Now that Rush Limbaugh has been dropped from the group seeking to buy the NFL's St Louis Rams, a few comments are in order since I have been listening to Limbaugh for most of his 20 some years on the radio.
First of all, I reject the accusation that Limbaugh is a racist. Many of the comments attributed to him over the past years are without any support or documentation. People have charged that he said that "slavery was not all bad", but there is no documentation of that statement. Yes, he made an observation a few years ago that the press had an interest in seeing that Donovan McNabb, a black quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, was successful and that Limbaugh thought that he (McNabb) was overrated, but I maintain that was not a racist statement. Accurate? I don't know. Was McNabb a mediocre quarterback? Not in my view. It may have been an ill-advised statement, but racist? No. Certainly, I respect the feelings of black NFL players who have objections. The central question is whether Limbaugh has been unfairly characterized and I think he has.
Yet, because Limbaugh is a conservative who has made countless enemies over the years, the charge has gathered currency. Limbaugh has harshly criticized folks like Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and the NAACP. That does not make him a racist. Not surprisingly, Sharpton and Jackson have jumped into the forefront of those saying Limbaugh should not be a part-owner in the NFL. Were they to join a group of investors in seeking to purchase an NFL team, would their own insensitive comments about Jews be brought up to challenge their right to own an NFL team? I would submit that those comments about Jews are well-documented and far worse than anything Limbaugh has been documented to have said (about blacks).
Granted, Limbaugh has never hesitated to push the envelope on many issues. I maintain that he delights in stirring up the hornet's nest among liberals and pushing their buttons. He seems to enjoy the controversy. Yes, he opposes the NAACP agenda of the current era; he opposes the agenda of Jackson, Sharpton, et al. That does not make him a racist.
The NFL, of course, follows the strict politically correct line, much as a university would. Commissioner Roger Goodell made his statement of opposition to Limbaugh much like a man stepping through a minefield. Jim Irsey, President of the Indianapolis Colts, was the first to object to Limbaugh. This from the family that in the dark of night, moved the team from Baltimore to Indianapolis-ignoring a history of loyal support from that city to the team.
And now we learn that one of the investors in the group seeking to buy the Rams is none other than George Soros. (If you don't know who George Soros is, you have no
business reading this blog.)
It is all hypocrisy. If you don't believe me, ask yourself why Michael Vick is playing in the NFL, but Rush Limbaugh is "unfit" to to be an owner.
19 comments:
It seems to me that all the negative vibes this blowhard (Rush Hudson Limbaugh A.KA. Jeff Christie) has been spewing over these many years has come back to blow back on his face (A classic “Blow Back”). He always tries to give off the airs that he can have anything he wants but as we all witness those with more money and influence tossed him aside like sack of potatoes and the ultimate insult was that it was done in public (money don’t buy you everything butterball).
Now of course he blames everyone else (Michael J. Fox, Perez Hilton, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Sonia Sotomayor, Hillary Clinton, Olympia Snowe, ESPN, NFL, the media, basically people of color, women and gays) when of course all you have to do is listen to his show and plainly hear his daily prejudices filled sermons. So NFL, I salute you decision, job well done. And to the whaling cry baby perched on his self made pedestal, quit your whining it was your own fault. Don’t we all feel better?
Limbaugh IS a racist. I can cite a few examples, but all I need is his statement about the white kid who got beat up by a bunch of black kids on that bus. Limbaugh was talking about how this is what we get in "Obama's America".
He's stirring up white fear of blacks with comments like that. Not only is it a ridiculous thing to say, but he's spreading fear - which is hateful and vile.
Also, when he says that the health care reform is reparations, he's also playing upon fear of blacks. And no, I'm not saying that if you oppose reparations you're somehow racist. (I oppose the idea myself.) But to equate health care reform with reparations IS racist. You know, you don't have to say the n-word to be a racist, and what he's doing is even more insidious.
You go after guys like Letterman, Maher, etcetera, but then you defend this absolutely horrible and despicable man. At least with those guys, they're comedians whose job it is to push the line from time to time, and sometimes they go over it. Limbaugh has no such excuse. He's just a provocateur. And what's even worse - he's an idiot, and nobody with any sense could possibly take him seriously.
I just wanted to add that I'm aware that there are some bogus quotes floating around about Limbaugh. The stuff I mentioned I actually heard him say, and I stand by my assessment that he's feeding upon racial tensions in this country to further his agenda - which makes him either a racist or somebody who'll capitalize on racism (which is just as bad, maybe even worse).
Regarding the bogus quotes, I just want to make it clear that I find that to be just as bad as when conservatives (or anybody) makes things up to get their point across. I really don't get why people would put words in his mouth - his actual words damn him just fine on their own.
Hey Paul,
You might feel better if could make your arguments in a more coherent way.
Good grief!
Lance, When you make as much money as Rush and have 20 million people who take you seriously, you can call him an idiot.
Well, I don't know if I make as much money as you, but that's probably one of the dumbest arguments I've ever heard.
Is this really an argument that you want to make? Do I really have to spell out for you why this is complete nonsense?
As for Paul - I found his post to be well-stated. Limbaugh can dish it out, but he can't take it. The chickens have come home to roost.
Lance,
I didn't say make as much as ME, but Rush. Big difference.
Chickens coming home to roost? Hardly. Looks like Rush is winning this little engagement as well since it is coming out that most of those quotes are manufactured and the others open to interpretation. I don't think the man is racist, and I have listened to him for years.
