(Name-mce) ListServ OCA Questions Tone and Intent of Rosie O'Donnell Apology

[Anselmo Villanueva]

OCA Questions Tone and Intent of Rosie O'Donnell Apology

For Immediate Release
December 15, 2006

Contact: Michael Lin - Executive Director

mlin at ocanatl.org
202-223-5500

OCA Questions Tone and Intent of Rosie O'Donnell Apology

Washington, DC - OCA, a national Asian Pacific American organization
dedicated to ensuring social justice for APAs, questions the tone and
intent of Rosie O'Donnell's apology for comments made on "The View" on
December 5th, and its implications on the Asian Pacific American
population.

O'Donnell apologized during the December 14th episode of her show,
"The View," after public outcry by the APA community over her mocking
of Chinese newscasters.  "You know, it was never [my] intent to mock,
she said, "and I'm sorry for those people who felt hurt or were teased
on the playground." She further went on to characterize her accent as
"Chinese, Asian, pseudo-Japanese, sounded a little Yiddish ..."

"I am very concerned about the tone and intent of Ms. O'Donnell's so
called "apology," said OCA National President Ginny Gong. "I don't
believe she fully realizes the seriousness of what she did in front of
millions of Americans and the impact it has on our community. Jokes
used by comics should not be at the expense of an entire population of
people. As a very public figure, she is an influential role model and
should lead by example," she added.

"OCA would never condone the mocking of any language in this manner
and tone," commented Michael Lin, OCA Executive Director. "O'Donnell
does not show the respect that all Americans are entitled to, nor do
we think she realizes how this type of language can manipulate itself
into much more serious and potentially violent acts. We will be
calling on our chapters and affiliates to proactively educate our
community and the community-at-large to ensure that such incidents are
not repeated."

One of the basic points of the OCA/Allstate Hate Crime Education and
Prevention program is that deceptively simple acts and comments are
the root and catalyst of hate crimes and bias incidents. O'Donnell and
many others may not have considered her comments racist and only
intended in jest. However, these comments when left unaddressed, can
lead to much more serious incidents and crimes

For more information contact the OCA National Office.

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Founded in 1973 as the Organization of Chinese Americans, OCA, a
national organization with over 80 chapters and affiliates across the
country, is dedicated to advancing the social, economic, and political
well-being of Asian Pacific Americans in the United States.?

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Organization of Chinese Americans
1001 Connecticut Ave., NW #601
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202-223-5500 Fax: 202-296-0540
Web: http://www.ocanatl.org
E-mail: oca at ocanatl.org