Rush Limbaugh has become the subject of increasing criticism from the Chinese-American community following his mockery of Chinese language and culture. California state Sen. Leland Yee has launched a petition calling on Limbaugh to apologize for his remarks and asking his advertisers to drop their commercials from his radio program. Today, the Associated Press reported that Yee's efforts are picking up steam as Asian-American leaders nationwide denounce Limbaugh's remarks:

Rush Limbaugh's imitation of the Chinese language during a recent speech made by Chinese President Hu Jintao has stirred a backlash among Asian-American lawmakers in California and nationally.

California state Sen. Leland Yee, a Democrat from San Francisco, is leading a fight in demanding an apology from the radio talk show host for what he and others view as racist and derogatory remarks against the Chinese people.

In recent days, the state lawmaker has rallied civil rights groups in a boycott of companies like Pro Flowers, Sleep Train and Domino's Pizza that advertise on Limbaugh's national talk radio show.

“The comments that he made - the mimicking of the Chinese language - harkens back to when I was a little boy growing up in San Francisco and those were hard days, rather insensitive days,” Yee said in an interview Thursday. “You think you've arrived and all of a sudden get shot back to the reality that you're a second-class citizen.”

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Yee has been joined by Asian-American state and federal lawmakers who say Limbaugh's comments are inciting hate and intolerance amid a polarized atmosphere. A number of civil rights groups, including Chinese for Affirmative Action, Japanese American Citizens League and the California National Organization for Women, have joined Yee in calling on sponsors to pull advertisements from Limbaugh's program.

An online petition has been created on Yee's website.

“I want an apology at the very least,” said New York Assemblywoman Grace Meng, a Queens Democrat. “Making fun of any country's leader is just very disrespectful for someone who says he is a proud American.”

She added: “He was, in his own way, trying to attack the leader of another country, and that's his prerogative as well, but at the same time he offended 13 percent of New York City's population.”

For more on the growing backlash against Limbaugh's statements, as well as information on recent threats received by Yee following his call for a boycott, check out the full AP article.