Radio Talk Show Hosts Mock Congressional Candidate Nate Shinagawa With Racist Comments

By John | Saturday, July 7, 2012 | 8 Comments

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I’m never too surprised when I hear right-wing talk radio hosts make racists comments, but it is still sad to hear about these incidents, especially when the attacks are against someone I know. Radio talk show hosts Bill Nojay (who happens also to be running for a different public office – New York State Assembly) and Bob Savage of The Bill Nojay Show this past week were reading a local newspaper headline and commenting on Shinagawa’s recent Democratic primary win.

Nojay and Savage start off by making fun of Shinagawa’s last name, impressing themselves that they could pronounce his last name properly, then stating that Shinagawa hails from the People’s Republic [of China]. What bullshit! I mean, what kind of name is Nojay or Savage? I guess we can take Savage as his namesake and consider him one. And from the People’s Republic of China? Of course, these two are clearly aware that Shinagawa is of Japanese heritage and trying to link him to Communist China.

As far as I am concerned, the next thing these guys will be questioning Shinagawa’s eligibility to run, like a typical birther, since they already think he hails from China. I’m hoping Nojay gets the kind of backlash as Michigan Republican Pete Hoekstra did for airing his racist Super Bowl ad earlier this year and loses in November. The two end their rant to the background music of 1960′s Japanese hit “Sukiyaki,” only reinforcing Shinagawa’s “otherness.”

The radio hosts make other few factual errors as well in this short excerpted clip, mocking his age and experience. But in the game of politics, that is not too surprising and pretty fair game. Being racist is not. Please let WYSL know how you feel about Nojay and Savage’s comments by calling the station at (585) 346-3000 or faxing them at (585) 346-0450, providing Nojay feedback on his campaign website here, and/or contributing to Shinagawa’s campaign.

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Current EventsDiscriminationLocalNew YorkPolitics

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LTE2

I didn’t hear any scorching racism in this audio clip and the background music seems to have been done in good fun.
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He hails from the “People’s Republic” is a way of describing a politically progressive/left learning area. Austin, TX has been referred to as a “People’s Republic” as has several blue states. New Jersey was referred to as a “People’s Republic” by some commentators. Last I checked, New Jersey was not populated by Communist Chinese… well not yet.
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As for the Hoekstra advertisement, if I were ever to meet that girl who appeared in it I will thank her for graphically bringing to the attention of Americans America’s sad indentured status to China. It’s a pity more people did not pay attention to her message and I think she did a service for this country.
Bobby Clemente

Stupid redneck donkeys! People who are in media and take it there need to be reprimanded to working in a poor country for at least 6 months doing hard labor.
Bobby Clemente

Maybe because you are one of those people who belong to the stupid redneck donkey camp?!
LTE2

The rate things are going, the United States will be a poor country so wait a while and save the cost of tickets.
http://twitter.com/tinabotot Tina Tsai

If that background music is done in good fun, then they’ve got a lousy sense of humor and a racist sense of fun. This is a classic case of making an American of Asian descent appear to be foreign. News flash: that’s not okay and yes, it is definitely racist.
LTE2

There is stereotyping, there is bigotry and then there is racism. Before responding, I did a web search and it appears Nate did make mention of him being Japanese. A few websites also pointed out he’s Asian ( I guess you couldn’t tell by looking at him). Anyway, once that is brought up, it becomes fair game. If Nate brings the issue up repeatedly, then the back ground music is just a play on Nate.
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The best argument you can make is the radio hosts are stereotyping.
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I belong to an ethnic group that gets stereotyped to this day. A few hours before I did my original post, I was listening to a radio program that stereotyped my group again by a host I do not care for. I was annoyed at first but I have to admit there were a few funny lines within the skit.
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I think it would be helpful to use the word stereotyping where there is stereotyping, the word bigotry where there is bigotry and the word racism where there is racism.
mybiasbeatsyourbias

Disappointing but its a republican what else can you really say.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Ahmed-Sanchez-De-La-Cruz-Kim/58700922 Ahmed Sanchez De La Cruz Kim

It’s a cheap act.
I personally don’t have a high regard for what is or isn’t “fair game” in politics, because it’s never constant and dictated by ever-changing sensibilities.

At the same time, if it bothers anyone, just let them know, you don’t like it and won’t stand for it. You have the freedom to let out your concerns, not take it without speaking out. For me, I just ignore it.

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