Kourtney steps into the streets.  Nay, she skipped.  She liked skipping a lot.  Moving on, she made her way to a semi-crowded area where several, various mobsters of all the collective crime cities seemed to be talking in hushed tones, almost whispering until their throats were hoarse.  When she approached everyone immediately fell silent and stood stalk-still, staring at the woman.  She grinned and waved.  Some hesitantly waved back.  The silence continued, almost painfully, as she stood there rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet, hands clasped behind her back.  The awkwardness was palpable.  You could wrap yourself up in it, like a blanket.  After a few more moments the young woman shrugged her shoulders and cleared her throat.

"Feel free to continue.  I'm just kind of standing here," she stated.

The men and women eyed one another, some of them shrugging their shoulders in a 'may as well' type of gesture.  "Well... as I was saying," one man spoke, "I'm sorry, that's just how I feel.  That just my opinion."

"Why are you sorry?" Kourtney cut in.

Once again the group froze, some of them wincing at her almost painfully loud and semi-abnoxious voice.  The man in question, stout and paunchy, raised his eyebrow quizzically.  "Uh, excuse me?"

"Why are you sorry?" she repeated again.

"I uh..." the man hesitated, looking to his friends for an answer he couldn't quite formulate.  "I, well, I guess I don't know.  I didn't want to offend Clarice," he said with a gesture to the woman next to him.  " She asked what I thought of her... well, that's none of your business.  She asked for our thoughts, and I gave mine."

"Right.  But if it's your opinion, you shouldn't have to apologize for it," Kourtney stated simply, unclasping her hands and folding them in front of her chest instead.

"I'm not following," said the man, raising his eyebrows further so they were hidden by the brim of his fedora.  Several of the group chuckled and started to titter amongst themselves.  Kourtney raised her own eyebrows in response.  She was really good at raising her eyebrows.

"Clarice, right?" she said, gesturing toward the woman with perfect blonde curls next to the man.  She nodded.  "You asked for their opinion, correct?"  She nodded slowly, her face scrunched up in confusion.  "See?  Not a problem then!  She asked for your opinion, and you gave it to her.  If she didn't want to hear it, she would have simply said so.  So there is no need to apologize."

"What in the blue fuck are you talking about, lady?" piped up another man.

"Hi, my name is Kourtney, not lady.  What I'm talking about is a simple concept, really."

With a nod toward the group she stepped closer, placing her arm around Clarice's shoulders.  Clarice blanched, obviously being put in the spotlight so.

"The face of our entire world has changed drastically over the past few days.  This in turn has generated much talking; meetings, hypothesizing, speeches.  Everyone is aching for answers, looking for solutions that we all now have questions for... and yet in every conversation I've been around for- not necessarily out here, but definitely in the coffeeshops- everyone keeps apologizing for their opinions.  I've witnessed it many times over.  A group coming together to try and discuss things, and people apologizing every time they speak up.  I'm merely asking why?"

"If people are in need of coming up with plans, or fixing problems, or as of right now, finding ways to move forward from everything that has happened this past week, we need to start sharing our opinions.  Just because people don't necessarily agree doesn't mean we need to apologize for them."

"And what, get shot?  I'd rather say sorry then end up in a pine box," the second man spoke up once more.

"No.  That doesn't necessarily have to be so dramatic an ending.  I'm telling you it's okay to stop saying 'sorry'.  Just be respectful in the way you phrase things, and there shouldn't be a problem.  Don't go tell your Godfather he's a raging alcoholic with no future, Heavens no.  But if the man asks you a question, give him an answer- confidently!  After all, like in this instance, Clarice asked for your opinions.  She obviously values them.  So give them to her, and stop being so afraid."

She shook Clarice a little in a well-meaning friendly attempt.  Clarice did not like this, and slipped out from underneath Kourtney's arm.  Kourtney shrugged.

"All I'm trying to get at is, in this world, we get caught up in the things that we believe control every facet.  Money.  Power.  Exceptional marksmenship.  These things win wars, and keep great organizations running.  But not everyone here excels in those things.  Sometimes all the average Joe has is his or her opinion.  Stop apologizing for what you have to say, because it may be valuable to the right person.  Just say it the right way, and you won't have to apologize or, as you assume, start picking out coffins.  Be proud of what you have to say, especially if people are asking you to.  Like I said, often in this world, all you have is your spoken word.  It's up to you whether you want it to be just as powerful as the skills other people have, or if you want people to second guess that it might not be as great as it is."

"Now, have a great afternoon, you hear?"

Kourtney nods politely at the crowd, and skips off down the street, in search of more people's days to interrupt.

Leonidas stops as he hears Kourtney talking to the work.  As she speaks she is saying some of the most painfully obvious truths, yet noone does these things.  Watching Kourtney skip off down the street Leonidas yells after her.

Kourtney the world needs more leaders like you!  You push the boundaries constantly.  You give great opinions, and could reshape the world in a great direction, which could be considered a necessity.  The things you will be able to do as a leader is great, especially with how opinionated you are.

Leonidas takes a breath, as yelling this far is kind of difficult.

I will be watching for the great things that you accomplish, because there are no other people like you!

Well, Ms.Kourtney. I am sorry but this is just my opinion. Ok, sorry...old habits and all that.

Moving on, how can anyone expect people to not apologize for opinions if they are persecuted by not only their fellow mobsters but also the gods for having, or rather sharing one? 

Also, how can we blame the persecutors for doing what they do? If I had the power to actually enforce it, I would try to force everyone to think what I wanted them to think but meh, maybe it's just me...

Hope this makes sense in some convoluted way.

There is plenty of ways to express your feelings or thoughts and getting your point across without directly attacking someone personally or directly. 

There are plenty of examples within this past week that if you read carefully you can pick up. 

Being a Mafioso requires some respect of others. It's what we are built on. Lacking respect will get you killed quicker then accidentally pulling the trigger on an unauthorized shot.  

Keep in mind however, if you do want to express your views and disagreements expect those who disagree with you. Don't get bootay hurt over it. If you dish it out, then you should be willing to receive. It's simple as that. 

One last note; never ever apologize for something you do. If that's the case you shouldn't have done it to begin with. We learn from trial and tribulations but one of the few things we have that can make a name for ourselves are our words. If you go retracting what you have stated, then it makes you look as if you had no leg to stand on to begin with, or balls for that matter. If you can't accept repercussion to actions you take then how do you expect to make it in the big ranks when your dealing with adversity daily? 

Now I'm not saying I'm right about a lot of things. They are my opinions and I always share how I feel. However, you won't see me apologizing for the actions I take. I have always bent over and taken my spankings like a man. When the spankings are coming from Cray, well that makes it all worth it. Hell it makes it tempting to screw up more often. 

THANK YOU MAM MAY I HAVE ANOTHER?

On another note, Cray likes to be called Mam behind closed doors too. Shouldn't have shared that secret. 

Cray is blameless.

In terms of making it a matter of respect I think an apology is sometimes warranted. In example:

I disagree with my Godfather. Now remember, They are the pinnacle. They speak for the city and they speak for you in family sense. They have put forward their views for a situation. For me to then reply completely disregarding these views and to not apologise would be at the very least frowned upon.

It is not because of what my views are. It is because I am potentially making my District head look stupid and disagreeing openly with something they have said. In any situation doing that could be an offence which sees you swim. Obviously, with the way our world works, we cannot agree all of the time. However I see it as a matter of respect to simply apologise out of courtesy. It doesn't matter how I word my reply if I don't apologise because the man has seen me disregard the family line.

However, to disagree with someone below me in our pecking order would not, nor should they, receive any such courtesy