Cameron Diaz apologizes for carrying offensive bag

Cameron Diaz is known for her interest in different cultures. In fact, in 2005 she produced and starred in “Trippin,’� the short-lived reality show for MTV that attempted to educate the teeny bopper crowd on the world outside the mall. Unfortunately even a savvy traveler can sometimes make a cultural snafu. It happened to Cameron on Friday in Peru when she carried a bag that was offensive to locals.

The bag in question was an army green messenger bag with a red star and the words "Serve the People" written on it in Chinese. Diaz carried it as she visited Machu Picchu. Unbeknownst to her, the words on her bag were a slogan of Communist leader Mao Zedong. Man Peruvians do not take kindly to the mention of Mao since their country’s Maoist Shining Path insurgency was responsible for the deaths of 70,000.

As Peruvian human rights activist Pablo Rojas told the Associated Press, "It alludes to a concept that did so much damage to Peru, that brought about so many victims. I don't think she should have used that bag where the followers of that ideology did so much damage."

On Sunday, Cameron issued a statement to the AP that read, "I sincerely apologize to anyone I may have inadvertently offended. The bag was a purchase I made as a tourist in China and I did not realize the potentially hurtful nature of the slogan printed on it. I'm sorry for any people's pain and suffering and it was certainly never my intention to reopen what I now know is a painful wound in this country's history.