Rush and the medal of freedom

JerryBobCo

I thought that presenting Rush with the medal was as appropriate or more so than for a lot of other recipients such as Robert DeNiro.   But, there are a large number of folks who don't see it that way, even going so far to call him a racist who hasn't done anything.

The only remark I remember him making that even hinted of racism was a comment he made about black athletes being superior to white athletes because of how slaves were selectively bred in the south.  That remark  cost him his job on Monday Night Football, too.
 
I also have heard that he has raised a lot of money for various charities, but I don't know which ones, nor have I bothered to check this out.  Regardless, he is a conservative icon and is a pioneer in political radio broadcasting.

What's your take on this?

GunNut

I agree.  Rush is a beacon of free speech and his audience numbers show that his message resonates strongly across the country.  The left has stacked everything they ever had against him, hell they even created a whole radio network to compete against the National level conservative radio genre he created.  And they failed...  

He is a monumental force with a voice that will be nearly impossible to replace.  Agree or disagree with him, he has been HEARD.

JerryBobCo

alphasigmookie said:

Rush is a racist blow hard, but so is the president so I have no problem with this president giving him a token symbolic gesture as he is dying of lung cancer. 

Please tell me what he has done that makes him a racist?  

zorba

Everybody's a racist, according to the Left. The word has lost all meaning.

Rush isn't my favorite person, but he isn't my least favorite either. He has points I agree with, and those that I do not. Sometime vehemently in both directions.

Remember Obama won a Nobel prize for doing nothing - the Left would do well to remember that.

Jayhawker

Actually, he got the prize for stuff he might do...in retrospect, he should probably give it back

JerryBobCo

Jayhawker said:

Actually, he got the prize for stuff he might do...in retrospect, he should probably give it back

Could be worse.  Greta Thunberg could get it this year.  She's been nominated.

zorba

Like "Racist", "Nobel Prize" has lost all meaning. Might as well give it to me - or any of us here.

GunNut

alphasigmookie said:

Rush is a racist blow hard, but so is the president so I have no problem with this president giving him a token symbolic gesture as he is dying of lung cancer. 

Yeah, I'm with Jerry.  Do you want to back that up?  or just another bullet point from the glossy brochure...

JerryBobCo

zorba said:

Like "Racist", "Nobel Prize" has lost all meaning. Might as well give it to me - or any of us here.

I"ll take it.  Doesn't it come with a substantial amount of money?

Jermanator

Never mind. Duplicate.

zorba

Again, by 2016 or 2020 standards, EVERYTHING is "racist". I'm not buying...

GunNut

alphasigmookie said:

I was going to drop it, but fine:

Exhibit A on Rush:
https://newsone.com/16051/top-10-racist-limbaugh-quotes/

Exhibit A on Trump:
https://www.vox.com/2016/7/25/12270880/donald-trump-racist-racism-history

You guys can make all the justifying arguments you want to say that none of these statements or actions are racist, and maybe by a 1980 definition of racism they may not be, but by a 2016 or a 2020 definition a significant majority are. I am not someone who thinks racism is a capital offense, and yes society has gone a bit far with politically correctness, but in my opinion both of these men seem to harbor some strong negative feelings towards people who are not white. The alternative hypothesis is that both have determined that pandering and dog whistling to racists is good for business, in which case they may not actually be racist in their hearts and just peddle in racism for political and financial gain. 

Funny I have actually read just about all of those and THE FEW that are real when put in context of the conversation are not racial at all.  Many of the quotes attributed to him are actually made up and no one has found the original source or proof.  I have also read statements by ACTUAL black people that worked for Rush and Trump and they all say they are not racists at all.  To me THAT is proof of a man’s character.  Not the hatchet jobs of press hacks in HIGHLY biased sites.

Accipiter

Rush is the best there is at what he does.  He knows how to manipulate his listeners better than any other commentator out there.  He is also nothing but a shill.  He will spin two different Presidents doing the exact same thing in a completely opposite light.  The Repub can do no wrong, and the Dem can do no right.  Listen to him and respect his commentary if you wish.  I do not care for someone that has no consistency.  Wrong is wrong, and right is right no matter what party someone is a part of.

GunNut

And by the way before anyone takes the quick google search link of Rush’s quotes seriously PLEASE read the article on the same rag Newsone praising Jay-z and Beyonce for sitting during the National Anthem for context.  Actually take a look at their article lineup so you understand the slant of the rag.

Oh yeah and Vox.  Just one of their other headlines:

Threats, misogyny, hypocrisy — Trump’s bonkers post-impeachment speech had a little of everything

Give me a freaking break...

earlyagain

I've never listened to a significant portion of his show.

The conclusion that everything produced by a hostile or oppositional press is fake new is erroneous. If they're not racist, the have the rhetoric mastered.

zorba

Heck, even most "news" produced by someone who is close to my viewpoint is fake. Over sensationalized and spun. Which is why I don't watch/listen/read a whole lot of news these days - I can't trust ANY of it.

GunNut

I listened to Rush for many years.  My opinion is based on actually listening to what he had to say, and what folks that have worked for him have to say.  

Jayhawker

So Alpha....just for the record, have you ever actually listened to Rush for any length of time?

Or are you just parroting the liberal mantra...

I find that a lot of liberal folks haven't had an original thought in a very long time...

"You need to hate Rush..."
" Why?"
" I don't know...you just do"

Jayhawker

Talk about bloviating...it was a yes or no question...

To answer your question...yes, I listen to "the other side" frequently...I find value in knowing what the "enemy" is up to...

Antonio

I listened to R.L. back in the '90s, specially during the Somalia crisis; found him funny and controversial politically speaking by his potshooting of the Clinton administration but I don't think he deserves that kind of recognition for doing his job.

In my book specifically medals are for distingushed acts in combat conditions. Give the man a trophy, a plate, coin, watch or whatever, but keep medals for troops and civilian that risked their lives for their country. JMHO

Linefinder

Antonio said:

In my book specifically medals are for distingushed acts in combat conditions. Give the man a trophy, a plate, coin, watch or whatever, but keep medals for troops and civilian that risked their lives for their country. JMHO

Yep.

Mike

JerryBobCo

The Medal of Freedom is specifically meant for civilians.  There are other honors that can be bestowed on military, such as Bronze Stars, Silver Stars and the Medal of Honor.