Reply #31: AP updates the story [View All]

[JABBS]

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Allen said he apologizes to Sidarth if he took any offense, but said his use of the word "macaca" was an innocent play on "Mohawk," a nickname Allen staffers gave to Sidarth because of his hairstyle. Sidarth said he believes Allen called him the first name that came into his head and that he meant to highlight the fact that Sidarth was the only person of color attending the speech.

Macaca in some contexts is an obscure racial slur, and is also a genus of monkeys including macaques.

Allen was to meet Wednesday with leaders from the US Indian Political Action Committee, which said Allen's comments have generated hundreds of emails.

"Obviously this is something that has us very, very concerned," said Sonjay Puri, a northern Virginia businessman and founder and director of the PAC, which claims 30,000 members. "The remarks are very insensitive."