Smacks of Racism?

[FarmerChick]

The United States has apologized and expressed deep regret for an "unfortunate" comment made by an American diplomat in India.

Maureen Chao, the vice consul of the U.S. consulate in Chennai, India, was speaking to students at a study-abroad orientation program last week at a university in the capital of the southern-most Indian state of Tamil Nadu, when she recounted her own experiences as a study-abroad student in India two decades ago.

"Some 20 years ago, I was a student like you and had an opportunity to do a semester abroad," Chao told the students, India's NDTV reported. "I chose to come to India, fascinated by the culture and religion."

"I traveled across villages to understand the culture better. I was amazed at the graciousness and friendliness of the people," she continued, before describing a long train journey, during which her remarks went -- so to speak -- off the rails.

"I was on a 24-hour train trip from Delhi to Orissa," the eastern Indian state, Chao continued, according to Agence-France Press. "But, after 72 hours, the train still did not reach the destination ... and my skin became dirty and dark like the Tamilians."

The U.S. consulate soon posted a statement of apology on its website:

"During the speech Ms. Chao made an inappropriate comment," the statement, posted Saturday, read. "Ms. Chao deeply regrets if her unfortunate remarks offended anyone, as that was certainly not her intent."

Chao's comment came while she was attempting to recount "positive memories from her own study experiences in India 23 years ago," the statement continued.

"As Secretary [of State Hillary Clinton] recently noted, the U.S.-India partnership is based on our shared values of democracy, liberty, and respect for religious and cultural diversity," it went on. "The U.S. Consulate in Chennai and the U.S. Mission in India are committed to upholding these shared values.''

Tamil Nadu officials were reportedly not satisfied with the apology, however.
The chief minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayalitha, denounced the vice consul's comments in a letter to the U.S. Consul General Jennifer McIntyre, the AFP reported. "This remark which smacks of racism is highly condemnable," the letter read in part. "You will agree that this remark of the vice-consul is an affront to all Tamils."

Chao did not immediately respond to a query from The Envoy. Her consular biography indicates that she is not someone who spent her whole career among the diplomatic class in the Foreign Service; instead much of her pre-foreign service background was spent working with foster children, refugees and immigrants.

A former Fulbright fellow in Vietnam with a Ph.D. in higher education, Chao, before joining the State Department, "worked with international education programs for fifteen years, as well as in the social services field with foster children, refugees and immigrants and low-income/homeless populations," the biography says.

One former American diplomat and South Asia hand, who asked to share his thoughts anonymously describing a sensitive personnel matter, said of the undiplomatic incident to The Envoy: "I've seen this type before--idealistic middle-aged person with an NGO or Peace Corps background who joins the Foreign Service without an awareness that everything s/he says is subject to be pounced on, scrutinized or twisted."

A State Department spokeswoman told The Envoy she may have further comment over the incident later today.

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comments

[Dano Sverige]

War will be avoided! *shrug*

Maybe "dark and dirty like a Tamilian" is a well used Indian derogatory term for such a state? And she just used it in front of Indians well used to that expression. Dunno.
We all have such derogatory terms we can churn out for everyday use.

[dallgire]

War will be avoided! *shrug*

Maybe "dark and dirty like a Tamilian" is a well used Indian derogatory term for such a state? And she just used it in front of Indians well used to that expression. Dunno.
We all have such derogatory terms we can churn out for everyday use.

can you name a couple for us?

[allan]

yankee doodle dandy lol

[ivan salis]

it was a simple statement of fact --she was basically saying --- my skin got dirty because of the soot from the train, I was travelling on , to the point that I looked as dark skinned as the locals -- thus she was describing the state she was in --- what the locals are not dark skinned? she was not saying they were dirty or filthy in anyway -- she was saying she was dirty to the point she looked darked skinned .

touchy , touchy

[FarmerChick]

that is exactly how I interrpreted what she said also Ivan.

It was a reference to being on a train with soot flying around, and the Tals got dirty also....so she was as dirty and dark skinned as them.


truly what the hell is the apology for? I just don't see it as a mean statement because she obviously has worked and travelled and know the people....now if she came out and said she hated the people and made the statement, you can slap a new view on it, but she doesn't hate them...she lives among them.

truly the WUSS apologies in this world are killing me.

[boogeyman]

That's the biggest problem with communication today. You're sooooo busy thinking three paragraphs ahead so you don't offend some little whiney baby you end up spouting jibberish.

Like my familys said for at least three generations. f em if they can't take a joke. If you don't like what I'm saying, saddle up & go home.

[Dano Sverige]

Tamils are an ethnic group in India. I guess it was seen as "racist" because she didn't say "I was dark and dirty like an Indian.".
Whilst talking to Indians, she used another ethnic group, which as i said, could be an everyday semi-derogatory expression used by Indians all the time.
Who knows...who cares?

[RGINN]

I get it. To avoid all that, she should have said 'I got really dirty on that train ride.' That's what really happened, no reason to attempt to wax poetic and compare it to any race, because that's all that happened. She got really dirty.

[stefen]

Regardless of the Diplomat or politician, there's always someone who want to pee in their Cherrios

Unfortunately none are able to keep their mouths in neutral before engaging their brains.

[packerbacker]

I think she slammed the Indian railroad workers more than she did the Tamils.
NOTE: A bit of trivia for you fine folks. Did you know that the Indian railroad is the largest employer in the world? Yup. no kiddin'

[bill-USA]

I think she slammed the Indian railroad workers more than she did the Tamils.
NOTE: A bit of trivia for you fine folks. Did you know that the Indian railroad is the largest employer in the world? Yup. no kiddin'

The reference I saw says Wal-Mart with 1.8 million worldwide is the largest..........

[Jeep]

I know how she feels, I once rode the train and was as dark and dirty as a klingon

[packerbacker]

I see contradicting info. I saw the following but I also saw where Walmart employs 1.8 million. Guess the difference is whether they are a public or private company. I'll adjust my statement to: "The Indian railroad employs a lot of people".
The Indian Railway is usually cited as the world's largest commercial or utility employer, though it is state owned, with over 1.4 million employees. The Chinese army, according to wikipedia, has 2,250,000 active personnel. The National Health Service in the UK is also cited as one of the world's largest public sector employers with 1.33 staff in 2004.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_t...#ixzz1VKalWlem

[packerbacker]

btw....I don't think her statement was racist but it wasn't a well thought out statement. People in these positions are under a microscope.

[Cool Hand Fluke]

it was a simple statement of fact --she was basically saying --- my skin got dirty because of the soot from the train, I was travelling on , to the point that I looked as dark skinned as the locals -- thus she was describing the state she was in --- what the locals are not dark skinned? she was not saying they were dirty or filthy in anyway -- she was saying she was dirty to the point she looked darked skinned .

touchy , touchy

Where is the Warden when we need him....