Posted on 10/16/2003 10:48:07 AM PDT by noprob
The entire nation owes radio broadcaster Rush Limbaugh a debt of gratitude, Libertarians say, because his ordeal has exposed every drug warrior in America as a rank hypocrite.
"One thing we don't hear from American politicians very often is silence," said Joe Seehusen, Libertarian Party executive director. "By refusing to criticize Rush Limbaugh, every drug warrior has just been exposed as a shameless, despicable hypocrite.
"And that's good news, because the next time they do speak up, there'll be no reason for anyone to listen."
The revelation that Limbaugh had become addicted to painkillers -- drugs he is accused of procuring illegally from his Palm Beach housekeeper -- has caused a media sensation ever since the megastar's shocking, on-air confession last week.
As the Limbaugh saga continues, here's an important question for Americans to ask, Libertarians say: Why are all the drug warriors suddenly so silent?
"Republican and Democratic politicians have written laws that have condemned more than 400,000 Americans to prison for committing the same 'crime' as Rush Limbaugh," Seehusen pointed out. "If this pill-popping pontificator deserves a get-out-of-jail-free card, these drug warriors had better explain why."
Given their longstanding support for the Drug War, it's fair to ask:
Why haven't President George Bush or his tough-on-crime attorney general, John Ashcroft, uttered a word criticizing Limbaugh's law-breaking?
Why aren't drug czar John P. Walters or his predecessor, Barry McCaffrey, lambasting Limbaugh as a menace to society and a threat to "our children?"
Why aren't federal DEA agents storming Limbaugh's $30 million Florida mansion in a frantic search for criminal evidence?
Why haven't federal, state, and local police agencies seized the celebrity's homes and luxury cars under asset-forfeiture laws?
Finally, why aren't bloviating blabbermouths like William Bennett publicly explaining how America would be better off if Limbaugh were prosecuted, locked in a steel cage and forced to abandon his wife, his friends, and his career?
The answer is obvious, Seehusen said: "America's drug warriors are shameless hypocrites who believe in one standard of justice for ordinary Americans and another for themselves, their families and their political allies.
"That alone should completely discredit them."
But there's an even more disturbing possibility, Seehusen said: that the people who are prosecuting the Drug War don't even believe in its central premise -- which is that public safety requires that drug users be jailed.
"The Bushes and Ashcrofts and McCaffreys of the world may believe, correctly, that individuals fighting a drug addiction deserve medical, not criminal treatment," he said. "That would explain why they're not demanding that Limbaugh be jailed.
"But if that's the case, these politicians have spent decades tearing apart American families for their own political gain. And that's an unforgivable crime."
I'M NOT A CHILD, YOU ARE NOT GOD>>> YOU DON'T SET MY BOUNDARIES, I DO!!!
Welcome to the Libertarian Party, this is EVERY big government program....
Look again. You don't set your boundaries. The society that you live in does.
Just for the sake of amusment, lets say he did nothing at all wrong other than become addicted through no fault of his own. Under that scenerio, when it gets proven that he did nothing illegal, (your standard is proof) I will happily say that I suspected he obtained drugs illegally and my suspicions were unfounded.
Now your turn, if it turns out that he obtained them illegally, you will exocriate him and apologise to everyone for your excuse making and call for him to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. You going to do that? LOL, I won't hold my breath.
BTW, I have no grudge against radio entertainers for anything they say while tricking people into thinking they are something other than they are. I never fell for it. I wish him well. He's just a guy who got rich because he had a good schitck.
No one should be arrested for exercising their God given rights. Not even hypocritical entertainers.
Why don't you just pledge your allegiance to France then... Since our founding fathers had no clue about ATM's and crap.. I hope you don't think your an American with statements like that..
Our founding fathers knew what it was like to live under an imperial power, they hated it, they fought against it, they died for the cause..
They had a far greater grasp on what is important than you, that is for sure!!!
Wow, that was the first post all day that actually pissed me off!!
i know, I don't agree with it, I was wishing.....
Thank you very, very much.
Imperialistic laws that seek only to control...
I am sure that he does not wish for special treatment and that he reserves the harshest judgement for himself at this point. He is not proud to have ended up an illegal drug abuser.
Therefore, cries of hypocrisy are inappropriate. Rush never thought drug abusers were cool, nor does he think his own behavior is hunky-dory. It's all wrong. It all comes from taking a wrong turn on a moral path. Rush made that wrong turn when he first felt himself becoming addicted to his prescription pills, and rather than go to his doctor for help in getting off them, he chose to say nothing and see how long he could keep the pleasure/relief from pain going, ignoring what he knew to be the consequences. Oh, he knew.
Hypocrisy does not apply here.
Hope your proud Frenchie
Another argument for sending Limbaugh to jail was suggested by the talk radio king himself. Newsday columnist Ellis Henican has called attention to remarks Limbaugh made in 1995 concerning the disproportionate racial impact of the war on drugs. "What this says to me," Limbaugh told his radio audience, "is that too many whites are getting away with drug use....The answer to this disparity is not to start letting people out of jail because we're not putting others in jail who are breaking the law. The answer is to go out and find the ones who are getting away with it, convict them, and send them up the river too."
No hypocricy yet, let's see what he does. Oh , I forgot, he didn't do it. LOL
To his credit, so far he hasn't tried to make any excuses for himself and I doubt he will in the future. It's going to be interesting to see how he weathers this ordeal.
Is that all you can do?
I can't think of any other group that would stand with you in your intentional bombardment of your Constitution and Bill of Rights... So, yes... Frenchie.. That's all I have to say to you...
Huh? You think it's Libertarians that are taking us there? Why don't you look at who has been running things for the last century or so... It sure as hell isn't Libertarians... You apparently are attempting to associate the LP with the ACLU... Far cry buddy..
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