”Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream of society. ”
”They oughta change Black History Month to Black Progress Month and start measuring it.”
”We’re not sexists, we’re chauvinists — we’re male chauvinist pigs, and we’re happy to be because we think that’s what men were destined to be. We think that’s what women want. ”
”The only way to reduce the number of nuclear weapons is to use them. ”
Anyone care to guess who said all of the above?
Yes, I’m cherry-picking, I admit it. Still, it’s not that difficult a question. Who said all that?
You in the middle there, yes ma’am? Absolutely.
Rush Limbaugh.
Our most recent addition to the Missouri Hall of Fame. In a move that ought to garner rage from any fair-minded person, Steven Tilley, the speaker of the house of the Missouri Legislature, has shoehorned the talk show host into the pantheon of famous Missourians. Here is a fairly benign article on the ceremony.
At an event I attended last night (Sticks’n’Stones: Sluts Talk Back) Representative Stacy Newman explained to a packed audience at Left Bank Book’s downtown store how this was done in the absence of debate and in the face of an avalanche of petitions in opposition. A cadre of state police was called in to make sure the public—as well as Democratic members of the legislature—were kept out of the ceremony.
Now, I don’t care what you think of Rush. The way this was handled violated any definition of fair play. I know, I know, fair play is for sissies. “Lib’rals” bitch about fair play. Pansy-assed social progressives worry over fairness.
Maybe. But, minor though this may be in the greater scheme of things, this is an example of abuse of power. Speaker Tilley is a political bully.
Just to be completely up front about this, personally, I think Rush Limbaugh is a bloviating gasbag of unparalleled bad taste and hypocrisy. Mr. “we should imprison all drug addicts, except me, of course, because I am a staunch advocate of stricter law enforcement even if I am addicted to pain killers” Limbaugh has been given a megaphone with which to hold forth on anything he finds despicable. The above quotes are a sample.
Back in the late 80s and early 90s, I worked for a man who practically worshiped the ground upon which Rush trod and I was required to listen to this man day after day—my boss, yes, but his deity as well, Rush—and after a few years I could not understand what there was to respect. Rush’s entire schtick is based on derision and hate. Logic for him is a category on Jeopardy, not something to practice, and truth is coincidental to ideology. He wanted it both ways—he was a “tireless champion of truth” until he was caught flatfooted in misrepresentations, at which time he was “just an entertainer, folks.” I mention this to establish that I’ve done my time listening to the mouth that roared (yeah, I know, that was supposed to be Morton Downey, Jr. but he’s gone and Rush has usurped his place) and was on hand when even G. Gordon Liddy called him on his obsession over the White House suicide of Vince Foster.
I have zero respect for Rush Limbaugh. He made one good joke in his career, and that was on his short-lived television show where he had installed an “environmentally responsible fireplace”—a tv monitor with a video of a blazing hearth. That was cute. All that followed has been hateful jeremiads against people of compassion, of thoughtfulness, of moral principle, of character, and of competence. He’s a shill for those who want nothing more than to tear things down so they can sell the scrap and buy a new chateau somewhere.
He now has a bust in our state capitol. I am infuriated. Yeah, I suppose technically he’s famous. But so is Sterling Price and I don’t see him in that line-up.
I would like to see Mr. Tilley lose his seat over this—among other things. Limbaugh is no kind of role model for anyone and to see his divisive attacks validated in this way is insulting, at least to me. However, I won’t hold my breath. I am very well aware that there are many who think I’m some kind of unAmerican ingrate for opinions like this. So be it. This is America and they are absolutely entitled to their view. It may even be that in their view Limbaugh legitimately belongs in the Hall of Famous Missourians, along with Samuel Clemens, Josephine Baker, Harry Truman, Omar Bradley, and many others.
But if so, then his admission ought to have been done the way all the rest were, openly and with debate and the consent of the full House, not by gim-crack autocratic procedural maneuvers and then in a close-door ceremony as if Limbaugh were someone to be ashamed of.
Just for idle curiosity, is this a permanent binding or upon the appearance of a majority of intelligence in the chambers of govt, can the statue be relegated to the third stall in the furthermost outhouse on the capital grounds… Or possibly a little lower?
It would be almost fitting if it were installed in an unused lavatory in the sub-basement. I could almost stand it then. As far as I know, none of these entrants have ever been removed. Perhaps we can see a precedent set. After all, John Ashcroft is also among them, and I ain’t too fond of him, either.