For the Idiot File: Rush Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh.
Anyhow, I caught this post on AOL by Michael David Smith while trying to kill time this afternoon before watching the big games.
Wow. Is this a guy just looking for attention, a response or what? Not go into past history or whatever, but in 2003, Mr. Limbaugh opined that Donovan McNabb was perhaps overrated because, “The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well”. He said this even though McNabb led the Eagles to 3 NFC East Championship titles before that statement.
That got him railed in the media and pretty much everyone and he resigned from ESPN. I listen to his show once in a while and yes, he has a history of saying some stupid and callous things on his radio ahow, especially about minorities.
He’s at it again.
He says: "There is a cultural problem in the NFL that has resulted in a total lack of class on the part of professional players. I love the game of football, but after every sack players are acting like they've won the Super Bowl; they're prancing around with these idiotic dances."
These guys are trying to enjoy the sport and celebrate. Rush may be right in a sense, but I think it is generally harmless. He also opines:
"Look, let me put it to you this way: the NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There, I said it."
Huh? Where did you draw this conclusion?
I know he’s the hero of the conservative moment in America and that’s fine, but he’s once again crossed the line. Now, I wonder this guy even believe half of what he expounds, or just says it to get his listeners riled up. The dangerous thing is that he has millions of listeners and a good portion of them take everything he says as verbatim, and thus believe it.
There are idiots in every society. However to compare a football league with two dangerous and notorious gangs is just silly, irresponsible and dangerous. Yes, a few players have gotten arrested this season, such as Tank Johnson, but how do you correlate a football player as being a gang member?
I mean, I guess Reggie Bush, all-American boy Peyton Manning, LaDanian Tomlinson, etc. must be gang members. Sorry, this correlates into race and one assumes because football is a violent sport, and only a very small portion who have gotten in trouble, it means that the sport has been bastardized because of it.
Ok, so players sometimes showboat and look silly. So what? Players pump up their fists after hitting a home run and auto racers after a victory, drive around the track, show off, and then surround themselves with their team and models on a podium. Showboating has gone in sports since the beginning of time, and perhaps because of the TV age and SportsCenter it’s more pervasive.
The author of the post on AOL and Rush didn’t mention race, but as a minority, I think it’s an underlying factor that cannot be dismissed. Folks, this kind of stereotyping is dangerous and is a reason why America struggles with many issues of perception today – simply, because we give men like Rush Limbuagh a forum to talk.
Anyhow, I caught this post on AOL by Michael David Smith while trying to kill time this afternoon before watching the big games.
Wow. Is this a guy just looking for attention, a response or what? Not go into past history or whatever, but in 2003, Mr. Limbaugh opined that Donovan McNabb was perhaps overrated because, “The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well”. He said this even though McNabb led the Eagles to 3 NFC East Championship titles before that statement.
That got him railed in the media and pretty much everyone and he resigned from ESPN. I listen to his show once in a while and yes, he has a history of saying some stupid and callous things on his radio ahow, especially about minorities.
He’s at it again.
He says: "There is a cultural problem in the NFL that has resulted in a total lack of class on the part of professional players. I love the game of football, but after every sack players are acting like they've won the Super Bowl; they're prancing around with these idiotic dances."
These guys are trying to enjoy the sport and celebrate. Rush may be right in a sense, but I think it is generally harmless. He also opines:
"Look, let me put it to you this way: the NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There, I said it."
Huh? Where did you draw this conclusion?
I know he’s the hero of the conservative moment in America and that’s fine, but he’s once again crossed the line. Now, I wonder this guy even believe half of what he expounds, or just says it to get his listeners riled up. The dangerous thing is that he has millions of listeners and a good portion of them take everything he says as verbatim, and thus believe it.
There are idiots in every society. However to compare a football league with two dangerous and notorious gangs is just silly, irresponsible and dangerous. Yes, a few players have gotten arrested this season, such as Tank Johnson, but how do you correlate a football player as being a gang member?
I mean, I guess Reggie Bush, all-American boy Peyton Manning, LaDanian Tomlinson, etc. must be gang members. Sorry, this correlates into race and one assumes because football is a violent sport, and only a very small portion who have gotten in trouble, it means that the sport has been bastardized because of it.
Ok, so players sometimes showboat and look silly. So what? Players pump up their fists after hitting a home run and auto racers after a victory, drive around the track, show off, and then surround themselves with their team and models on a podium. Showboating has gone in sports since the beginning of time, and perhaps because of the TV age and SportsCenter it’s more pervasive.
The author of the post on AOL and Rush didn’t mention race, but as a minority, I think it’s an underlying factor that cannot be dismissed. Folks, this kind of stereotyping is dangerous and is a reason why America struggles with many issues of perception today – simply, because we give men like Rush Limbuagh a forum to talk.
We have the freedom of speech, but you also have to be culpable for opening your mouth and saying utterly stupid and dangerous things. Mr. Limbaugh, if you have nothing nice or constructive to say, perhaps you may want to keep your mouth shut.
4 comments:
Ouch! Looks like he touched a nerve there with ya. Too bad he's right. I'm sure you noticed that the AOL story partly agreed with him and that MANY of the comments said he was exactly right. You need to have courage to face the truth. I know it's hard, but when you're right, you're right. Sorry.
This idiot can't open his bigoted mouth without pissing off everyone in the world except the mindless dittoheads that regurgitate everything they hear from him. He's sick, and they're stupid.
That being said, the 9th Bengal of the season was arrested today. The behavior of NFL players is out of control, though it has nothing to do with gangs and everything to do with paying a bunch of spoiled brats exorbitant salaries and patting them on the hands when they break the law. That, too, is sick. The NFL better start cracking down on this type of behavior or else non-critical thinking idiots like the above anonymous are going to start thinking twisted bigots like Limbarf who use their racism and hatred as an excuse for every problem in the world are right. I mean, Bill Parcels retired because he couldn't deal with the players anymore. That is so, so sad.
The NFL is at the height of its popularity right now. The players are doing the best to kill it.
Why does Rush still have a job?
Anon - I am not a Rush fan to begin with, as you can tell and perhaps he did touch a nerve with me; however, he invalidated a a perfectly plausible argument with a completely stupid and irresponsible statment about football players.
The post has nothing to with the courage with facing the truth, it's pointing out that Rush made an assertion about football players in general that's just off base.
Thank you D. I will say no more.
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