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Monday, March 12, 2012 | 2:01 a.m.
I listen to Rush Limbaugh every day, and I heard his tirade against Sandra Fluke. Although he may have been out of line in calling her a “slut” and a “prostitute,” most of what has been reported about the incident has been mischaracterized by the mainstream media.
Rush’s comments about posting video online were clearly made in jest, yet the liberals want to use this to crucify him. No one on the liberal left is a fan of Rush, and if they don’t agree with you, they want to have you silenced and deprive others of the right to listen. The First Amendment be damned!
In light of the controversy, many advertisers on Limbaugh’s show have canceled their advertising. One of those was the online backup service Carbonite. Although they are free to advertise where and how they see fit, bowing to pressure from the supporters of the “silence Rush” crowd only serves to empower supporters of the out-of-control entitlement mentality in this country, which is what Rush’s comments were really about. Knee-jerk reactions also have unintended consequences — I cancelled my Carbonite subscription and I know many others who are doing so as well.
If people don’t like what they hear Rush say, turn the radio off or change the station. It’s as simple as that. But don’t try to deny me the right to listen to Rush just because you don’t agree with him.
Rush displayed very poor judgement at best with his choice of words. No reasonable person can deny that.
That said, I have no problem at all with people either pulling their advertising from Rush or, as the author of this letter has done, boycotting those who did. That is exactly how the free market is supposed to work.
I do have a major problem with Shelly Berkley, as a sitting member of Congress, calling for Rush to be removed from the air. A member of our government at the highest levels should never show such disregard for the Constitutional rights of a private citizen as that.
This is the Domcrats diverting attention from jobs, the economy and gasoline prices.
--------
Bill Maher-Obama. One million dollars says it all
Rush was putting into context that Fluke was a fluke(bun intended) because she was presenting her information to a democratic audience as a college student when, in fact, she had been an activist in the past for women's reproductive rights. This was a trap because democrats traditionally frame a debate with either a victim or an enemy and so they had their victim already with Fluke. Then Rush became the enemy and gave him the full Alinsky; identify, isolate, freeze and escalate. So the messenger became the subject(enemy) and the debate forcing contraceptives to be paid for by Catholic churches and its affiliates became a secondary thought. This will happen at least 5 to 10 more times in the lead up to November's election. Distract-Distract-Distract away from the debt, deficit spending and joblessness.
I remember when Howard Stern was constantly under fire from the FCC for the same reasons that Mr. Limbaugh is being chastised now. I haven't heard or read what the FCC's reaction has been to all this, and frankly don't care. Stern moved to subscription radio, where he can say whatever he wants to say. I chose not to follow him because I don't like having to pay for radio programming. The letter writer summed it up best: "If people don't like what they hear Rush say, turn the radio off or change the station". A sentiment I share. This too shall pass, and we can all get on with our lives. This will certainly not affect where I shop, one way or the other.
There is no excuse for what Limbaugh said, how he said it, or why he said it. The man is a cancer spreading throughout this country and the wise among us know it.
Don't make such a fuss Larry. Limbaugh's three days of "jesting" about Sandra Fluke got him what he deserves. What's a few advertisers when he's got the likes of Sammy's One Hour Martinizing and a pornographic film distributor lined up to take their place.
The media and those who are inclined to follow want to make the issue about Limbaugh. It's not. He's a mouth piece.
It's about a Pelosi/democrat plant [Fluke] to make women feel good about their President's position on contraception and demonize the GOP.
All the rest is filler.
President Obama called to apologize because the ploy backfired when a fact check proved Ms. Fluke's contraceptive calculations were off by $2700 for 3 years of sex at her rate of use.
She'll get likely $140K per year when she graduates from Georgetown where she is on scholarship and has University provided health care while there.
Nice gig if you can get it.
Carmine A. DiFazio
Driving the long highway commutes in San Diego County to college decades back, I would daily listen to the rants of Rush Limbaugh, and found him entertaining, seasoned occassionally with being right in a sarcastic way.
We are only human, and say things that at times we should have thought better of it. Rush's yap just got the best of him. Oh well. He apologized and that should have been enough.
