By Rush's Ears....

The BBQ Pit
21

I’m sorry, I just can’t fathom it. I dislike Bill Clinton with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns, but I would never just sit back and say I couldn’t feel sorry for him if he were simularly afflicted. It just doesn’t compute for me. Without getting into all the particulars of Clinton’s “transgressions” (which, in my opinion, are considerable) I can’t imagine that I’d sit back and think “Ah! Poetic justice!” if he lost his vision, or his hearing. At the very least, I’d think of his family, and how that would affect them. I’d think about how many things in his life would so permanently be altered. I’d just think there could be a less permanent form of “poetic justice” for the transgressions he’s committed (in my opinion). Not that I’m exactly hankering for him to be hit with some “poetic justice”, mind.

So you think he’s a hateful bastard. Would it be “poetic justice” if all hateful bastards became deaf? Or blind? Or wheelchair bound? How about impotent? (Hey! That would be a good one for Bill Clinton, if I were of the sentiment that such an affliction were “poetic justice”!) What exactly is the appropriate “poetic justice” for each particular kind of “hateful bastard”? And who gets to decide what is “hateful” enough?

And don’t you think that most of us have done things that piss others off, or are considered unkind or unfair? Would you like the idea that someone else was sitting back and musing - “hmmm…he’s a bastard anyway, so I am finding it hard to feel sorry that he (has some permanent disablity).”

And I think this issue is a little too distant for you. It’s all a bit too academic for you, I think. It’s not for me. I daresay it’s not for a lot of people on this board. You really don’t know how devastating this can be to a person. I can’t speak for Rush, but my sister went into a long-term depression for YEARS after she lost her sight. YEARS. She was an artist, and she couldn’t paint anymore. Couldn’t drive. But, I guess that could be considered “poetic justice”, if she were enough of a “bitch” in someone’s mind, huh?

Why should I keep silent, because I’ve witnessed something simular to what is currently going through first-hand? What’s wrong with that?

Oh, forgive me, I stand corrected. You said it was “poetic justice”. That makes it all better.

leander wrote:

So, if the permanent loss of hearing isn’t tragic, what is it? Do want to rate it from a scale of 1-10 for me? Please enlighten me. Where does blindness rate on the “tragic” scale? What about losing a limb? Or both limbs? What’s “tragic enough” for you?

And I wasn’t trying to compare deafness to Alzheimer’s directly - I was asking why is it OK to feel no sympathy for a person when they get an illness or condition, just because you don’t like their politics.

My sister is legally blind, she’s not living a “tragic” life. She’s bounced back, and is very productive. But damned if I’m going to say that the living Hell she went through when she started losing her sight wasn’t tragic. It was. To have it slip away so quickly, not know what is causing it, not be able to stop it? It’s tragic to see. I’ve witnessed it, that’s what it is.

Please, enlighten me. But bear in mind, the case can be made (and I can make it) that my sister’s blindness is “poetic justice”. If you really want to put a twisted spin on it. You could do that with a lot of people, I daresay.

OK, so from now on, you tell me what you think is “tragic” enough.

22

Well then, I guess in that case NOW and NAACP do a pretty good job. Or do you think Limbaugh meant his “gerbil updates” to be respectful commentary? Or how about accompanying news reports about AIDS with the song “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” and referring to it as “Rock Hudson’s Disease”?

Kinda ironic when you consider that the radio executive who saved Rush’s career back in 1984 was Norm Woodruff, a gay man who later died of AIDS.

23

Your lack of perspective. And your anger.

24

And yosemitebabe, I’m confused as to why you’re equating “I’m skeptical about what he says” with “I’m happy he’s going deaf.” I specifically said I’m not happy about it, if in fact he really is going deaf.

25

Rush Limbaugh is no more ‘hateful’ than Michael Moore, or Al Franken, or any number of entertainers who make their living as entertaining ‘advocates’ of a political viewpoint.

I’m guessing that those who find Rush ‘Hateful’ think that Michael Moore is the epitome of reason and hilarity, and those who love Rush think that Michael Moore is a spiteful little man who gets his yucks going around and attacking people for the crime of running their own businesses and providing thousands of jobs.

Get some perspective.

26

Oh yeah. It’s “tragic” because I don’t want to sit back and muse about what “poetic justice” it is that a man is going deaf. Yeah. :rolleyes:

There’s nothing wrong with me not wanting to appreciate the “poetic justice” of someone going deaf. I don’t care how much of an “asshole” you-all think he is. I daresay I dislike Clinton as much as you dislike Rush, but I’d never wish something like this on anyone, not even him. (Excepting perhaps Osama, or Charles Manson.) I learned this from watching my sister go through the pain she did. No, I know you will deny that you are “wishing” this on Rush. But you’re far too academic with your “poetic justice” BS for my tastes.

Sublight: Two different issues I’m covering here. I’m addressing you with the “faking” thing, and also I’m addressing the other people who are rhapsodising on about the “poetic justice” of it all.

