Mad Rush

Maybe it’s the diet pills that’s got Rush Limbaugh dishing out a combustible stew of red meat propaganda, fear mongering and Nazi nicknames. The blowhard radio host, who claims to have dropped eighty plus pounds in mere months, keeps drawing ridiculous comparisons between President Obama and Adolph Hitler. I’ve only dipped into his show a few times over the last few weeks (any more would jeopardize my health) but every time I’ve heard at least one–and frequently several–references to Hitler or Nazis juxtaposed with Obama and his Health Care reform plan. To be fair, Rush also likes to call Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi a Nazi, too. And just today he said, “Why can we NOT use Hitler?”

Maybe because it’s irresponsible and incendiary. Media Matters, the watchdog website that tracks all media, has archived Limbaugh’s ludicrous dirges, as well as those of other bloviators like Michael Savage and Glenn Beck (who has been hemorrhaging sponsors from his Fox News TV show after his incredulous remark, “I believe the President is a racist. He has a deep hatred of white people”). But besides MSNBC– where Keith Olbermann stands guard as liberal pit bull–most mainstream media outlets have ignored such rampant, racist rabble rousing.

And my advice to friends who bemoan such shows is usually to ignore them, too. Change the station, read a newspaper, pick up a book. I’m a big proponent of the First Amendment. I don’t condone censorship. Unless it’s self-censorship. I’m a radio talker myself, I know the drill. You’ll never make everyone happy. That’s not the job. I know their fans say these guys are entertainers, provocateurs; they’d say if I were more outrageous, more obnoxious, more conservative, I’d be more successful.

Maybe. But along with the power all that wattage behind the microphone affords, comes some responsibility. To facts, to verbiage, to society. And when radio hosts–especially syndicated stars who captivate millions across the country every day–cook up undeniably inflammatory racist rancor, they need to be publicly chastised. By those of us in the media.

Limbaugh–who also fueled the whack job “Birthers” Summer of Obama’s Dubious Citizenship–knows exactly what he’s doing. He wants to work his Dittoheads into a frenzy. He’s happy to sit back, munch on his diet dinners, while they disrupt Health Care Town Meetings, brandishing signs with Swastikas, slogans calling for bloodshed and defaced pictures of the President with a Hitler mustache. He rejoices when some nutso strings up a Congressman in effigy, when some yahoo shows up at one of these standing room only shout fests with a gun strapped to his ankle in places where that’s inexplicably permitted like New Hampshire or Arizona (and a few Republican Congressman actually go on TV and defend such acts cloaked in the Second Amendment).

He doesn’t seem to care about the facts, throws around “death panels” with fear-mongering aplomb, interchangeably uses fascism, socialism, communism. Rarely–if ever–outlines or lets anyone outline the REAL facts of the proposed plan. Remember, Limbaugh was the guy who called Obama a ” halfrican American” and stirred the Rev. Wright pot daily during the campaign. He doesn’t disguise his blatant disdain for the President. Put simply: he wants to take Obama down. He’s said from day one, “I want Obama to fail” Can’t imagine a more un-American comment than that. Had a loco lefty (and I’m sure some did) say that about Bush, Limbaugh et al would  have thrown  red, white and blue paint all over his/her “unpatriotic” tongue.

Look,I don’t believe in ambush broadcasting. I decried the ex-Air America host–whose name eludes me as her career was quickly kicked to the curb–who called for Bush’s assassination a few years ago, too. And I think the so-called “911 Truthers” –who’ve been spewing all sorts of unsubstantiated garbage all over the Internet accusing Bush and Cheney of plotting the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history for nearly a decade–are deplorable. Irresponsibility and hatred know no party lines.

Those of us in the media have an obligation to vet the facts, to be honest with readers, listeners, viewers. We should encourage a lively discussion, create a mosaic of voices that doesn’t sound like an echo. As Don Russell, the venerable talk show host I had the privilege to work with on WGCH Radio always says, “We can disagree without being disagreeable.”

That’s not as provocative, not as entertaining, I know. But after a summer of tumult caused largely by misinformation, I think it’s time to do a reverse Emeril and kick it back a few notches. Who knows? Maybe we’ll actually learn something. Might even get a solid Health care Reform Bill passed.

The 2012 Presidential Election is fast approaching

The GOP race is now a field of 4 with only Romney, Gingrich, Paul, & Santorum still standing. Who will be the next candidate to exit the race & who will emerge as the eminent GOP nominee?

Follow us on Twitter & join our 2012 election FaceBook page for updates & new blog articles.

Contact us if you are passionate about politics & want to blog with us.