BTW, how much have you actually listened to Rush on his program as opposed to selected sound bites taken by his enemies?
I didn't say make as much as ME, but Rush. Big difference.
Criminey, but you're dense sometimes. Was that really so hard to understand?
it is coming out that most of those quotes are manufactured and the others open to interpretation.
I didn't need the manufactured quotes. However, can you please explain to me how one can equate health care reform and reparations without feeding upon racial tensions? And if you manage that, explain how it's not stupid too, while you're at it. Oh, and explain the "This is Obama's America" thing too. Ooh, look out! Black kids are now beating up white kids and nobody can stop them!
I don't think the man is racist, and I have listened to him for years.
Then you are:
a. racist yourself
b. a moron
c. so blinded by this need to be a "conservative" that you ignore the obvious truth that stares you in the face.
I'm leaning toward option C. myself.
BTW, how much have you actually listened to Rush on his program as opposed to selected sound bites taken by his enemies?
My friends and I would always listen to right-wing radio in the summer while going to the beach. I don't need to listen to the village idiot for very long before I realize that he's stupid.
I checked out the sites that defend Limbaugh - and it's all about the manufactured quotes. Nobody can defend his comments about reparations and "Obama's America".
I like how you take David Letterman, a comedian, to task for his tasteless joke about Sarah Palin's daughter, but yet you defend this man who can't even hide behind the "I was kidding!" defense.
The man is a racist, and I've met a million just like him. Just because he doesn't say the n-word, that doesn't mean that he can hide his obvious fear and disdain for black people.
Lance,
Frankly, I am fed up with your insulting style of debate. I have never called you names during our exchanges. Now you have thrown out the R word and more.
I am neither a racist or a moron. Your line of debate is similar to that huckster Warren Ballentine, who told Juan Williams on Fox last night to "go back to the porch".
You are done on this blog, Lance.
Gary Fouse: It was Karma baby, deal with it funny man.
He is reaping what he sowed. Karman "Plain and simple" (just like his followers.)
Paul,
If that is all you have to add to the discussion, thank you very much for your "contributions" and I wish you success in your future endeavors.
Gary is obviously a "real American" who won't let Lance's free speech besmirch a national hero like Rush Limbaugh. I commend your decision to silence his whiny, overly-rational voice. You don't have to address anything he says, ever. Evasion is the way. It's your blog, after all!
Megadittos, Gary. Megadittos.
Nolan,
You missed the point entirely. I have gone back and forth with Lance for two years. The problem is that Lance has often used insulting rhetoric in his arguments. When he implied that I might be a racist or a moron, I decided that it was the final straw.
I enjoy getting diagreeing points of view and only censure them when they cross certain lines. Throwing out the racist charge is one of them. If you want to argue an issue, don't insult. I accept disagreements. I don't have to accept insults.
Clear enough?
He implied you're a racist or a moron because you still haven't addressed his point about Limbaugh's "Obama's America" comment. He got frustrated because instead of confronting what he wrote, you obfuscated by saying that Rush has credibility because "20 million people" take him seriously. I can name a lot of people that's been true of. Stalin, Hitler, Franco, etc. Oh, and before you go off missing the point again, I'm not saying Rush is an evil dictator. I'm just pointing out the flaws in your logic.
So go ahead, Gary. Tell us how that comment wasn't fearmongering racism. We'll start with just that one. Because until you can somehow rationalize that one, I'm going to assume you're supporting racism. Which might just make you a racist.
Clear enough?
Nolan,
My response to the Limbaugh quote:
Let me attempt to address this now that I know what he said that offends you.
The one thing that I diasagree with is that scenes like this are happening in Obama's America. They have been going on all the time. It seems to me that Limbaugh's thesis is that had it been a bus full of white kids beating up a black student, then there would have been a nationwide furor with hate crime charges to come. In other words, there is a double standard.
I guess to you any discussion of that issue means it is racism. Rush obviously went into an area you don't want to venture into. But it is an issue that blacks and whites must discuss frankly as part of that "national discussion on race" we keep hearing about. You see, Nolan, notwithstanding the obvious past history of racism that existed in this country-in my lifetime- today, it is not just a question of white racism that is at the heart of our racial divide. I have written about this before and invite you to go through my archives.
Either you because of your ideology are afraid to question the the politically correct ideology that Rush has challenged or you don't have the intellectual ability to understand what he is really saying.
So to answer your question, I don't think it is a racist statement, and if that makes me a racist in your eyes, so be it.
We read Limbaugh's comments differently. You think he's bravely challenging a double standard. It's clear to me he's stoking the fires of racial unease amongst whites and trying to make them feel like an oppressed minority who is "losing the country."
I'll say this: I don't know if Limbaugh himself is a racist or not. I can't see inside a man's heart. But I do know that he plays a subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) form of racist on t.v., where he uses code words and innuendo to appeal the the fear of his listeners. Here are a whole bunch of examples of that, if you're curious:
http://mediamatters.org/research/200910160044
No thanks, Noaln. Media Matters is atotally biased organ along the lines of msnbc. You read the articles.
Nicely done, Gary. You passed the test. I was just checking to make sure you weren't going to get information from somewhere other than Fox News, which is the only media outlet with no bias.
Nolan,
I passes your test?
Sheeeeet.
Post a Comment