Congresswoman Berkley should live and let live here, there are other things to dwell on that will be far more productive with her attention, like housing, jobs, education, the DREAM ACT, employment, war (or lack thereof). I am a woman and would appreciate the City of North Las Vegas Waste Water Treatment Plant cleaning up the area and landscape the blight they made in my neighborhood. Water the TREES for God's sake!
I also agree with Larry Fuss, "If people don't like what they hear Rush say, turn the radio off or change the station." It's just that simple!
Blessings and Peace,
Star
President Obama has not called to apologize for the HBO game change movie. Why not?
RefNV: Maybe Rush got the "full Alinsky" but remember Carter had Brzezinski, Clinton got a Lewinski, Nixon had a Rebozzo, but McCain got stuck with a bozo.
Romney/Gingrich 2012
An Empty Suit & Moonman Newt
The 'Big Bloviator' should have a pin stuck in him to deflate his GINORMOUS girth and MONSTROUS ego...
The level to which Rushbo has stooped in his mindless ignorance & outright slanderous commentary cannot be spun for public consumption any other way than to say...
Rushbo is addled by decades of right-wing adulation and self-abuse, and by virtue of his "King" status amongst the knuckle-dragging set, finds himself untouchable.
"I am Rush...I am untouchable and irreplaceable, and wildly popular and successful!"
What a sad, sad commentary on the status of the public airwaves and the American consciousness.
Censuring Limbaugh for his scandalous, salacious screed would have been a foregone conclusion in the past. Now, it's business as usual for the 'Big Bloviator', because no one is minding the store anymore. The FCC has been largely denuded. "Community Standards", as spelled out to radio station licensees, are seemingly as malleable as putty. Hate Speech is now 'free speech' to the 'Big Bloviator' and his contemporaries.
That ain't the way the rules are laid out...
http://www.fcc.gov/guides/radio-call-sho......
To say Rushbo has become 'too big for his britches' is a massive understatement.
Rush is just another example of demagoguery run amok in this country. I personally do not listen to him because his contributions to a civil and factual dialog are few. That said, he has free speech rights and as well as responsibilities. I accept that he has apologized and gets it. The responsibility for losing sponsorship is his alone and not some leftist conspiracy.
No one with an ounce of sense believes (after watching the video of Rush saying what he said about Ms. Fluke) this was in "jest", unless you are emotionally challenged. When a comedian, which Rush most certainly is NOT, makes fun of public figures, as Bill Maher did, that is fair game. When Rush makes fun of a private citizen who is a woman he is a bully and misogynist. As a three time loser, I wonder what the three prior wives think of Limbaugh's disgusting remarks?
Obama told Saturday that he has no control over gas prices. Hummmm
Today Obama has come out with Seven reason about how he has kept gas price low.
Which is it?
Gas @ $4.25 is killing the working poor
Meanwhile all the liberals can talk about is the faux Fluke issue
the top 5 people that have destroyed this country...
w...
karl rove...
koch brothers...
newt gingrich...
rush limbaugh...
and the saddest part is...
people still listen to them!!!
Here are a few points from a conservative writer who happens to be a woman:
" MSNBC misogynist Ed Schultz called talk show host Laura Ingraham a "talk slut" for criticizing Obama's petty beer summit......Playboy published a list of the top 10 conservative women who deserved to be "hate-scr*wed." The article, which was promoted by Anne Schroeder Mullins at Politico.com, included Ingraham, "The View's" Elisabeth Hasselbeck, former Bush spokeswoman Dana Perino, GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann and others. Michelle Malkin topped the list with the following description: a "highly f-able Filipina" and "a regular on Fox News, where her tight body and get-off-my-lawn stare just scream, 'Do me!'"
"Some have not forgotten when liberal Wisconsin radio host John "Sly" Sylvester outrageously accused GOP Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch of performing "fellatio on all the talk-show hosts in Milwaukee" and sneered that she had "pulled a train" (a crude phrase for gang sex). (Earlier, he called former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice a "black trophy" and "Aunt Jemima.")"
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/article...
