MY SINCEREST, HEARTFELT APPOLOGIES GO OUT TO EVERY PERSON I HAVE OFFENDED FOR MY REGRETTABLE USE OF VERY INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE. I AM DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED IN MYSELF FOR SPEAKING OUT OF ANGER TO MY SON AND USING SUCH A HATEFUL TERM IN A PRIVATE PHONE CONVERSATION. IT WAS COMPLETELY TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT. I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN HIS CHOICE OF A FRIEND, NOT DUE TO HER RACE, BUT HER CHARACTER. HOWEVER, I SHOULD HAVE NEVER USED THAT TERM. I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT AND ALOHA FOR BLACK PEOPLE – WHO HAVE ALREADY SUFFERED SO MUCH DUE TO RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND ACTS OF HATRED. I DID NOT MEAN TO ADD YET ANOTHER SLAP IN THE FACE TO AN ENTIRE RACE OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BROUGHT SO MANY GIFTS TO THIS WORLD. I AM ASHAMED OF MYSELF AND I PLEDGE TO DO WHATEVER I CAN TO REPAIR THIS DAMAGE I HAVE CAUSED.

IN HAWAI’I, WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED HO’OPONOPONO, WHERE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER TO RESOLVE CRISES AND RESTORE PEACE AND BALANCE. I AM MEETING WITH MY SPIRITUAL ADVISOR, REV. TIM STOREY, AND HOPE TO MEET WITH OTHER BLACK LEADERS SO THEY CAN SEE WHO I REALLY AM AND TEACH ME THE RIGHT THING TO DO TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT, AGAIN.

I KNOW THAT ALL OF MY FANS ARE DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED IN ME, AS WELL, AS I HAVE TRIED TO BE A MODEL FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING. I DID NOT DO THE RIGHT THING THIS TIME, AND HOPE YOU WILL FORGIVE ME. WE LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES, AS MY STORY OF OVERCOMING A LIFE OF CRIME HAS PROVEN, AND I WILL LEARN FROM THIS ONE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

DUANE “DOG” CHAPMAN