Saying, “I’m sorry,” is just an excuse to do it again.

That’s the only thing my lunkhead social studies teacher ever taught me when I was in the 8th grade. Saying, “I’m sorry,” is a knee-jerk reaction in this society, particularly when politicians get caught doing something stupid and offensive.

Take, for example, state Rep. Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem. During a floor discussion about commending the Boy Scouts, an organization taking a lot of heat for its anti-gay stance, he sent a mass e-mail to all Republicans on the floor that read, “Where was the civility when the Queer (from) the 9th rushed the podium in 1995?”

Huebsch was referring to an incident when Rep. Tim Carpenter, D-Milwaukee, objected to Republicans voting to limit debate on a campaign finance reform plan. Carpenter followed the then Republican assembly speaker to a committee meeting screaming, “This is bull—-,” according to a Wisconsin State Journal article.

Not that hate speech is acceptable in private, but it’s not even like this e-mail was written in the privacy of Huebsch’s home or even in his office.

The computers set up on the floor are so representatives can communicate without disrupting the proceedings. Sending this e-mail is basically like screaming a statement out to 100 people on the floor.

But it’s supposed to be all OK now because Huebsch said, “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry” just doesn’t cut it anymore.

“I’m sorry” is for when you bump into someone at the supermarket. “I’m sorry” is for ER doctors who tried everything they could to save a family member who died. “I’m sorry” is for a husband who forgot his wife’s anniversary.

“I’m sorry” is not for insensitive jerks – particularly politician jerks – to have the slate wiped clean after they do something intolerable and premeditated to boot.

Carpenter, who has never publicly declared his sexual preference, said he accepted the apology hoping it would never happen again.

But that is simply not good enough.

Rep. David Cullen, D-Milwaukee, asked Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen, R-Waukesha, to punish Huebsch. But Jensen declined. He said Huebsch was embarrassed on the floor of the Assembly, as well as in the media, and that was punishment enough.

But it’s not enough not even close.

Republicans try to defend an indefensible position – something Huebsch accused Democrats of in the infamous e-mail – by saying, “Well, the Democrats called us racists and Nazis.”

Neither is a hateful slur used to degrade and single out one legislator.

It is Jensen’s responsibility to stop all such speech on the floor and saying that an insincere “I’m sorry” is punishment enough is just plain wrong.

A precedent needs to be set to show all legislators, Democrats and Republicans, that these types of statements, or even thoughts are intolerable, so this type of embarrassment never happens again.