Sandra Fluke/Rush Limbaugh controversy

[Gravekeeper]

But I think where Rush crossed the line is by picking on what is basically a private citizen.

He crossed the line when he went from his usual blowhard ranting into character assassination. It would have been one thing for him to rant in general about this, he likely still would have caused quite a bit of commotion but at least he wouldn't get sued. But because he specifically went after one person in willful ignorance of what her testimony was actually about he crossed the line into straight up defamation.

Fluke was talking about a friend that needed birth control for medical reasons, not about herself. So there wasn't even a hyperbolic link between Rush's bullshit and what actually occurred. Thus it ends up being straight up character assassination. He went on the air and called a private citizen a whore for no reason with not even the slightest shred of evidence to back it up. You can't do that. ;p

What digusts me about Rush is that his show is apparently part of the Armed Forces network. What a lovely standard of nobility and respect to be passing along to your troops.

[Greenday]

What digusts me about Rush is that his show is apparently part of the Armed Forces network. What a lovely standard of nobility and respect to be passing along to your troops.

I don't remember seeing him on AFN at all last year. Though Fox was basically the only news channel they ever played.

[bara]

I like how some people are saying it is a violation of free speech for people to petition his advertisers and radio stations to pull him off the air.

Really, I find that funny. He exercised his right to free speech and now all those petitioning are exercising their right to free speech.

[Silverharp]

I like how some people are saying it is a violation of free speech for people to petition his advertisers and radio stations to pull him off the air.

Really, I find that funny. He exercised his right to free speech and now all those petitioning are exercising their right to free speech.

When the whole Prop 8 fiasco began there was a huge backlash in Utah where people were boycotting businesses that donated to the cause.
The whole cry of "You're stomping on our rights!" was quickly drowned out with "so wait...your rights include telling me where I have to eat/shop/whatever?"
got real quiet after that

[mikoyan29]

I like how some people are saying it is a violation of free speech for people to petition his advertisers and radio stations to pull him off the air.

Really, I find that funny. He exercised his right to free speech and now all those petitioning are exercising their right to free speech.

the 1st Amendment only applies to the Government. Now if all these people were petitioning the Government to do something about it, they'd have a beef. Nor does the 1st Amendment protect you from consequences of what you say from private individuals. Nor does the 1st Amendment cover defamatory or inflammatory statements.

[Millahtyme1983]

Honestly I see Rush as a joke (not a funny one). The fact that anyone takes anything he says seriously surprises me. I honestly believe that most of his listeners are made up of people that hate him who are only listening because they think people are taking him seriously. Part of me wants to think that he is a caricature of himself saying controversial and stupid things because he knows it'll get him press.

I'm sure out there somewhere there are people who listen to him and believe everything he says, but I doubt he's really "the voice of the conservatives" as he is made out to be. Maybe more the voice of the fringe, or the guy that takes it too far. But everybody I know who describes themselves as conservatives (I admit not the most scientific of studies) believe he is a blowhard that makes them look bad.

[indigo]

Unfortunately many of the conservatives that I live near or work with believe what he says. I really had to bite my tongue when I overheard several people applauding his attack on Sandra Fluke - although when I did bring up that I use bc for medical reasons, they said I was not a slut because they knew I was a "decent girl" but that other girl was a slut because she was whining to the world that she couldn't afford her bc. I've noticed that there's no real way to reason with those who believe Rush. And at least in my area it seems that the worse the economy gets, the more people start to believe him.

[Rageaholic]

Bill O'reilly covered this.

What. An. Asshole.

He basically said that if we have to pay our "hard earned money" on her contraceptives, we should have had to pay for his football practice. Yes, he compared contraceptives to FOOTBALL. He then went on about how this was a freedom issue and blew the whole thing out of proportion.

In the second part, he had two other women on, but kept cutting off the one who was pro fluke (but not interrupting the other).

I can't believe I ever used to listen to this asshole.

[mikoyan29]

Now Conservatives are bringing up when Ed Schultz called Laura Ingraham a slut. So of course I had to find the clip in which he called her a talk slut....completely different thing. But I forgot context doesnt' matter to some. They also forgot that he immediately apologized and was off the air for a while....

[MadMike]

In the second part, he had two other women on, but kept cutting off the one who was pro fluke (but not interrupting the other).

Sounds exactly like Rush. I don't listen to him by choice, but a local burger place that I sometimes go to for lunch has that loudmouth drug-addicted hypocrite playing on the radio, and since their burgers are fresh-made and very thick, you're sometimes standing there for awhile, especially if it's busy. And it's not exactly easy to tune that crap out. The food is delicious, but I don't go there nearly as often as I used to, partly for that reason, and partly because crime has gotten so bad in Harrisburg I'm afraid to walk anywhere anymore.

He's nothing but a loudmouth know-it-all with a blind hatred for anything that's not republican. I don't agree with everything Obama has done or is doing, but I'm sure that if his buddy Bush was doing the exact same things, Rush would be praising him as a genius.

I had the displeasure once of hearing a caller who dared to politely disagree with Rush on something, and Rush kept interrupting him, talking over him, and even insulting the poor guy. It's one thing to say, "I disagree with your beliefs", and quite another to say, "You're stupid for believing that."

I can't believe anyone takes this walking pile of crap seriously.

[Rageaholic]

Now Conservatives are bringing up when Ed Schultz called Laura Ingraham a slut. So of course I had to find the clip in which he called her a talk slut....completely different thing. But I forgot context doesnt' matter to some. They also forgot that he immediately apologized and was off the air for a while....

Typical conservative tactic; find a situation in which a liberal was guilty of something similar and act like the poor widdle conservatives are being persecuted against.

I don't like Ed Schultz either (or any of those loud mouth talk show hosts), but at least his views are more for the common man than O'reilly and Limbag.

[mikoyan29]

Typical conservative tactic; find a situation in which a liberal was guilty of something similar and act like the poor widdle conservatives are being persecuted against.

I don't like Ed Schultz either (or any of those loud mouth talk show hosts), but at least his views are more for the common man than O'reilly and Limbag.

I think the closest thing is Bill Maher calling Palin a c*** but even that isn't close because Palin is a public figure. And quite frankly, that is not as bad as some of the other things he said. Fluke is not. I think Fluke wanted to say her thing and be out of the limelight again.

Personally, I find what passes off for commentary these days distasteful. None of these buffoons would be fit to like Buckley's balls let alone take his mantel. I don't have a problem with folks disagreeing but there's a line crossed when you get called an idiot or worse because you disagree with someone.

[crashhelmet]

Personally, I don't think the Bill Maher comment can compare to what Rush said. Bill Maher called Sarah Palin the C word. He didn't accuse her of having sex partners lined up around the block. He didn't say she needed to video tape herself having sex and post in on the internet for everyone to view.

The Bill Maher comment could be compared to the Obama looks like a crack addict comment, but not the Rush attack on Fluke.

[Rageaholic]

I can't stand Bill Maher anyway. He's just as obnoxious as the FOX news talking heads.

[guywithashovel]

I look at someone calling a woman a c*nt the same way I look at someone calling a man a d*ck.