March 9, 2012 7:24 AM

It turns out that "Rush Limbaugh" is an anagram for "Conservative hate speech"

Mr. Limbaugh’s recent comments went beyond political discourse to a personal attack and do not reflect our values as a company. As such, ProFlowers has suspended advertising with Rush.

I’m once again growing tired of writing about Rush Limbaugh; that sorry excuse for a human being has already received far more attention than he warrants. At this point, though, at least for me, it’s no longer necessarily about Limbaugh, though I won’t be satisfied until he’s reduced to managing a Dairy Queen in West Palm Beach. No, for me it’s about expecting a minimum level of civility in our public discourse. It’s about reacting strongly and forcefully when someone crosses the line from rational debate to name-calling and character assassination.

I’ve heard my share of Conservatives playing the “BUTBUTBUT…LIBERALS!!!” card, and I really have to laugh. No, Liberal talking heads aren’t immune to the incivility bug (et tu, Ed Schultz?), and I don’t listen to them, either. Seriously, though; if you can’t tell the difference between Ed Schultz (or Bill Maher) and Rush Limbaugh, then you really ARE a Conservative and pretty much impervious to reason. If you, even for a fleeting moment, can find equivalence between excess on the Liberal side of the coin and Limbaugh’s three-day-long despicable, misogynistic rant against Sandra Fluke, I’m not even going to bother to reason with you…because you’re clearly beyond reason.

The reality is that we should- nay, we must- expect a minimum standard of civility from those who broadcast their thoughts to a wider audience. If a talking head proves themselves incapable of maintaining a minimum level of decency and civility, then we should be pressuring their advertisers to do the right thing. I accepted Ed Schultz’ apology (though I still won’t watch or listen to him) because he was sincere and contrite…and he was suspended for his outburst directed at Laura Ingraham (who graciously accepted his apology). Limbaugh’s “apology” was insincere, particularly in the manner in which he defaulted to blaming Liberals for his shortcomings. Limbaugh’s “contrition”, such as it was, came only when it was clear that his advertisers were beginning to jump ship.

The reality is that Limbaugh is a miserable excuse for a human being. If you still consider yourself a devoted “Dittohead”…well, that says more about you than you’re probably willing to admit.

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This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on March 9, 2012 7:24 AM.

Gas prices: time to get a grip on reality, don'tchathink?? was the previous entry in this blog.

GOP 2012: Because it's not about you is the next entry in this blog.

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