Peters has tried to apologize but Aliu does not feel it is genuine and will not take the call or allow for it. Which I think is completely fair and 100% up to Akim. This is why a different coach tried to bridge the gap.
One one hand sure sounds like Peters at least was a POS, on the other should he be punished his whole life? I am pretty split, but if Akim is not ready to forgive than I think his second chance should be differed till he does....which maybe never.
From what I've read, Peters has only apologized when he's tried to get a job. Nevermind the years of dedication he's spent trying to obstruct Aliu from keeping his job as an NHL player, who apparently showed no misconduct after getting drafted (and in my brief search, his incident in juniors stems from not wanting to be hazed).
Peters isn't being punished his whole life. He's being outed as an insincere asshole who went out of his way to derail a young man's career after being a racist towards that same person.
The issue for me is that we as a society often applaud people when they turn their lives around after doing things that (sorry to say) were a lot more damaging than anything Bill Peters did. Someone who commits a felony and gets out of prison and turns their life around and does the right thing is cheered on (which I think is great), but we don't show the same kind of forgiveness for people who say the wrong things, and I find that pretty hypocritical. I have met Akim Aliu a couple of times, as he has become friends with one of my friends from HS, I don't think he wants to let this ever go, partially because he truly was hurt, and partially because he is making money now from this. No one ever wants to bring it up, but Peters name being in the news is good for business.
1. Writing this off as "saying the wrong things" contributes to the problem. He went after Aliu's livelihood and did it from a position of influence and power. That power dynamic is what adds to the grossness of his conduct.
2. When you're only contrite to get something out of it, like a job, then you're full of shit. Where were his apologies or attempts to make amends right after he did it?
3. Those people who "committed felonies and turned their lives around" actually had to turn their lives around, on account of starting over, paying the price, etc. Peters was not an NHL coach for a few years, but was able to continue on with his life after having so many years of earning a living as a coach, with 22 years of experience. Are we comparing Peters' treatment to a prison sentence?
