I run Day by Day above my posts daily, and this is why.

As a blogger, I try to maintain a certain air of objectivity when I write things.

Words have power, and they have influence, and even a b-list blog like mine can still occasionally makes a larger splash, so even my words have a certain weight.

Being objective, however is a bitch some times.

Take this particular story.  Alec Baldwin left a voice mail to his 11 year old daughter, and in it he was very harsh in his language and message. 

Here is the basic story, and a link to the audio message.  Pause a moment and listen.

Alec Baldwin’s Threatening Message to Daughter

An enraged Alec Baldwin unleashed a volcanic tirade of threats and insults on his 11-year-old daughter, Ireland, calling her a “thoughtless little pig,” and bashing her mother Kim Basinger — and TMZ has obtained the whole thing unfiltered and raw. And we’ve learned, a family law judge was so alarmed after hearing the tape, she has temporarily barred Baldwin from having any contact with his child.

Audio of the message is here.  Warning, it is disturbing.

Here is Baldwin’s response:

 Alec Baldwin’s spokesperson released the following statement to the TV show “EXTRA”:

“In the best interest of the child, Alec will do what the mother is pathologically incapable of doing … keeping his mouth shut and obeying the court order.

I am not impressed that he takes this as a chance to take a pot shot at Kim…

The mother and her lawyer leaked this sealed material in violation of a court order. Although Alec acknowledges that he should have used different language in parenting his child, everyone who knows him privately knows what he has been put through for the past six years.”

Again, he kinda skates past his apology, and blames his circumstances. 

Because of the child’s age, one would be safe in expecting most reactions to be critical, but a surprising number pf people are defending him and while I personally dislike excuses, there are some issues that make it worth examining.