Unfortunately
in this case, advertisers and listeners get what we pay for. Rush Limbaugh, give me a break, you can’t be
serious; but history would suggest he is.
Unlike
my wife, who is much smarter and more discerning then I am, and would never
listen to his radio broadcast, I occasionally listen to his show. Why? It’s been my long-time practice to experience a
variety of viewpoints on political, historical and religious issues. It’s
important to hear what thousands of others who live in the same community I
live in listen to and adhere to.
For
many people, religious and non-religious, Rush Limbaugh is more than an “entertainer.”
He is a “conservative voice that
interprets current political and social reality.” Unfortunately, a sober examination of his body
of work and personal attacks on a variety of people would suggest that his motto
is certainly not, “Do no harm”.
His
latest attack, on Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke, has resulted in what is purported
to be an “apology,” the loss of over 30 advertisers, and being dropped by two
radio stations. Limbaugh claimed that Ms. Fluke testified before a
congressional committee because she wanted to “be paid to have sex.” Distorting the truth and story behind her
intent and content is one thing, but calling her names I will not repeat in
this article, is absolutely bizarre and insulting to all women and civil minded
people.
Insulting
behavior is not the sole property of only one political party, or self-described
“conservatives” or “liberals.” Mr. Limbaugh, however, has run amuck with a
steady diet of fear pandering and denigrating insults. You only need to Google his quotes to be
assured that the common good and respect for others is not high on his list of
core values.
Two
brief quotes give us an entrée into the millionaire radio broadcaster. First, “If
Obama (as in President Obama) weren’t black, he’d be a tour guide in Honolulu.” Second, on January 13, 2010, he discouraged donations to support Haiti following the earthquake, “We’ve
already donated to Haiti. It’s called
U.S. income taxes.”
Rush, you
can’t be serious!
Even if
it takes me another 30 years of marriage, I hope to learn to follow the wisdom
of my wife. Anybody who openly prays and publicly declares
they “hope the President fails,” as Rush Limbaugh did, can’t be trusted to
champion the common good.
·
Shame
on us for allowing hate speech to flourish and civility to be trampled upon in
2012.
·
Shame
on Rush Limbaugh for his insults directed at Sandra Fluke.
We
are living way beneath our Kingdom potential when we allow the abandonment of
respect for others to give license to “anything goes.” There is a better way and it begins
with an old but never-outdated rule; “Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you!”
The
words of Ted Koppel are very appropriate at this time in America, “Aspire
to decency. Practice civility toward one another. Apply a rigid standard of
morality to your lives and if periodically you fail as you surely will, adjust
your lives, not the standards.”
I am
turning off Rush Limbaugh for good and joining my wife to write letters to
advertisers of his show. It’s time for
him to sign off!
Bishop
Julius C. Trimble
A blessed message Bishop Trimble. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAmen, Bishop Trimble! I've been convicted during this Lenten season that we have to speak truth and light into the darkness. We let far too many things go by (from all sides of the political spectrum) without saying anything and in many ways, we are hiding our light under a bushel basket. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteBishop, thank you for your leadership, and for some wise words I can share with my congregation this Sunday. We are beginning a three-part series on "Three Simple Rules" this coming Sunday. I knew I wanted to use this latest hot controversy in my preaching, and I find myself in my first year in a community that, for the most part, does not share my long-held distain for the rhetorical stylings (let alone political viewpoints) of Mr. Limbaugh. Thank you for publically naming what this man has been allowed (and encouraged) to do for years as hate speech.
ReplyDeleteWith hope of true Shalem,
Rev. DeeAnne L. Lowman
Shenendehowa UMC
Clifton Park, NY
I agree, though I do wonder where the public outcry is for others who have similarly used their public platforms to bash people whose choices and opinions they do not approve of.
ReplyDeleteWay to go, Julius! I am glad you addressed this matter from a Wesleyan perspective. Thanks for your leadership.
ReplyDeleteGalen Black, EO Conference
Bishop Trimble, thank you for your wise and courageous statement. Not only is Limbaugh's language uncivil, as a United Methodist he is behaving in a very unloving way to another United Methodist, Sandra Fluke. I would observe that Limbaugh, like many, many other public figures of some notoriety, did not confess that he was wrong or ask forgiveness; he just said that he made a bad choice of words!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your leadership in our United Methodist Church, Bishop. Keep up the good work. Jim Magaw