And here is a point regarding left-wing misogyny from a left-leaning writer, Kirsten Powers who happens to be a woman:
"Many of the professional left seem incapable of distinguishing between a few blog posts and comments condemning left-wing misogyny and a full-scale war to remove someone from their job. This really shouldn't be so hard to grasp: If you hate misogyny and sexism in the media, then react to the consistent and repeated misogyny of men on the left with the same fervor that you have reacted to Rush Limbaugh's sickening outbursts."
Even left-leaning women writers see the hypocrisy from liberal democrats. When your own sides starts to write about it then it's time for the left to understand that it's noticeable to everyone else.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/20...
Comment removed by moderator. - -
We knew this was coming from the right. Rush is now the poor wittle victim who was just minding his own business one day when, wham!, he was viciously attacked by a gang of thugs who called for a boycott of his advertisers.
Rush was been spewing hate for decades and that's his free speech right. But the internet and social media have made it possible for millions of people to mobilize on a moments notice to make their own voices heard, as well.
What goes around comes around. Enjoy, Rush.
Rush didn't just use the slut and prostitute labels a single time to slander Ms. Fluke. No, he went on a three day binge about her percieved sexual deprivations that ended with the loud mouth saying she should post X-rated videos online.
But guess what? He was only kidding. Ha ha. It was all a joke to make us laugh. Just good, clean fun.
NASDAQ:CARB's published SEC reports show that Carbonite is a dot-com disaster that has lost $100.4 million over the past seven years and is burning cash at the rate of $2 million per month.
Carbonite is doomed to implode when it runs out of cash in about two years and will likely be liquidated by a fire-sale acquisition.
Limbaugh should reject them as an advertiser because the business is not being run as an "ongoing concern."
It is a classic "dot-con" that enriches its executives at the expense of shareholders.
David Friend, the shareholder/CEO, pays himself $500,000 per year to lose $500,000 per week of other-people's-money.
"Obamanomics" are accepted in Washington, but not in the business world!
Here's a link to Carbonite's 2011 Annual Report. It's an obituary. Read it and weep.
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1...
No indignation from the lefties about Sharpton, Jackson or Maher; all who have issued bigoted, racist or vile commnets about women, Christians or Jews. I have never listened to Limbaugh's radio "show." However, around 30 years ago, I did watch his TV show and thought he was funny as Hell and was disappointed when it left the air. Anyone calling for his removal from the airwaves simply doesn't understand how America is supposed to work and it isn't by silencing the Jackson's, Sharpton's, Maher's or Limbaugh's. It's by agreeing or opposing their speech with speech of your own. As for the cowardly businesses who pulled their ads. By advertising with Sharpton on MSNBC does not mean they endorse his skewed view of America any more than by advertising with Limbaugh they agree with his. We must not go down a path that weakens the freedom for all simply because we disagree with something someone says or believes.
While I do not listen to Rush I am at a loss to try and wrap my head around the frenzied left and their disingenuous frothing and twitching over this non-event.
Maybe Rush should have openly urinated on a crucifix, wait, then the left would have loved his immaculate grasp of the struggle... blah, blah, blah.
The tired and frizzled left can not explain why their chosen emperor (Obama) has no clothes so they need to set up a fake hearing with an inflammatory whiner. Geeze, and I thought Joe the Plumber was a shill.
Mr. Fuss, if you've listened to Rush Limbaugh everyday, you would then know he has attacked women, minorities, and used derogarory language often. The issue with Ms. Fluke put Limbaugh over the top and pissed off many more people than usual (from both sides of the aisle), especially women.
Companies pulling ads do so because they recognize the damage Rush has done to himself. Say hello to the new Lonesome Rhodes.
Looks like Rick the social conservative is now breaking even with Obama in the head to head. So the liberal name calling and the liberal there is a war on women is not working
Rush might be dumb but he's not stupid, which is why he issued that insincere, lawyer-written apology to Fluke. The GOP propagandist woke up only after 90% of his advertisers abandoned him like rats from a sinking ship.
It makes me love America even more whenever a bully gets his due.
"But don't try to deny me the right to listen to Rush just because you don't agree with him."
