Rush Limbaugh has advanced lung cancer.

[Belsnickel]

I can't stand Rush, but I wish him well on this. Yes, he is a lying hypocrite who uses his platform to spread false narratives to people too naive to know better and lacking the critical thinking skills needed to recognize the bullshit.

I don't really have a way to continue that statement with something decent to say about him, so I'll just stop there.

[Bengalzona]

Rush and his show were part of a symptom of a disease, a disease which infected portions of American society about 30 years ago when FCC rules on equal time-sharing for opposing political views were trashed by the Reagan Administration and which has continued unabated since. It is a disease which has encouraged political isolation and insulation and our current trend of "choose-the-news-you-like" under the guise of "free speech", and that, in turn, has been a massive contribution to our partisan and bifurcated society.

Now, in Rush's defense, I don't think many ever interpreted his show as news. Rather, it was generally seen as political commentary. But the concept that biased commentary should be expressed without a response from opposing views in media was a new and flawed concept, championed by those who really do not want others to express their views: the opposite of "free speech". Rush and his show did not create that situation, but they did take advantage of it.

As for his illness, I would not wish cancer on anyone. And for those who would, I offer this:

I sometimes watch documentaries on the holocaust and they sometimes contain interviews with survivors. One of the things that has always amazed me is that, when they interview these survivors I almost never see them demonstrate bitterness. Sadness, definitely. Incredible sadness and loss. But not bitterness. When I was young, I did not understand this. Certainly, they must hate those Nazis for what they did with a wrath beyond hatred. But, that's not what I see.

Bitterness poisons the person who is bitter, not the person they are bitter at. I think that is why some of these holocaust survivors still survived into their later years: they didn't take that poison. They recognized it for what it is. In a sense, they 'survived' a second time.

I rarely quote Nietzsche, but he did have an appropriate quote about this: “Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster.”

I think that if you want to fight hatred, bigotry, unfairness, dehumanization, etc., you have to start with yourself and make sure that you do not exhibit that: that you don't become that which profess to hate.

[Benton]

Rush was the modern pioneer of fake news. I listened to him a couple decades ago and it was funny, but even then he was championing spreading messages of hate along with disinformation.

I don't wish ill will on him. It is a shame anyone's legacy to be so tarnished after having reached so many.

[*Nately120*]

I'm refuse to let the PC police pressure me into pretending that I care about this. Best of luck, Rush. Say hi to Ted Kennedy.

[Dill]

(02-04-2020, 11:31 AM)Bengalzona Wrote: Rush and his show were part of a symptom of a disease, a disease which infected portions of American society about 30 years ago when FCC rules on equal time-sharing for opposing political views were trashed by the Reagan Administration and which has continued unabated since. It is a disease which has encouraged political isolation and insulation and our current trend of "choose-the-news-you-like" under the guise of "free speech", and that, in turn, has been a massive contribution to our partisan and bifurcated society.
Bitterness poisons the person who is bitter, not the person they are bitter at. I think that is why some of these holocaust survivors still survived into their later years: they didn't take that poison. They recognized it for what it is. In a sense, they 'survived' a second time.

I rarely quote Nietzsche, but he did have an appropriate quote about this: “Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster.”

I think that if you want to fight hatred, bigotry, unfairness, dehumanization, etc., you have to start with yourself and make sure that you do not exhibit that: that you don't become that which profess to hate.

Well said. And not easy to do.  You are a good role model here, B!

[Arturo Bandini]

Good riddance.

[BmorePat87]

Trump announced he’s gonna give Rush the medal of freedom. Trump hasn’t given many out, 14 over 3 years with half going to sports figures.

[hollodero]

(02-04-2020, 08:24 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: No issue at all.  Was simply using him as an example of someone who pushed the limits of what was thought of as acceptable free speech at a particular moment in time.

Now, what you see as pushing the limits and positive in that sense, I see as indecent, hateful, lieing rhetorics. In other words, limits that don't need any pushing.
The world doesn't get a better place when the limits of being a decent and truthful person are pushed.

Which, imho, has nothing to do with free speech. Free speech means he won't go to jail for it. Which is good. It does not mean I have to find his speeches acceptable.

Also, I find it hard to compare a comedian to a political commentator.

[SunsetBengal]

(02-04-2020, 11:23 PM)hollodero Wrote: Now, what you see as pushing the limits and positive in that sense, I see as indecent, hateful, lieing rhetorics. In other words, limits that don't need any pushing.
The world doesn't get a better place when the limits of being a decent and truthful person are pushed.

Which, imho, has nothing to do with free speech. Free speech means he won't go to jail for it. Which is good. It does not mean I have to find his speeches acceptable.

Also, I find it hard to compare a comedian to a political commentator.

I agree, especially when the political commentator was just awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

I'm sorry that you didn't get the analogy between successful people that both have pushed the limits of free speech.  People that have a platform and an audience have a powerful voice that not only impacts society in the moment they are speaking, but also transcends what people are thinking about in general.

