Posted on 05/20/2005 2:58:53 PM PDT by Pikamax
Nooyi apologises for 'slight of hand' to protect PepsiCo
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2005 12:27:06 AM] Sign into earnIndiatimes points MUMBAI: Indra Nooyi, whose ‘America-as-the-middle-finger’ remarks ignited a raging blogstorm in the US, has tendered a formal apology after an initial clarification failed to douse irate Americans calling for a Pepsi boycott.
“I appreciate the honest comments that have been shared with me since then, and am deeply sorry for offending anyone,” she said in a statement posted on the Pepsi website. “Over the years I have witnessed and advised others how a thoughtless gesture or comment can hurt good caring people. Regrettably, I have proven my own point. Please accept my sincere apologies,” she added.
In her Sunday speech at the Columbia Business School graduation ceremony, Ms Nooyi had compared the five continents of the world to the five fingers of the hand. Europe was the index finger, Asia was the thumb, Africa the little finger and the US, the middle finger.
She said that the world regards Americans as boorish and therefore, they (Americans) must exercise caution and engender respect among the world. She also said that as the middle finger anchors the hand, it has a great responsibility to ensure that the hand functions smoothly.
The apology came after an initial clarification over her remarks at Columbia on Sunday failed to make critics hold their fire. Ms Nooyi had said that her remarks were “misconstrued and depicted in a different sort of context as unpatriotic”. “Although nothing could be further from the truth, I regret any confusion or concern that I may have inadvertently created,” the statement released by PepsiCo on Wednesday had said.
It is not known if even this apology will help. Irate Americans are asking for a boycott of Pepsi products, an explanation from Pepsi CEO Stephen Reinemund on a television or a talk show, while others are even hinting at drastic measures.
“The blunder needs to be contained. Abject apology followed by abject apology. Decide right now whether Indra Nooyi matters more than a lasting black eye. Think about the brand,” said a posting on hughhewitt.com, a well-known blog.
Ordinary Americans also seem to be upset. Graduate Wes Martin, who first informed www.powerlineblog.com about the speech, told the New York Sun that he was quite disturbed.
“My family had flown a great distance and spent a great deal of money to come and celebrate a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and were disturbed that the president and CFO of a US-based company made such a comparison at a business school ceremony,” he said.
Another reader, Hugh Marshall, questions the very basis of Ms Nooyi’s analogy. “Since when does the middle finger anchor the hand? Jerry Garcia didn’t even have a middle finger and it didn’t stop him from playing the guitar.
The opposing thumb is far more important and if there is any analogy here, it is that the US is a big opposing thumb that keeps the rest of the world from losing its grasp,” he added.
Eric Egland, member of the Iraqi Field Team’s Improvised Explosive Device Task Force, wrote that he had been humbled by the gratitude displayed by many Iraqis and Afghan people to the US for their action and that he found her comments offensive and off-base.
Original Coke is far better anyway, if I drank Pepsi I could join the boycott, but, alas...
"“Over the years I have witnessed and advised others how a thoughtless gesture or comment can hurt good caring people."
This was a prepared speech. Not some off-the-cuff comment.
Since when does the middle finger kiss butt? And aren't there 7 continents? What happened - did we lose a few?
Not good enough. The problem is, she has revealed herself for who she is, an America-hating third worlder who came here, did well, and now spits in our face, telling us we are at fault for the world disliking us. Well, if soft drinks are the fingers on my hand, Pepsi is now my middle finger.
Well I guess she made it plain where Pepsi stands in regards to world politics. I guess also, that Pepsi will know where I stand in regards to world politics.
"She said that the world regards Americans as boorish and therefore, they (Americans) must exercise caution and engender respect among the world."
< sigh >
I don't buy the apology and I certainly won't buy pepsi. Pepsi has got to dump her.
". . .has tendered a formal apology. . . ."
Think she needs to tender a formal resignation.
Where's the CEO? I hear he's a decorated U.S. Marine.
In which Nooyi said "This land we call home is a most-loving, ever-giving nation -- a "promised land" that we love dearly in return. And it represents a true force that -- if used for good -- can steady the hand, along with global economies and cultures."
The speech was condescending and ham-fisted, but not the anti-American manifesto people are making it out to be. Nooyi specifically pointed out her patriotic love and admiration for our nation.
Anti American retoric is "de rigeur" at any college graduation these days. My son graduated from Vassar College five years ago. I had to sit through 2 hours of Susan Sontag as the keynote speaker. Thankfully a fair portion of the audience booed during her diatribe. I guess some were upset and perhaps did not know that their education dollars had gone to support such tripe.
I am already walking on my tip-toes, waving EU flag, can I have some respect now? Plueeeze!
or do I have speak French and wave white flag?
Note to non americans: we are too busy, we have too much fun to care what you morones think or care about amount of your "respect".
(BE POLITE, BUT FIRM)
(I don't think Oberto's sponsors a hydro anymore so that one I can deal with)
Since bypass surgery in 2000, I stay away from that junk, and now I'll not purchase Aquafina nor Tropicana. Thanks for the link to Pepsi's product line.
Hard to believe a third world person would come to this country, make a life of it, succeed in a manner totally foreign to her native country, and then bash the country. Ungrateful.
The insult to this country is so great she should resign from PepsiCo.
I read the speech and there wasn't a nickle's worth of "patriotic love and admiration" in her condescending CYA boilerplate.
What specifically do you object to? Please quote her criticism of the US. Not a quote where she notes the negative perception some have of the US, a quote where she points out something specifically bad and demonstrably false about the US.
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