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By Dan Rafael
ESPN.com
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The racist and ****phobic remarks spewed by Floyd Mayweather Jr. in an attack on Manny Pacquiao last week in a self-made Internet video have elicited a strong rebuke from the National Federation of Filipino American Associations.
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This disgusting diatribe against Pacquiao is a racial slur against all Filipinos and Filipino Americans and an embarrassment not only to the boxing community, but to all Americans.
” -- Greg Macabenta, NaFFAA national chairman
The NaFFAA, a private, nonprofit organization that promotes the active participation of Filipino Americans in civic and national affairs, "strongly condemned" Mayweather for his attack on Pacquiao, an icon in his home country.
"We are outraged by Mayweather's racially offensive remarks," Greg Macabenta, the NaFFAA's national chairman, said in a statement. "This disgusting diatribe against Pacquiao is a racial slur against all Filipinos and Filipino Americans and an embarrassment not only to the boxing community, but to all Americans. Talking trash may be common between boxing rivals, but Mayweather's racially laced profanities brazenly crossed the line of decency and respectability. Pacquiao, on the other hand, has taken the high road and acted like the gentleman that he is."
Macabenta called on state athletic commissions to censure Mayweather "for behavior that is both abhorrent and demeaning to boxing fans and to the whole world of sports. We also call on the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to reprimand the boxing star for insulting people of color. We are further asking all civil rights organizations to stand in solidarity with us in denouncing this racist and ****phobic rant. Mayweather's apology is unacceptable and he must be made accountable for his damaging statements.
"At a time when immigrant communities are being viewed with increasing su****ion and mistrust, Mayweather's cruel, abusive and hurtful remarks can only stoke more hostility, derision and resentment against individuals who look foreign by virtue of their looks, their size or the sound of their names. Coming from a boxing celebrity with millions of fans around the world, Mayweather's shameless and reckless conduct unfairly paints an entire racial and ethnic group with a broad brush and seriously undermines America's core values of inclusivity and racial tolerance."
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Mayweather made the comments while Pacquiao was in the midst of a three-city tour to promote his Nov. 13 fight with Antonio Margarito. When informed of Mayweather's remarks, Pacquiao took the high road.
"It's an uneducated message," Pacquiao said.
In the video, which has been widely circulated on the Internet, Mayweather repeatedly insulted Pacquiao with racist comments and derided his English-language skills, even though English is his second language.
Mayweather also used a ****phobic slur against him, called him a "whore" and repeated his accusation that Pacquiao uses performance-enhancing drugs, even though Mayweather has never produced a shred of evidence.
"As soon as we come off vacation, we're going to cook that little yellow chump," Mayweather said of Pacquiao, whom he has refused to fight after two rounds of failed negotiations.
Among his other comments, Mayweather said, "Once I stomp the midget, I'll make that mother f----- make me a sushi roll and cook me some rice."
At another point in the video, Mayweather said, "We gonna cook that mother f----- with some cats and dogs. ... Rice with [a] little bit of cat, rice with a little bit of barbecued dog."
Mayweather offered a video apology the following day. In that video, Mayweather said of his remarks, "Forgive me for saying what I said. I was just having fun. I didn't really mean it. Nothing in a bad way. So let's stay on this roller coaster ride and keep riding, baby. It's all love."
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