FULLERTON : Activist Apologizes for Remark to Mayor

Political activist W. Snow Hume apologized Tuesday to the local Korean American community for a remark he made to Fullerton Mayor Julie Sa, but not to the mayor herself because he believes she previously impugned his character.

“I apologize to the Korean American community of Orange County for any hurt its members have suffered from my mocking of Mayor Julie Sa’s poor English,” Hume said. “I will not publicly mock anyone’s language impairments again.”

Hume released his statement one day after the local Korean-American Assn. held a press conference condemning him and demanding an apology for comments about the mayor during a recent City Council meeting. The association contended Hume used clipped English intending to degrade the mayor.

Hume refused to apologize to Sa “at this time” because he contends that she degraded him by telling him to do “helpful things for the community” during a public meeting a year ago.

Sa is out of the country and could not be reached for comment, but Councilman Peter Godfrey said he has never heard the mayor embarrass, insult or attack anyone. “I do not remember Julie Sa ever being impolite at any time,” he said.

Although he apologized to Korean Americans, Hume criticized Koo Oh, president of the Korean-American Assn., for failing to contact him to hear his side of the story before holding a press conference.

Oh said Tuesday that his group does not fight Sa’s political or personal battles and that Hume does not deserve an apology from him because Hume’s “racial slurs” are not only insulting to Sa but to all Asians who may not speak English perfectly.