By MARC McDONALD
Right-wing nutcase Rush Limbaugh has an odd definition of rape. For example:
1. If Iraqi prisoners are being sexually assaulted and tortured at Abu Ghraib prison, then, in Limbaugh's view, they are being subjected to mere fraternity pranks.
2. However, if the state of Maryland requires companies like Wal-Mart to spend modestly to provide some basic health care for their workers, then this is the "government-sanctioned rape of an American business."
Limbaugh isn't the only right-wing nutcase with odd views on rape these days. Take Michael Savage, for instance.
In September 2000, Savage was discussing a program in which students volunteer to distribute sandwiches to the homeless in San Francisco, when he let loose this tirade, (which is creepy on so many different levels, you could write a book about it):
"The girls from Branson can go in and maybe get raped ... because they seem to like the excitement of it. There's always the thrill and possibility they'll be raped in a Dumpster while giving out a turkey sandwich."
Once upon a time, comments like these could land right-wingers in hot water. I recall that in 1990, Texas gubernatorial candidate Clayton Williams cracked a "joke" about how rape is like the weather. "If it's inevitable, just relax and enjoy it," he said, in a comment that quickly became the biggest issue of the campaign and wound up sinking his prospects for election.
These days, I doubt such a comment would even be remarked upon by our increasingly timid national media. We're so used to twisted comments by the likes of right-wingers like Ann ("Earth is yours. Rape it.") Coulter that our capacity for outrage has blown a fuse.
But I would like to send a memo to Mr. Limbaugh on the topic of rape. The fact is, if a state government requires the likes of Wal-Mart (a company with annual revenue of $288 billion) to spend a modest amount providing basic health care to its workers, this is not "rape." Indeed, it's merely an entirely reasonable request: asking the world's largest corporation to pick up the tab on an expense that taxpayers would otherwise be forced to cough up.
On the other hand, what took place at Abu Ghraib was most definitely rape.
As journalist Seymour Hersh has pointed out, the U.S. government has videos from Abu Ghraib that depict children being sodomized. The White House has fought to prevent the public release of these videos.
As Hersh noted:
"...the boys were sodomized, with the cameras rolling, and the worst above all of them is the soundtrack of the boys shrieking."
A message to all you right-wing nutcases: if you're going to talk about rape, please consult a dictionary first so that you have a clue as to what the word means.
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14 comments:
Every time a Dem politican says anything that is remotely controversial, the right wing hounds other Dems to speak out against their colleague's controversial remarks. And yet no Dem ever challenges a GOP politician to distance themselves from Limbaugh for his outrageous remarks. Indeed, Limbaugh is widely admired and respected among the GOP and Dick Cheney and other top GOP politicians routinely grant Limbaugh exclusive interviews.
The Savage quote is hard to believe. The Republicans have some pretty sick puppies amongst their ranks.
WalMart is on a big publicity blitz right now, trying to improve their image. I hope the MSM doesn't fall for their bullshit but I guess that's asking for too much.
I would bet money that the videos that Seymour Hersh described have long been destroyed by the Bush administration. The GOP learned a valuable lesson over the years: destroy evidence: (everything from Nixon's 18 minute tape erasure to Oliver North's shredding of Iran Contra documents).
Honestly I about wish we'd ban the use of the word "rape" in any metaphorical sense. Rape should be strictly confined to it's literal meaning, with threat of summary execution for those who use it otherwise.
If you people have to worry about "Rush The Tush" and other truly non-important people or events then you have a severely displaced sense of what really matters.
Get off your soft tush and go down to the soup kitchen and feed the poor. Get them some warm clothes for them for winter. Donate to the poor box in your church. If you can't relate to these people - then go naked in the rain for a while - you'll get the message!!
ALL, and I mean A-L-L, politicians do only what is politically correct for them. Poor people Go Naked in the Rain. As for "Rush." It's easy to sit on your fat tush and take random stabs at everyone. Get OFF and ON and do something worthy, you useless egalitarian.
Laughing at your fat tush in Louisiana,
Mike B.
Who the hell is Rush Limbaugh.
When everyone who disagrees with you
is a "nutcase" then I know you're
not interested in debating the facts.
Hi Mike,
re:
>>Get OFF and ON and do something
>>worthy, you useless egalitarian.
What "worthy" things have you done in your life, exactly?
Also I find it interesting how you right-wingers scream and holler if the government gives a poor mother a few bucks to buy her baby some milk.
You then happily turn around and cheerfully approve $3 trillion for an illegal war based on lies (while insisting that you're a "fiscal conservative").
And yet if a progressive calls for an end to corporate welfare, then you brand us as a socialist "egalitarian."
