Washington, DC [CapitalWirePR] March 20, 2012 – The National Puerto Rican Coalition (NPRC) this Tuesday denounced State Farm Insurance for using infamous coach Bobby Knight in their State Farm NCAA advertisement rotation.
During the 1979 Pan American Games, coach Bobby Knight punched police officer Juan de Silva before a July practice session.
Knight was convicted in absentia to a six months jail sentence. After issuing a warrant for his arrest the Government of Puerto Rico was not able to extradite him from the U.S. and the warrant was recalled. Knight (quoted in Sports Illustrated at the time), said of the Puerto Ricans, “F-‘em, f-‘em all….They only thing they know how to do is grow bananas.”
“State Farm should be ashamed to have associated their brand with an individual that has documented anger issues and has openly expressed denigrating remarks of U.S Citizens. This is poor corporate social responsibility” stated Rafael A. Fantauzzi, President & CEO of the National Puerto Rican Coalition.
“After the unfortunate incident at a NCAA game between Southern Mississippi and Kansas State last week in which members of the SMU band chanted racist remarks to a Puerto Rican player, we are very concerned about the conceivable racial intolerance in collegiate sports. If State Farm cares about their consumers, they should pull their ads immediately and issue a heartfelt apology to the entire Puerto Rican community.” said Fantauzzi.
“The League of United Latin American Citizens (an NPRC partner organization) stands with the National Puerto Rican Coalition in its call for State Farm to remove its advertisement with Bobby Knight from the air,” stated LULAC National President Margaret Moran.
“A corporation that has benefited tremendously from its Latino and African American consumers should be smart enough not to feature known racists in its advertisements.”
The National Puerto Rican Coalition, Inc. (NPRC) is the premier non-profit non-partisan Hispanic organization representing the voice of the Puerto Rican community.
NPRC is committed to enhancing the social and economic well-being of Puerto Ricans through policy development, research, advocacy, civic engagement, and education.