[BmorePat87]

(02-05-2020, 12:05 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I agree, especially when the political commentator was just awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

I'm sorry that you didn't get the analogy between successful people that both have pushed the limits of free speech.  People that have a platform and an audience have a powerful voice that not only impacts society in the moment they are speaking, but also transcends what people are thinking about in general.

I think all of us understand that the distinction being made is that while people like Rush, Hannity, Carlson, Madow, etc, are commentators and not journalists, they wield a great deal of influence over an audience and use it to knowingly blur the line between opinion and fact, often times pushing misinformation as truth. 

No one is suggesting they cannot freely say whatever they want, but there's a level of responsibility that comes with that, and anyone who would seek to spread such misinformation absolutely does deserve condemnation. 

[hollodero]

(02-05-2020, 12:05 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I agree, especially when the political commentator was just awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

I'm sorry that you didn't get the analogy between successful people that both have pushed the limits of free speech.  People that have a platform and an audience have a powerful voice that not only impacts society in the moment they are speaking, but also transcends what people are thinking about in general.

Well, that is my issue. How someone like Rush Limbaugh impacts society and transcends what people think.

In this case, what people think about the political enemy, about the ideologically different, about other people. Which is, the worst lies and smears.

Can you honestly go through the list of just the most severe Rush Limbaugh attack lines and tell yourself that it's good and valuable how these lines pushed limits and transcended what people think? Because to me, they seem like an extremist's viewpoint. Also, like blatant lies (and it's that, blatant lies, not mere "opinions" - and saying so sure is not an attack on free speech).

[GMDino]

I did find El Rushbo looking SHOCKED to be getting the medal last night a *bit* disingenuous given that it was announced hours earlier and he was invited to the speech.  The media knew...he knew.  

[fredtoast]

(02-05-2020, 12:05 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I'm sorry that you didn't get the analogy between successful people that both have pushed the limits of free speech. 

Again, what the hell does this have to do with "free speech"?  Like I said before the KKK and Westboro Baptist Church have also exercised their right to free speech, that does not mean that their message was not disgusting.

Rush is a lying, racist, misogynist, hypocrite, but as long as he says what you want to hear you think he is great. Since you are ashamed to admit that you love his opinions you try to act like you are just supporting "free speech", but that is not the issue at all.  I have not heard one person say that Rush does not have the right to say all that mean crazy shit.  Stop trying to wrap yourself in the flag to defend him.

[Belsnickel]

(02-05-2020, 10:56 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Again, what the hell does this have to do with "free speech"?  Like I said before the KKK and Westboro Baptist Church have also exercised their right to free speech, that does not mean that their message was not disgusting.

Rush is a lying, racist, misogynist, hypocrite, but as long as he says what you want to hear you think he is great. Since you are ashamed to admit that you love his opinions you try to act like you are just supporting "free speech", but that is not the issue at all.  I have not heard one person say that Rush does not have the right to say all that mean crazy shit.  Stop trying to wrap yourself in the flag to defend him.

Just to expand on this a little bit, free speech does not mean that one can say anything and not be held responsible for what they say. The First Amendment does not absolve you of any responsibility for your personal actions. I'm not going to sit here and say Rush said things that should have been restricted, I'm just saying that he is a lying hypocrite and he has to own that.

[*Nately120*]

(02-05-2020, 01:45 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: Just to expand on this a little bit, free speech does not mean that one can say anything and not be held responsible for what they say. The First Amendment does not absolve you of any responsibility for your personal actions. I'm not going to sit here and say Rush said things that should have been restricted, I'm just saying that he is a lying hypocrite and he has to own that.

That's my take.  You are free to conduct yourself in a manner that will lead to lots of people not being upset when you are terminal/dead.  I wouldn't be surprised if Rush enjoys knowing people are spitefully celebrating his death, anyways.  

[GMDino]

Like I said...he knew.  It was an all an act, and not a very good one.

Rush Limbaugh arrives at the Capitol for State of the Union pic.twitter.com/NCr88Vc7W1

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) February 5, 2020

 

[GMDino]

Rush Limbaugh was given the Medal of Freedom at the State of the Union last night. Here's a bit on who he is.

Viewer discretion is advised. pic.twitter.com/rWYbfnDThl

— Media Matters (@mmfa) February 5, 2020

 

[jj22]

Cancer has effected all of us in some way (family or personal) so I won't take a shot at Rush although Lord knows I want to.

[GMDino]

I forgot a lot of what Rush said...

“Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream society.”
Rush Limbaugh was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom yesterday after he was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. He opened up to 60 Minutes in 1991: https://t.co/uOltOGdUz5 pic.twitter.com/S5oTPCjgH7

— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) February 5, 2020

 

[Vas Deferens]

**** this guy and the self gifted golden microphone he rode in on.