The Americans Who Risked Everything (by Rush Limbaugh's father)

Limbaugh Letter ^ | circa Dec 2000 | Rush Limbaugh Jr. (Rush's Dad)

[GloriaJane]

"Which do you think is more likely? That the author of the web page I link to, a gentleman apparently interested only in recounting the life of this particular d about the rumors floating around? Or that Limbaugh, Jr. repeated something he had come across that seemed to fit a point he wanted to make?"

Honestly? I've learned not to believe anything from today's writers. That is unless it is accompanied with actual pictures of the original article on record.

Libs have been feverishly working to change our history and destroy what once was America. Book after book, documentary after documentary of lies, all lies to tear down this great big beautiful country. Destroy our pride in the country we love in order to push their goals forward. And as far as I can tell it's been going on since the 60's.

So the answer is no. I don't believe in the author of the web page. Guess we will just have to agree to disagree you and I. But anyway, have a great 4th of July!

[Turret Gunner A20]

…Rush specifically says “not one” of the signers ever recanted. This is untrue.

The last part of your statement is correct -- the first part is untrue. Rush DID NOT "...“not one” of the signers ever recanted." His father did in his speech, which Rush posted.

[LomanBill]

>>I’m willing to give Kennedy to benefit of the doubt on this one,

>>although the whole notion is quite fascistic.

 

I was born in 1961 and I'm not sure what to make of JFK.  I don't see him as a role model.  I wouldn't want a child to emulate him.

 

At best I see him as a player in the dialectic football game where my generation has played the role of pigskin.  Apparentlty we're all supposed to be "dazed and confused".

 

 

Little Red Ridinghood:  Oh my, what big Usus Fructus you have grandma! 

 

Big Bad Wolf: Ahh, the better to tax you with my dear!

 

Thomas Jefferson:  Not by the hair of my chiny chin chin!

[Sherman Logan]

Rush is Rush Limbaugh III. His dad was Rush Limbaugh, Jr.

[angkor]

Lovely sentiments. However, it is greatly embellished at best and just plain untrue at worst.

"At best?"

You need to reread your Snopes piece which - yes, does some debunking - but is also loaded with caveats such as "possibly", "more likely", "unlikely", etc.

And it's one thing to debunk with a categorical truth, quite another to debunk with a trashy speculation.

The truth is that we may never in many cases know the absolute unvarnished truth. But your Snopes article is laughable as an authoritative source for that endeavor.

[Turret Gunner A20]

The first two of the post are Rush’ introduction to his father’s speech -- the last four paragraphs are also Rush’s words. Everything in between are his father’s words.

Now go to about the middle of the speedh to the section calledLives, Fortunes, Honor and you will find tht the first paragraph there says:

“Yet not one defected or went back on his pledged word. Their honor, and the nation they sacrificed so much to create is still intact.

[EDINVA]

Is this what you see as the offending statement that the Signers were singled out?’ “Even before the list was published, the British marked down every member of Congress suspected of having put his name to treason. All of them became the objects of vicious manhunts. ... . “ Otherwise, I’ve missed the passage where he said they were particularly singled out.

In any case, the psychology of warfare would seem to have been (then as now) to capture high visibility targets. Like Jefferson, some of my anacestors were farmers in VA ... now, if you are the Crown, to make your point are you going to go after TJ or after a small no-name farmer who supports him and his mission ? Both could have been hanged for treason. One’s imprisonment or hanging would have had far more value to opponents of the Revolution.

Whether or not they were specifically singled out for torment by the British, they deserve to be singled out for the highest praise for their role in our country’s founding... and 99.9% of Americans would be hard pressed to name even 5 of the Signers. Regretably.

[American Quilter]

Thanks for posting this stirring and patriotic speech, angkor. Our country is the greatest in the history of the world, and anyone who doesn’t fully appreciate it should live somewhere else.

[angkor]

This would have paid for 50 to 75 meals in a tavern. Hope it was a nice one.

You mean like 50 to 75 McDonalds meals? 60 large Italian subs?

That would be about $250 to $450 in current dollars, which is by no means excessive for a nifty new scientific gadget of the type Jefferson coveted throughout his life.

Hey, did you know that new Canon digital camera with 28mm lens is on sale at Staples for about $275!!

By gosh, that's only 50 to 75 meals at my local Tender & Juicy chicken joint!