Too late. Rush Limbaugh will soon be history. Right now, he's going down the same road Glenn Beck did before being smacked out of Fox News, the Triple A news network (they get ALL the news ALL wrong ALL the time).
As I'm typing this comment, just about 98 advertisers have left that show. Just about ten of them are major advertisers. And the trend right now is the big corporations are shying away from him. He's toxic.
The letter writer seems to blame everyone else for the controversy.
Your finger pointing is unwarranted.
The American public didn't do this. They just reacted.
Rush Limbaugh has no one to blame but himself.
He's going down. Bye, bye, Rush. Good luck in your new job running a hot dog stand or getting employed over at Fox News (that's where all the failing racist misogynistic bigot ultra-right wing hate spewing whiners go anyways).
Rush Limbaugh has a place in America, late night AM radio stations beginning with 12 or 13 (you're lissnin to KSUK 1340 here in Keokuk with El Rushbo, he'll be with you till 1:00 AM then we'll have the farm report) with advertising from the local Kroger store.
You know why he's against contraception?, the guy is either unable or unwilling to have kids.
He is a definite slut sleeping with all of those wives all these years without anything to show for it.
Rush is the best thing to happen to the Dems this year. He's pissed off so many women that they will now be voting for Obama and the Dems come Nov! Keep up the good work Rush! LOL
Dear letter writer:
If you listen to Rush every day, you would have heard him slander Ms. Fluke multiple times over several days for exercising her right to petition the Congress for a redress of grievances.
In testifying, Ms. Fluke was exercising a right essential to good governance. Only if ordinary citizens can be heard telling the truth as they see it can Congress legislate wisely and effectively. But a citizen who is subjected to obloquy and scorn for telling what he or she thinks is the truth is one likely to avoid telling Congress what it needs to know. The result is bad public policy and ineffective legislation. In short, the result is a non-functional or dysfunctional government.
So, we have an example of a private citizen publicly scorned as a Prostitute for exercising a First Amendment Right. And letter writer, presumably a citizen, complains that "Liberals" are unfairly targeting Rush! Well, Esau, hope you enjoyed your meals of hot air, because you have given up your birthright in exchange for them.
Here is where we could use one of Killer B's quotes. One from Alexander Hamilton or Edmond Burke, or Hamilton quoting Burke, to the effect that "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." Burke and Hamilton were both conservatives (in the real sense of the word) and understood the necessity of protecting the right of free speech. In this, as in so many other things, they were actual conservatives -- unlike the Esaus who like our letter writer and his apologists call themselves "Conservative" but do not conserve American rights or liberties but promote instead conformity to an empty fog of pretentious blather.
Real American conservatives understand that good governance requires open and honest speech about public matters. And they understand that that open and honest speech requires some protection of petitioners from personal slander for saying what they believe must be said regarding the subject of their petition.
We can have good governance or we can have Open Season of Incivility on citizens who petition their government. but not both.
Leric,
Where does Berkley, as a sitting member of Congress starting a petition to have Limbaugh taken off the air, fit in your view as outlined above? (By the way, not a bad take on freedom of speech in general.)
I am so tired of the term "liberal" and conservist. If giving to a person that has a need makes me a liberal, so be it. If saving money for a rainy day makes me a conservist, so be it> If I personally think Rush Limbaugh is a racist,divisist blow hard bigot then he has provided me enough information to think of him in this manner. I have a problem with him being able to spew his hate on free airways in various forms to divide America. I have no problem if he takes his hate to a format where those that want to listen can pay to do so. If his followers had to pay I seriously believe he would soon disappear and his undue influence over Republican Congress person(s) would also soon disappear. They are afraid to death of him. The ability to have this kind of influence over our elected representative(s) can not be in anyone's best interest. Certainly not America.
I think all this is hilarous.
People who listen to Rush do pay to listen to him.
Everything you buy has used your money to buy ads to get you buy their stuff. Those companies spend their ad money on radio shows like Rush.
Rush will be fine for whoever has stopped buying ads there are 10 others willing to do so because he has some million + listeners a day.
On the other hand, liberal radio has to be bailed out by the taxpayers to fund.
