Golden State Warriors minority owner Chamath Palihapitiya attempted to walk back remarks he made suggesting that “nobody cares about what’s happening to the Uyghurs,” who are facing genocide in China. The callous comments made on his podcast over the weekend immediately prompted outrage, including from the Warriors, who issued a statement saying the limited owner “does not speak on behalf of our franchise.” Within hours of the team’s statement, Palihapitiya said he wanted to clarify. “In re-listening to this week’s podcast, I recognize that I come across as lacking empathy,” Palihapitiya wrote in part. “As a refugee, my family fled a county with its own set of human rights issues so this is something that is very much a part of my lived experience. To be clear, my belief is that human rights matter, whether in China, the United States, or elsewhere. Full stop.”
