Tom Hanks: Good Guy

In this age of celebrity worship, I shouldn't make too much about Tom Hanks' apology for his comments about Mormon voters. (He took the low road, as other critics of the church and its support of Proposition 8 have done, by ignoring the stark fact that the measure was overwhelmingly supported by Blacks and Hispanics.) But it's clear he thought about his comments and he's man enough to admit he was wrong. We can learn from his example:

"Last week, I labeled members of the Mormon church who supported California's Proposition 8 as 'un-American,'" the actor said in a statement through his publicist. "I believe Proposition 8 is counter to the promise of our Constitution; it is codified discrimination."

"But everyone has a right to vote their conscience; nothing could be more American," the statement continues. "To say members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who contributed to Proposition 8 are 'un-American' creates more division when the time calls for respectful disagreement. No one should use 'un- American' lightly or in haste. I did. I should not have."

You couldn't ask for more.

I'd read somewhere that Hanks was a good guy. He's proven it with his graceful apology.