Rush’s use of mock Chinese during Chinese President Hu Jintao’s state visit to DC last month has prompted the governing body to approve a non-binding resolution 2/23. It urges Limbaugh to apologize for mocking Hu Jintao during his meetings with President Obama. Introduced by Councilmen Stanley Chang and Romy Cachola, the resolution further urges Clear Channel Communications, whose Premiere Radio Networks syndicates Rush, to “implement policies against racial discrimination in its radio programs and for sponsors of radio talk shows to implement policies barring sponsorship of radio broadcasts that permit racial bigotry and intolerance.”
RBR-TVBR asked for comment from Clear Channel, but has not heard back yet.
The move follows two Chinese-American members of Congress demanding that Rush apologize for the comments. Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., the first Chinese-American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, said she was “shocked and appalled” by El Rushbo’s comments. Oregon Rep. David Wu called Limbaugh’s statement an example of his “fundamental lack of character.”
Chinese-American California State Senator Leland Yee also organized an effort to get advertisers to pull from the show, and others to boycott.
Honolulu Council members approved the nonbinding resolution 8-1, reported The Star Advertiser. Councilman Tom Berg cast the lone no vote. Limbaugh was criticized by Asian groups last month over his use of mock Chinese to imitate a speech by Hu.
Citing the more than 170,000 people of Chinese ancestry in Hawaii and noting that 58% of Honolulu’s population is of Asian ancestry, the resolution urges Limbaugh to apologize to US citizens of Asian ancestry, President Hu Jintao, and the citizens of the People’s Republic of China for his “offensive and derogatory remarks.”
The resolution also notes the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference scheduled for November in Honolulu.
RBR-TVBR observation: We’ve heard no success on the advertiser boycott, and a good deal of time has gone by since that was reported, or any other calls for his apology. So bottom line, Rush’s gaffe is still flying low enough under the radar screen that he won’t likely HAVE to apologize. We’ll see what kind of traction the resolution gets in the Aloha State. We also are pretty sure Clear Channel has racial discrimination and bigotry policies in place with its hosts and employees.
