, representing people who should get an apology for how they’ve been treated. The wrongly convicted...
    53% were BLACK.

    Comfortable_Flow5156 , LightFieldStudios Report

    StrangeOne
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    We shall never forget that little innocent child put in the electric chair. The USA has way more human rights violations and cruelty than they admit.

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    #23

    Blonde woman smiling at event, wearing black one-shoulder dress and hoop earrings, representing people who should get an apology. Britney Spears.

    Low_Bus_3826:

    The “leave Britney alone” guy was very correct.

    angels_4evr Report

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    #24

    Smiling woman in a red coat at a public event, representing people who should get an apology for how they’ve been treated. Hilary Clinton, so much glack for calling 25% of Americans deplorable. She really lowballed the number of who would reveal themselves to be maga later.

    darforce , Gage Skidmore Report

    Multa Nocte (she/her/8647)
    Community Member
    Premium
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I know. I always thought that 25% was MUCH too low a number.

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    #25

    Smiling middle-aged man in glasses wearing a suit and purple tie, representing people who deserve an apology for how they’ve been treated. Al Franken. His own party turned on him for something so trivial. He was a fantastic senator for my state of Minnesota and it absolutely devastated him to step down. I will never forgive Kirsten Gillibrand for leading the charge to remove him.

    felly_fell , U.S. Senate Photographic Studio-Rebecca Hammel - Report

    2dhqnhfw48
    Community Member
    24 minutes ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Trivial? Misogynistic much?

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    #26

    Young woman smiling in a vintage portrait, representing one of the people who should get an apology for mistreatment Hillary Clinton. The lies and nonsense that were spread about her were just unbelievable. The head of the FBI tanked her votes. No one believed her when she spoke about Russia. No one took her seriously when she spoke of Trump being a creep. She was right about everything. She deserves a collective apology.

    donaldgoldsr , Maine South High School Report

    StrangeOne
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How all the women who have tried running for US Presidency have been treated is a reflection on how the USA views women.

    #27

    Blonde woman with large gold earrings speaking with a microphone, representing people who should get an apology for treatment Martha Stewart, for getting sent to jail over insider trading that congresspeople are blatantly getting away with now.

    YoSpiff Report

    Bookworm
    Community Member
    1 hour ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Uh no. She did the time for her crime. Others getting away with it is a travesty of justice, not a case that she's owed an apology.

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