[Enchante]

"Whether or not they were specifically singled out for torment by the British, they deserve to be singled out for the highest praise for their role in our country’s founding... and 99.9% of Americans would be hard pressed to name even 5 of the Signers."

Yes, that is the most important point - and as I said above, the RISKS they ran were indeed pretty much unlimited even if they did not all pay as steep a price as the essay suggests. They were indeed regarded as traitors to the British crown and could have been executed, imprisoned, disposssed, etc. at any moment.

We should celebrate these patriots (far-sighted 'patriots' to a nation that was just beginning to form in political terms) as founders and leaders who made everything else possible.

Still, in the legitimate interests of historical accuracy it would be great to see someone with the requisite expertise produce a similar concise summary of the signers that was as fully verified and accurate as may be feasible. Considering the imperfections and gaps in the historical record, perfection is not attainable. However, it would be great to have a corrected version.

[avacado]

"I have just never seen any evidence that such a price was placed for the specific act of signing the Declaration. It could have been. As I said earlier, if there was a price, it was never collected. None of the Signers was executed by the British."

Then you cannot call that particular matter in the article an embellishment if you yourself don't know.

[La Enchiladita]

Thank you for posting this stirring speech by Rush Limbaugh Jr., a true patriot who begat a Great American, and who took the time to learn our history and revere our Founders.

There was a time when FReeper Patriots would all demonstrate honor in their responses to a post such as this.

The Spirit of the founding of our Nation is quite clear, and those who choose to quibble over the recounting of the original Independence Day signers, based on one third-or-fourth-hand source, I suspect of having an agenda in doing so. But then, some people are never going to "get it:" The phrase and reality of Sacred Honor is the most important point in this speech and the basis of this Great Nation.

[angkor]

Sherman -- You've done a good - or should I say "determined" - job at debunking the article, but not much at all to answer core questions: was any signer targeted; were any imprisoned; did any suffer huge personal or financial losses; etc etc. There are many questions about their fate.

Fortunately the road has been walked before, and perhaps there will be some answers there. Neither you nor Swopes have been very helpful.

Quick and dirty list from Amazon:

The Signers: The 56 Stories Behind the Declaration of Independence (Hardcover) by Dennis Brindell Fradin (Author), Michael McCurdy (Author)

Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence (Paperback) by Benson J. Lossing (Author)

Greatness to Spare: The Heroic Sacrifices of the Men Who Signed the Declaration of Independence (Paperback) by T. R. Fehrenbach (Author) \

Wives of the Signers (Paperback) by Harry Clinton Green (Author), Mary Wolcott Green (Author), David Barton (Author)

That's a 2-minute search on Amazon, I'm sure there are other books that cover the topic.

[VictoryGal]

To those who may claim that Sherman is a killjoy for wanted to correct an embellished record, I have to agree with what he is doing. Not only do we want to remember the truth, but when we embellish heroic acts to the level of perfection, we then start to take the actions of great men out of the realm of possibility for us flawed folk.

I am blessed to have ancestors who helped found this country. I remember being thunderstruck when I heard stories from family historians about the mistakes, the foibles, the sheer humanity of these great men who, as I was taught in class at school, were given plastic veneers of infallibility and god-like hero stature. At last, hearing the real stories, I knew I had a chance to be like them, that failure was possible and never a reason to stop fighting for what is right.

How can a kid grow up hoping to be perfect? It can’t be done. So when faced with impossible legends, kids are awed but not inspired. The real stories, the actual truth, make it possible for this new generation to find its own courage amid the imperfections and obstacles of this all-too-human life.

May God bless every American and keep them this day.

[Biggirl]

Overall the most important lesson to be learned is that as the founders faced the challenge of starting and keeping a country, so we must carry the torch to keep the dream of a United States going.

[DollyCali]

Excellent post Dita.. thanks for ping.. Interesting the passion some people arouse isn’t it?

[sport]

Bump

[angkor]

>>>>I have to agree with what he is doing. Not only do we want to remember the truth, but when we embellish heroic acts to the level of perfection,<<<<

I’ll agree with the debunking element...

... but it’s also fair to say that we cannot replace these questionable “certainties” with “maybe”, “perhaps”, “possibly”, or “might have”.

[Jo Nuvark]

What did they die for?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmA62TKLRYQ

[neverdem]

Thanks for the ping & the post!