Justine Sacco’s Apology: Former IAC PR Exec Issues Statement Over Racist Tweet That Took Internet By Storm

By now you’ve probably heard about Justine Sacco and the Tweet that basically destroyed her career and reputation. Sacco became the latest viral sensation after she tweeted probably the most offensive comments of the year on social media. “Going to Africa Hope I don't get AIDS. Just kidding. I'm white!" she wrote before boarding a flight from London Heathrow Airport to Cape Town, South Africa on Friday. Justine was the Communications Director for IAC, an Internet media company who owns Match.com, The Daily Beast, Dictionary.com, OkCupid.com and more.

After the infamous tweet, her employer at the time released a statement condemning her remarks. “This is an outrageous, offensive comment that does not reflect the views and values of IAC,” the company said. “Unfortunately, the employee in question is unreachable on an international flight, but this is a very serious matter and we are taking appropriate action.” On Saturday morning, while Justine was still traveling, IAC released another statement. "The offensive comment does not reflect the views and values of IAC. We take this issue very seriously, and we have parted ways with the employee in question," an IAC spokesman said.

"There is no excuse for the hateful statements that have been made and we condemn them unequivocally," he said. "We hope, however, that time and action, and the forgiving human spirit, will not result in the wholesale condemnation of an individual who we have otherwise known to be a decent person at core." Justine landed in South Africa on Saturday, and quickly deleted her Twitter account. On Sunday she spoke to The Star, a South African newspaper and released an apology, according to ABC.

“Words cannot express how sorry I am, and how necessary it is for me to apologize to the people of South Africa, who I have offended due to a needless and careless tweet," Sacco said in the statement. "There is an AIDS crisis taking place in this country, that we read about in America, but do not live with or face on a continuous basis. Unfortunately, it is terribly easy to be cavalier about an epidemic that one has never witnessed firsthand.

For being insensitive to this crisis -- which does not discriminate by race, gender or sexual orientation, but which terrifies us all uniformly -- and to the millions of people living with the virus, I am ashamed. This is my father's country, and I was born here. I cherish my ties to South Africa and my frequent visits, but I am in anguish knowing that my remarks have caused pain to so many people here; my family, friends and fellow South Africans. I am very sorry for the pain I caused.”