To the Editor:

I recently received a rather disturbing e-mail from the Asian American Students Alliance suggesting that I join with others in requesting an “apology” from the Yale Daily News for a joke issue column (“Confessions of an Jewish Asian Worshipper,” 4/1).

I am writing instead to request that you not issue any sort of apology because the article in question is in no way “racist” or “sexist” as was alleged by the e-mail. How anyone could fail to see that the author wrote the aforementioned article with tongue planted firmly in cheek is completely beyond me.

I would expect Yale students would be intelligent enough to recognize the irony in such blatantly outrageous statements as “Asian women are sluts” and “Asian men are impotent,” especially in the context of an April Fools’ Day column. Where are these people’s senses of humor?

In fact, I personally think the column does a rather good job of accenting the sheer absurdity of racial stereotypes. When groups like the AASA start throwing tantrums over affairs that are clearly devoid of any real sort of racism, it cheapens worthwhile attempts to spread “cultural awareness.”

So, in defense of integrity, freedom of the press and April Fools’ Day, I would like to request that you not publish an apology for the column.

Zubin Gautam ’03

April 8, 2001