The fact is, you people are the biggest socialists of all---what you support is nothing less than socialism for the rich.
actually what he said was pretty damn inciteful... your little blurb of the actual line is quite extreme without the rest. but thats why he's so popular. He makes truly eloquent points within complex stories making sure to include outrageous bits (such as the one quoted) stimulating the listenership. Hard to appreciate when blinded by hatred.
~pwnd
liberals are so stupid :)
well not all. and not really. what i mean is that you guys don't look at the big picture. Marc Mcdonald< capitalism my friend, is not socialism. you are an idiot :) wanna know why? why i'll tell you! us "right wings" do not want this socialism of the rich. if the government takes money away and gives it, to lets say your example, a poor mother and her baby, that is redistribution. but you'll say "you sick person you'd rather have this woman starve?!?". not so. first off, redistribution hurts the middle class. not this rich socialism garbage you"re talking about. the middle class is hard working people who own small bussiness's and the like. they've worked hard for they're money, and usually barely have enough money to make it by, or just started living a comfterable life. so this would be kinda robbing the person. for rich people, what's a little bit of extra taxing, they still have lots of money. so then you'll say "what about the mother? will you just let her die? no. you see capitalists have hearts too you see. the alternative source is if the middle class CHOOSES to give money to support programs that'd help this money. how about we have a choice where our hard earned money goes eh?
regarding bush. i'm conservative, and i didn't agree with him one bit. but he is not the cause of the WAR! you liberals need to realize, that congress had to agree to this first. and you know what congress consists of? yep. republicans AND liberals. so obviously bush wasn't on this alone. and what would you recommend? just doing nothing and waiting for another terrorist attack? wow great idea genius, wanna fix our countries debt too? maybe if you spend ridiculous amounts of money on stimulus and stuff like that you'd fix it?!? oh wait. someones already doing that. obama. btw i'm not racist. even if obama was white i'd still perty much say he's pulling the most dumbass moves ever. wanna disagree? ok. do it. look at the fucking stock market. oh but i forgot. this is the part where you blame bush. may i remind you that he spent the money TOWARDS the war that both republicans AND DEMOCRATS agreed to go in. i have to admit though, there wasn't really a good answer to iraq either way you look at it.now, i have nothing, i repeat NOTHING against liberals. i'm only 14. but if a 14 year old can see what obama is doing is wrong i don't see how adults can't.
regarding savage. the poster of this blog took the quote out of context. listen to the whole broadcast. whoever posted this blog is obviously only interested in maiking republicans look bad even if it means altering the truth. keep in mind though, i don't agree with limbaugh though, he is to extremist. savage on the other hand, is a smart man. very smart. if you liberals wanna challange your ideas just give him a call. he will shoot you dead and prove to you why you're wrong so easily even a 8 year old could understand :)
any disagreements? of course.
just post them and i'll prove them wrong babes :)
In reply to the previous poster: not all Dems agreed to the Iraq War.
I urge you to turn off the HateWing nutcase Michael Savage and give a listen to someone like Thom Hartmann. Just try him for a week. You're too young to be closed-minded.
If you want to listen to Rush and his ilk, fine: but I URGE you to also give progressive commentators like Hartmann and Mike Malloy a chance, as well.
savage is a little to right wing and extremist, and i understand why people have problems with him. but the core thing that always brings me back to him is his belief in a capitalist country where the people who deserve to succeed do, and where you're money you earn goes to what you want. THAT's why i'm a conservative. i don't wanna get out of college only to be supporting people to lazy to work themselves. this country was made by farmers, and has been strong and innovative because of the capitalist economy.
ever heard of adam smith? wrote the book the wealth of the nations. well the only reason america is strong is because of the natural greed of man to gain money, to make something better,faster, and cheaper then the competition. if you take that away, you're country will go no where. that's why i'm a firm disagreer ( not a word :) ) of obama. nationalized health care? the only reason why we have new cures and anything medical is because of the medical market, if it became socialized there'd be no point for progress. i would know this, i'm russian, and my dad and mother immigrated to america in 1990 to escape from the soviet union (which was collapsing) to enter a free country. thanks to americas free market, my family and i can now live comfterably, because of the capitalist economy. btw, my parents are in no way rich. we are just upper class. now if you wanna say nationalized healthcare is good, just ask anyone who went through it. or socialism for the matter. my dad will tell you it was in no way good. guess where we're heading? riiiiight. not a good path :(
well now i'm def rambling. :)
oh and back to the original topic lol. i listen to liberal radio too :)
but you won't convert me. i for one don't wanna immigrate back to a now capitalist russia :)
oh and rush limbaugh, don't agree with him on a lot of things. i agree that he is kinda nutty. but hey. i guess libs and dems both think that about each other ;)
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