SAN FRANCISCO – Over seven thousand people have already signed an online petition that Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) launched Wednesday on his website to condemn Rush Limbaugh for offensive comments he recently made during his radio program.  The petition calls on Limbaugh to apologize for mocking the Chinese culture and asks his sponsors to pull their advertisements.

Several civil rights groups have also joined Yee in protest including:
· American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME 3299)
· Anti-Defamation League
· California Nurses Association
· California National Organization for Women (CA NOW)
· Chinese for Affirmative Action
· Fil-Am Star
· Filipino Californian Senior Citizen’s Society, Inc. (Fil-CA)
· Gray Panthers
· Hecho en California Radio 1010
· International Institute of the Bay Area
· Japanese American Citizens League
· Marcos Gutiérrez Productions
· Mission Beacon
· National Day Laborer Organizing Network
· Philippine News
· United Domestic Workers (AFSCME UDW)
· Zamboanga Hermosa Organization of Northern California

Other leaders have also condemned Limbaugh including Congressman David Wu, Congresswoman Judy Chu, California Assemblyman Paul Fong, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, and New York Assemblywoman Grace Meng,

After condemning the offensive comments by Limbaugh, yesterday Yee received death threats via racist, expletive-laden faxes that contained a graphic of an American flag adorned pickup truck dragging a noose.

“We should never allow such racist vitriol to go unchallenged,” said Yee.  “It is unfortunate acts like these that demonstrate why we must continue to be vigilant against hate and intolerance.  These threats will not deter me and others from the work we are doing to embrace our diversity and help move our country forward.”

In addition to the online petition, Yee’s website – www.senate.ca.gov – lists several of the companies that advertise on Limbaugh’s show, including:

· Pro Flowers
· eharmony
· Onstar
· CARBONITE, Inc.
· Sleep Number Bed
· Sleep Train
· Les Schwab
· Selectquote.com
· The Shane Co.
· Domino’s Pizza
· Oreck Upright Vacuum Cleaners
· Mid-West Life Insurance Company of Tennessee
· AutoZone Inc.
· 5 Hour Energy
· Blue-Emu
· LegalZoom
· Citrix Online (GoToMyPC.com)
· American Forces Network
· Mission Pharmacal Company
· Life Quotes, Inc.
· Lending Tree