NPR comes to mind.
Let's let NPR sink and swim like Rush.
Hey, let's the Sun sink and swin like Rush too.
They should stop pigging backing off the LVRJ.
If it is great lib content then libs will dish out money and buy it.
You gotta hand it to those righties. They will stay in that circular firing squad to the last man, probably the only decent thing rush limbo has ever done in his life. Indirectly though.
LastThroes - "It makes me love America even more whenever a bully gets his due."
The ultimate American bully killed his own career as well, Joe McCarthy. People might want to examine his career before they start shooting off their mouths. No one is indispensable, no one!
"Carmiine .. as usual your facts are simply not facts."
Which in particular are not the facts? I'm all ears and eyes. You have, for once, my undivided attention. Let's here what you got.
Carmine A. DiFazio
And anyone expects anything less of the liberals or the main stream media is lying to themselves.
Their only agenda is to create a two class society, those with and those who are codependent on the government. They'll stop at nothing until they achieve their goals.
Any people wonder why Fox News is #1. they're not one sided.
Comment removed by moderator. Make your point without the personal attack on another user.
Comment removed by moderator. Refers to removed comment.
Hombre:
If they are all alike, who do you like/watch/read/follow?
Listening to these libs that are so full of hate for anything/anybody/everything that does not support their narrow focus on micro-agendas is getting old. Vote in November...
@boftx: I dunno. I tend to treat the pronouncements of politicos as more hot air (How did Star put it?: sometimes mildly entertaining on a long drive to/from San Diego.) But your comment got me thinking: (1) that it was overreaching by a Legislator. I think that Rush should be chastised by the Courts for slander, and that it would be right to do so because the chilling effect that his slanders of a citizen would have on the right to petition ought to override any tendency to turn a private citizen who petitions into a "public figure." (2) that Citadel is not going to do anything to destroy a Meal Ticket, no matter what Ms. B and a whole bunch of Legislators say or want. (3) that given (2) Ms. B's "petition drive" is really just a drive for free publicity in a political campaign -- another example of the low level of political discussion to which we have sunk. (It is inconceivable to me that her opponent in the upcoming campaign for Senator is at any way at fault for, or implicated in, Rush's Slander, no one but Rush is at fault for that.) So Ms. B might as well be getting up a Petition that the sun rise each morning, or that it not get hot in Las Vegas in the Summer -- except that she got her Petition on the "news" and people are talking about it as though it were real instead of just a reality show.
Leric,
I would call that a reasonable response. My thought would be that in regard to point 1 that any harm done by Limbaugh is a matter for the civil courts in an action brought by private parties, i.e. Ms. Fluke.
As for Berkley, I think such a call for action by a member of Congress is on thin ice with Constitutional principals at best. For her to do so to gain a political advantage in an election goes beyond the pale for me.
I think you and I could agree that the free market will take care of whether or not Rush stays on the air and that the civil courts can handle any harm between private parties.
Is that a fair assessment?
Make that "principles", not "principals". Dang spell checker doesn't catch that kind of stupid error.
Larry......
The reason that you and other republicans don't
understand is because you have been brain-washed
by heartless, republican extremism and hate.
It's as simple as that.
Like I have said before, republican extremism is
a cancer on America.
Millions of Americans are infected by this
republican cancer.
The only cure to this is a good liberal education.
That's right, we Democrats are here to teach you
republican fools the facts of life.
If you're lucky, someday some of this education
will sink in.
Stop thinking and voting against your own best
interests.
ALWAYS VOTE DEMOCRATIC.
FOUR MORE YEARS FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA!!!
"The only cure to this is a good liberal education."
Right-on. I was a liberal arts major in college: Rutgers University, Newark Campus: College of ARTS and Sciences. And I have been a political independent all my voting life and still.
You are finally right. Congratulations.
Carmine A. DiFazio
No one should care--this has been over-media-ed. So let's get to the issues: the ECONOMY and ILLEGALS BANKRUPTING THIS COUNTRY. Granted Hillary's onto something--Americans don't treat women perfectly but somewhat better than Muslims do.