The first time I remember thinking "Limbaugh is literally getting people killed" was in 2015, when a fanatical mass shooter killed 3 people at a Colorado abortion clinic. He specifically said he did it because of the "baby parts" --that deceptively-edited secret sting video that anti-choice people put out that year that made it seem like Planned Parenthood was selling fetuses. Rush Limbaugh put that bullshit on a megaphone, made this lie as loud as possible, and basically pushed an already-fanatical anti-abortionist into shooting people to "save the babies" from being sold for parts. And there was also his terrible characterization of John Lewis at the time of the Tea Party rallies, which led to a mob of tea partiers physically attacking Lewis. I'm sure there were many others, long before the covid lies. Rot in Hell.
Thank you for putting Limbaugh's death into a faith context. I too am a Unitarian Universalist, and I have a spiritual practice of never celebrating the death of anyone, no matter how vile they have been. In this case I am making an exception. The world will be much improved with his absence.
The truly sad part is that no one will miss him. Really. Since his career subsisted on tearing things and people down instead of building anything, no one feels any gratitude for what he had accomplished since he didn't really accomplish anything. He just stood in doorways.
Those who currently "miss" him do so only for the most short-term and transactional of reasons. He was good for their business (freedom medals, anyone?) Now that he's gone, they'll just move on to the next enabler (that would be Tucker Carlson at present).
And as for his "fans," whose rage-aholism he fed on a daily basis, they too won't in any true sense miss him. Honestly, how can anyone say "I miss how Rush used make me feel so angry." Sure, there will be some who may say just that. But it's a sentiment that rings hollow and is easily filled from other sources. He will join Father Coughlin in the history books as just one more of America's dangerous cranks, alongside Bill O'Reilly (so forgotten already!) and Glenn Beck (where is he now?).
Now consider what will happen when Jimmy Carter passes away, who--like the remarkable Tony Bennett (z"l)--somehow just grew from strength to strength in dignity, recognition, and respect with age. Now there is someone who a lot of people will actually miss!
“To the living we owe respect, but to the dead we owe only the truth.” -- Voltaire.
Intercourse Rush Limbaugh. There is a special circle of Hell reserved just for him (and his Trumpish toadies, as they join him).
After years of hearing nonsense coming out of Rush Limbaugh's mouth, I settled on this description of him:
Ignorance masquerading as intelligence.
Upon his death, this came to mind:
"I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure." -attributed to Mark Twain
The first time I remember thinking "Limbaugh is literally getting people killed" was in 2015, when a fanatical mass shooter killed 3 people at a Colorado abortion clinic. He specifically said he did it because of the "baby parts" --that deceptively-edited secret sting video that anti-choice people put out that year that made it seem like Planned Parenthood was selling fetuses. Rush Limbaugh put that bullshit on a megaphone, made this lie as loud as possible, and basically pushed an already-fanatical anti-abortionist into shooting people to "save the babies" from being sold for parts. And there was also his terrible characterization of John Lewis at the time of the Tea Party rallies, which led to a mob of tea partiers physically attacking Lewis. I'm sure there were many others, long before the covid lies. Rot in Hell.
Thank you for putting Limbaugh's death into a faith context. I too am a Unitarian Universalist, and I have a spiritual practice of never celebrating the death of anyone, no matter how vile they have been. In this case I am making an exception. The world will be much improved with his absence.
The truly sad part is that no one will miss him. Really. Since his career subsisted on tearing things and people down instead of building anything, no one feels any gratitude for what he had accomplished since he didn't really accomplish anything. He just stood in doorways.
Those who currently "miss" him do so only for the most short-term and transactional of reasons. He was good for their business (freedom medals, anyone?) Now that he's gone, they'll just move on to the next enabler (that would be Tucker Carlson at present).
And as for his "fans," whose rage-aholism he fed on a daily basis, they too won't in any true sense miss him. Honestly, how can anyone say "I miss how Rush used make me feel so angry." Sure, there will be some who may say just that. But it's a sentiment that rings hollow and is easily filled from other sources. He will join Father Coughlin in the history books as just one more of America's dangerous cranks, alongside Bill O'Reilly (so forgotten already!) and Glenn Beck (where is he now?).
Now consider what will happen when Jimmy Carter passes away, who--like the remarkable Tony Bennett (z"l)--somehow just grew from strength to strength in dignity, recognition, and respect with age. Now there is someone who a lot of people will actually miss!
Great stuff, Bennett. Thanks.
Well said