Copyright The Boston Globe
A classic non-apology is what Ken Osherow, co-owner of Savin Bar and Kitchen, offered to his neighbors once the national media picked up on his monthslong stare-down with the community (“Savin Hill eatery bows to outcry: Bulger, Flemmi photos replaced,” Metro, Nov. 6). “I felt like it was an ambush,” he said of the controversy over the poster-size mugshots of James “Whitey” Bulger and Stephen “The Rifleman” Flemmi that were displayed at the restaurant. “I just want this whole issue to go to bed.” It would have been better if he had chosen to say, “I’m sorry, I made a mistake, I dismissed your concerns, I’ve learned to listen, I’ll find meaningful ways to demonstrate pride in Savin Hill’s history other than putting up pinups of murderers.” That would have gone a long way toward mending fences. And it would have been good for business.
