- Jan 7, 2002
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Parcells apologizes for his use of slur
BY JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR AND ESTHER WU
The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - (KRT) - Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells used a slur hurtful to many Japanese on Monday to describe the way one of his assistants uses surprise plays in practice.
Parcells was asked during a news conference about the approach his assistants, including quarterbacks coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, use in calling plays.
"Sean's going to have a few . . . no disrespect to the Orientals, but what we call `Jap plays.' OK? Surprise things," Parcells said.
He paused for a moment before saying, "No disrespect to anyone."
Later Monday, Parcells released a statement apologizing for the remark many consider offensive because it evokes images of the Japanese "sneak attack" on Pearl Harbor.
"I made a very inappropriate reference, and although I prefaced the remark, `No disrespect to anyone intended,' it was still uncalled for and inconsiderate," he said. "For that, I apologize to anyone who may have been offended."
Rich Dalrymple, a Cowboys spokesman, apologized on behalf of the team.
"He stated that he intended no disrespect," Dalrymple said in a prepared
statement. "The organization apologizes to anyone who may have been offended."
Phillip Shinoda, president of the Asian American Forum, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing leadership education to Asian-Americans, said he expected more from his local NFL team.
"When someone uses `Jap,' it makes me fearful because it was used against me and my family to demonize us during World War II," he said. "By dehumanizing us, it made it OK to put my relatives in relocation camps. It made it OK for kids to pick on me when I was little. I cringe when I hear it used today."
Dale Minami is a San Francisco lawyer who has been involved in significant litigation involving the civil rights of Asian-Americans and other minorities, including a lawsuit to overturn a 40-year-old conviction for refusal to obey exclusion orders aimed at Japanese-Americans during World War II.
He said "Jap" is no less offensive than racial or ethnic slurs aimed at other groups.
"Slurs like `Jap' are used to brand an entire racial group as inferior and less than deserving of respect as a human being," Minami said. "Racial slurs like `Jap' are particularly disturbing because they are products of a historical period where widespread racism led to violence, loss of civil rights and demeaning and unequal treatment.
"A slur is like a slap in the face which many white people never experience because racial slurs are so much more commonly used against racial minorities. A slur marks the recipient as subordinate and the declarant as ignorant, at best, and outright racist, at worst. They have no place in a country whose rhetoric promotes the equality of its people."
At his news conference, Parcells was referring to Payton's penchant for calling surprise plays in practice. Normally, the defense knows which plays the offense is going to run.
"You've got to keep an eye on those two because they're going to try and get the upper hand," Parcells said of Payton and Zimmer.
Parcells' comments came with two Japanese reporters in attendance to cover the Cowboys' three-day minicamp.
"There's a lot of chance for someone to feel offended, but, to me, it was no big deal. . . . I don't think he meant to offend," said Akira Kuboshima, editor of American Football Magazine.
"It's more shocking that everyone in there noticed. . . . I wish everyone would just forget it. I admire Coach Parcells very much."
Kuboshima said Parcells spoke to him after the news conference and before the Cowboys took the field for the afternoon practice.
"It seemed like he apologized," Kuboshima said.
John Tateishi, executive director of the Japanese American Citizen League, said Parcells' remarks were insensitive.
"Bill Parcells is a brilliant coach," Tateishi said. "Unfortunately, he is ignorant about racial slurs. I take great offense by what he said. Parcells ought to know better.
"He sorely needs some education on what is offensive and nonoffensive to Japanese-Americans. Especially Americans. I'm shocked he would say this. All implications of surprise attacks are demeaning to Japanese-Americans and their ancestry."
Parcells does not have a history of making racially insensitive remarks. He did come under fire in 1996, when he was coach of the New England Patriots, for referring to receiver Terry Glenn as she while he was recovering from an injury.
Both men have since downplayed the incident.
Glenn is now a member of the Cowboys.
BY JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR AND ESTHER WU
The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - (KRT) - Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells used a slur hurtful to many Japanese on Monday to describe the way one of his assistants uses surprise plays in practice.
Parcells was asked during a news conference about the approach his assistants, including quarterbacks coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, use in calling plays.
"Sean's going to have a few . . . no disrespect to the Orientals, but what we call `Jap plays.' OK? Surprise things," Parcells said.
He paused for a moment before saying, "No disrespect to anyone."
Later Monday, Parcells released a statement apologizing for the remark many consider offensive because it evokes images of the Japanese "sneak attack" on Pearl Harbor.
"I made a very inappropriate reference, and although I prefaced the remark, `No disrespect to anyone intended,' it was still uncalled for and inconsiderate," he said. "For that, I apologize to anyone who may have been offended."
Rich Dalrymple, a Cowboys spokesman, apologized on behalf of the team.
"He stated that he intended no disrespect," Dalrymple said in a prepared
statement. "The organization apologizes to anyone who may have been offended."
Phillip Shinoda, president of the Asian American Forum, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing leadership education to Asian-Americans, said he expected more from his local NFL team.
"When someone uses `Jap,' it makes me fearful because it was used against me and my family to demonize us during World War II," he said. "By dehumanizing us, it made it OK to put my relatives in relocation camps. It made it OK for kids to pick on me when I was little. I cringe when I hear it used today."
Dale Minami is a San Francisco lawyer who has been involved in significant litigation involving the civil rights of Asian-Americans and other minorities, including a lawsuit to overturn a 40-year-old conviction for refusal to obey exclusion orders aimed at Japanese-Americans during World War II.
He said "Jap" is no less offensive than racial or ethnic slurs aimed at other groups.
"Slurs like `Jap' are used to brand an entire racial group as inferior and less than deserving of respect as a human being," Minami said. "Racial slurs like `Jap' are particularly disturbing because they are products of a historical period where widespread racism led to violence, loss of civil rights and demeaning and unequal treatment.
"A slur is like a slap in the face which many white people never experience because racial slurs are so much more commonly used against racial minorities. A slur marks the recipient as subordinate and the declarant as ignorant, at best, and outright racist, at worst. They have no place in a country whose rhetoric promotes the equality of its people."
At his news conference, Parcells was referring to Payton's penchant for calling surprise plays in practice. Normally, the defense knows which plays the offense is going to run.
"You've got to keep an eye on those two because they're going to try and get the upper hand," Parcells said of Payton and Zimmer.
Parcells' comments came with two Japanese reporters in attendance to cover the Cowboys' three-day minicamp.
"There's a lot of chance for someone to feel offended, but, to me, it was no big deal. . . . I don't think he meant to offend," said Akira Kuboshima, editor of American Football Magazine.
"It's more shocking that everyone in there noticed. . . . I wish everyone would just forget it. I admire Coach Parcells very much."
Kuboshima said Parcells spoke to him after the news conference and before the Cowboys took the field for the afternoon practice.
"It seemed like he apologized," Kuboshima said.
John Tateishi, executive director of the Japanese American Citizen League, said Parcells' remarks were insensitive.
"Bill Parcells is a brilliant coach," Tateishi said. "Unfortunately, he is ignorant about racial slurs. I take great offense by what he said. Parcells ought to know better.
"He sorely needs some education on what is offensive and nonoffensive to Japanese-Americans. Especially Americans. I'm shocked he would say this. All implications of surprise attacks are demeaning to Japanese-Americans and their ancestry."
Parcells does not have a history of making racially insensitive remarks. He did come under fire in 1996, when he was coach of the New England Patriots, for referring to receiver Terry Glenn as she while he was recovering from an injury.
Both men have since downplayed the incident.
Glenn is now a member of the Cowboys.
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