27

Nothing wrong with it at all. It’s just that it seems to me like you’re angry over your sister going blind, and that has caused you to call me an asshole when you might not have done so otherwise. I just wanted to give you a chance to step back and consider whether your personal tragedy was causing you to say things that you might regret later. As it turns out, you want to stick by your insult after all.

I’m afraid there isn’t much point in discussing this further. My own feelings on the matter are not as well thought out as I’d like, and I don’t feel like hashing them out with someone who is going to engage in namecalling.

Let me point out, however, that you have no monopoly on personal tragedy.

-Ben

PS This thread might be of interest to you:

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=91830

28

Oh, could I please have some documentation that Rush is a racist? Just because someone is a conservative doesn’t make them a racist.

29

I do love to see liberals make complete asses out of themselves, with the mythological bogey-men they’ve created, that they clearly don’t know shit about.

30

I think I specifically said “what a bunch of assholes”. Not just you, just anyone who sits back and appears to revel in the loss of this man’s hearing. (Oh, I know, you’re not “revelling”. It’s just “poetic justice”. Yeah, OK. Got it.)

So this is the worst insult you’ve recieved in the Pit? I think I’m pretty mild, compared to many Pit posters.

But yeah, I’ll stick by it. I think it is “assholish” to sit back and carry on about “poetic justice” when you hear about a person suddenly losing their hearing. I don’t just hurl out insults at anyone, for just anything. And yeah, this sort of thing, I do. I don’t appreciate such callousness. I think it lacks perspective, too. (Read Sam Stone’s post.)

Oh right. I say “what a bunch of assholes”, and apparently that’s just far too extreme for you? Do you visit the Pit often? My guess is not. And if not, my advice is that you are not suited for it, obviously. But if you do frequent the Pit, I am confident that you must be already aware that the statement “what a bunch of assholes” is pretty damned mild (for the Pit). But, fine, whatever.

And I agree - since you say your feelings are not as “well thought out” as you’d like, I can understand you not wishing to further discussing it here. Fine.

So go where you can find some people with like-minded sentiments, and you can carry on about how “poetic” it all is. But try not to think too hard about how someday something like this might happen to you. And try not to think too hard about how some insensitive souls out there who don’t agree with your politics or philosphy might be sitting back, clucking their tongues, and saying how “ironic” and “poetic” your (hypothetical) affliction is. Just make sure not to think about that part of it.

Where did I say I did? What’s your point? And what’s your point with the link you provided?

31

I wouldn’t call Rush a racist either. A homophobic elitist who stooped low enough to call Chelsea Clinton a dog on national TV (it takes a real BIG MAN™ to pick on a 13-year-old girl because you disagree with her father’s politics) yes, but not a racist. I think it’s sad that he’s going deaf. Sad that he can’t hear all the mega-dittos anymore.

32

Not the most objective source, but here ya go:

http://www.fair.org/articles/limbaugh-color.html

33

It is a part of human nature. It’s a part that, someday, might help turn future history into something other than a continuing long variably bloody nightmare.

The other part of human nature is to delight in others’ suffering, to sometimes rationalize that delight, and sometimes simply openly revel in it. As far as the course of future history goes, it has a much better head start.

That’s simply the way of things.

34

By Grabthar’s Hammer…

[sub]Oh, this wasn’t a Galaxy Quest reference? Never mind…[/sub]

35

Those accusations of racism are reaching. For example, the NAACP comment on rioting is valid. They didn’t condemn the rioting in LA after the Rodney King verdict. I forgot, ‘civil uprising’ or whatever other term we are supposed to use instead of rioting.

Walter Williams and Thomas Sowell don’t seem to think he’s a racist as they often substitute for him on the air. (or are we still operating under the assumption that conservatives can’t be black?)

My point on NOW and NAACP was that those groups only represent women or blacks of liberal political persuasion. They are not representative of all of their ‘groups’. Likewise, Rush makes fun of black liberals due to the fact that he makes fun of liberals. To not do so would be racist.

36

I think it’s actually sad. A good enemy is hard to find, and Rush is the perfect target.

If he can’t continue, who will spew all this tripe for the far right?

What do Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell have to say about this terrible ailment? They’re not calling it “God’s wrath”, I assume.

37

I don’t know what to add, except that maybe perhaps this might make him think about how he treats people in the future.

Didn’t he used to read the names of people who died of AIDS on the air and laugh and giggle about it?

Bastard.

38

Cite?

39

Wow! I actually tried to stop this thread in mid-post because of server problems & second thoughts (a combination). What have I wrought?

Yosemitebabe: your sister has nothing to do with Rush’s situation, nor does Rush’s situation have anything to do with your sister’s situation. Your sister is not (AFAIK) a public figure or a media whore. Back off the personal PC police bit, huh?

december: WTF?

40

Damn, I read that Fair link…I knew Rush was a stupid prick, but I didn’t know he was THAT much of a stupid prick!

And I havent’ read anything that says he’s going to quit if he goes deaf…why should he, seriously? He doesn’t need to hear to do his show. It will make it harder, but he says he’s all but deaf right now and he’s doing the show.

I don’t think we’ll be rid of him that easy…

It’s a creepy situation, too…who ever heard of going completely deaf in the course of a few months?

stoid