消息来源:Organization of Chinese Americans
Steve Kerr contacted OCA and apologized for calling Yao Ming a "Chinaman" on TNT's Monday night broadcast of the Houston Rockets game. His response came immediately after receiving the letter that OCA sent him, objecting to his comments. Kerr's apology is copied below and is also available on OCA's website at
www.ocanatl.org. Kerr and TNT will continue working with OCA on cultural awareness issues to educate the sports world and prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
全文如下:
To Whom it may Concern,
I'd like to offer a heartfelt apology to all viewers, and to Chinese Americans in particular, for referring to Yao Ming as a 'Chinaman' on TNT's broadcast of the Houston Rockets game this past Monday night. I made the comment very innocently, as I incorrectly believed that referring to Yao in that way was the same as calling someone a 'Frenchman', an 'Englishman' or a 'Dutchman.' I had no idea I was using a phrase that was and is derogatory, and I feel terrible to have offended so many people.
I consider myself very open minded and tolerant. I lived overseas for a good part of my childhood, and I have great respect for all races, religions and cultures. My sister in-law is Chinese American, as is one of my best friends, and my brother in law is a respected scholar of Chinese history at Cambridge University in England. I should have known better than to have used that phrase, and I am extremely embarrassed at my own ignorance.
Please accept my apology and know that I will do my best to help educate others on the origin and meaning of the derogatory phrase that I used.
With the utmost sincerity,
Steve Kerr