apalc demands apology for rush limbaugh's ching chongery

Still more reactions to Rush Limbaugh's racist "chong chong" gibberish tirade on his radio show last week. Here's the Asian Pacific American Legal Center's response, demanding an apology to the Asian American community from the controversial talk show host: APALC DEMANDS APOLOGY FROM RUSH LIMBAUGH FOR MOCKING CHINESE PRESIDENT AND CULTURE.

The Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC), a member of the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice, condemns Rush Limbaugh's mockery last week of Chinese President Hu Jintao's speech. APALC, the nation's largest legal and civil rights organization serving Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, demands that the controversial talk show host apologize to the Asian American community for mocking the Chinese language.

"We condemn Rush Limbaugh's racist and childish mimicry of the Chinese President's speech," said Stewart Kwoh, president and executive director of APALC. "Not only did he ridicule the most widely spoken language on the planet, but his insensitivity is particularly painful here in Southern California, which is home to the nation's largest population of both Chinese Americans and Asian Americans."

During his show last Wednesday, Limbaugh complained about the lack of simultaneous translation of Jintao's comments during a televised news conference and then pretended to speak Mandarin Chinese by using gibberish phrases such as "ching chong." Asian American community leaders and elected officials have asked Limbaugh to apologize. But during a subsequent broadcast, Limbaugh unapologetically defended his actions.

"APALC demands that Rush Limbaugh apologize to the Asian American community," said Rachanee Srisavasdi, APALC's communications director. "We believe crude and racially-charged comments like those from Limbaugh encourage intolerance, which can ultimately lead to harassment and violence."

Rush Limbaugh is of that breed of radio garbage that thrives on controversy, and definitely isn't worried about pissing off a few yellow folks with a racial taunts. As offensive and infuriating as his comments were, I have a really hard time holding on to hope that anybody's going to squeeze an apology -- or even a non-apology -- out of him.