Pondexter apologizes for tweet about Japan
New York Liberty guard Cappie Pondexter apologized for Twitter postings over the weekend about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Pondexter tweeted on Saturday: “What if God was tired of the way they treated their own people in there own country! Idk guys he makes no mistakes.”
She later tweeted: “u just never knw! They did pearl harbor so u can't expect anything less.”
Pondexter, 28, posted an apology Monday:
“I wanna apologize to anyone I may hurt or offended during this tragic time,” the tweet said. “I didn't realize that my words could be interpreted in the manner which they were. People that knw me would tell u 1st hand I'm a very spiritual person and believe that everything, even disasters happen 4 a reason and that God will shouldn't be questioned but this is a very sensitive subject at a very tragic time and I shouldn't even have given a reason for the choice of words I used.
“The least thing I wanted was to hurt or offend anyone so again I truly apologize. If you've lost respect for me that's totally fine but please don't let me or my words lose the respect of u the WNBA and what it stands for.
“I'm very strong woman evn strong enough 2 admit an apologize when I'm wrong. Twitter is a voice and wth tht I wanna apologize again.”
Pondexter is a three-time WNBA all-star and won a gold medal with the USA team in the 2008 Olympics.
While the Liberty did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the AP, the organization did respond to ESPNnewyork.com, which first reported Pondexter's apology.
“We have spoken to Cappie and the content of that conversation will remain internal,” the team said. “She made a mistake and quickly apologized for that mistake. We will have no further comment.”
According to the ESPN.com report, the Anti-Defamation League in New York issued a statement on Pondexter's remarks:
“Cappie Pondexter's words show the endurance of long-held bigoted and prejudiced attitudes toward the Japanese, even from young Americans in today's society whose only knowledge of the Second World War comes from history books and popular culture,” Anti-Defamation League national director Abraham H. Foxman said.
“While it is encouraging that Pondexter felt enough remorse to apologize for her insensitive and prejudicial words, the apology did not go far enough. The notion that God would punish an entire country because of some assumed moral or spiritual defect is, in fact, another form of intolerance. Pondexter needs to understand why her words were so painful, and why it is prejudiced to suggest that one people may be inferior to another in the eyes of God.”