Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson Clarifies Remarks About
Terrorist Attacks
Source:Yahoo News
(9/21/01, 3 p.m. ET) -- Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson has released a statement clarifying remarks
he made during an interview with MuchMusic Canada immediately following the September 11 terrorist
attacks on America. Snippets from the interview were streamed online at muchmusic.com, including a
portion of the interview in which Richardson asserted that the U.S. was "a bit arrogant." According to a
spokesperson for the singer, "Because only soundbites for the interview were aired, what viewers saw
does not entirely represent Richardson's views on the tragic events of last week in New York and
Washington, D.C."
Backstreet Boys carpenter and crew member Danny Lee died on the hijacked American Airlines Flight 11, which was en route to Los Angeles when it crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11.
Richardson's clarification statement reads: "I'd like to thank you all for the love and support you've shown
Danny Lee and our fellow Americans who suffered a devastating tragedy in the last week. Please know
that our thoughts and prayers are with everyone and we hope you are all safe and well.
"Firstly, I would like to apologize if my comments offended anyone. It was a hard time for everyone and I
let my emotions get the better of me at that moment. My thoughts were incomplete and I didn�t intend for
them to come across as insensitive. I know how far-reaching this event is and almost all of us know
someone who was directly affected by these disasters. Nobody--nobody--will walk away from this
experience unchanged.
"When I said that I think our nation is a bit arrogant, what I meant is that as a world Super Power, I think
we've become overconfident and taken our opportunities and freedom for granted. I feel like we've taken
on the attitude that we, as a country, are untouchable. How did we get that way?
"I wholeheartedly appreciate the freedom we have in the United States. I think this is a wake-up call for
us all to take notice that these freedoms are not a given. How many of us have watched the news
coverage of terrorism going on in other countries and said, "Oh, how sad," and then just turned the
channel? Have we mourned the world's losses the way they're mourning with us now?
"It frustrates me that people think I hate our government based on my comments. I don't hate anything. I
just have strong beliefs for a number of issues and policies and I believe it's important that we always ask
questions about the policies that affect us. My dad was a serviceman in the U.S. Army--and I myself
was enlisted in the Air Force before joining the Backstreet Boys--and so it hurts me that people would
think I would betray the American values that were taught to me by my father.
"I hope we can all continue to support one another and be strong for each other. I hope that all our
families, friends, and neighbors will remain safe and free. And I pray that God walks with our leaders and
our allies so they make the right decisions for our safety, our future--for our world.
"In Peace, Kev"
-- Jason Gelman, New York