Rush Limbaugh: Open Line Friday [Confirms Some Aspects of Drug Story, Checking In To Rehab]

[I Am Not A Mod]

A thread for those listening to today's show.

[Monty22]

The drug issue is very serious. It's not a joke. Addiction ruins lives. You druggies think it's all fun and games. It's not.

[CatoRenasci]

Unfortunately, I agree this reminds me of the Bennet threads. Bennet laost his moral authority, and has not been taken seriously since. I fear this will also be true with Rush. I don't think Sean Hannity -- our best relief pitcher -- is up to replacing Rush. I think the biggest talent might be Laura Ingrahm, but she's probably not ready for national roll-out, either.

[A CA Guy]

Medication acts on parts of the brain for it's effectiveness by mostly blocking signals of pain.

The problem is that drugs have been proved to change the brain and a person can become addicted for life due to the change chemicals made in the brain.

Rush is in deep sh!t with his situation.

He has three choices.

#1 Do without medication and feel excruciating pain.
#2 Medicate and expect to stay addicted.
#3 Do what Jerry Lewis did and get a devise implanted into the spine to block pain.

[Drammach]

The National Enquirer expose had nothing to do with his "confession"?

I would guess it made him face up to it.

However, he did not lie, weasel, or deny.
He admitted addiction to pain killers.
He simply 'fessed up, and stated he would immeadiately take steps to correct the problem.

Yeah, I would consider that strong character.

[theDentist]

...another dreary WOD thread?

So either join WOD and spice it up or avoid it altogether. Sheesh.

[Cathryn Crawford]

Why does a nice young lady like you know about that site? ;)

LOL. I suppose I could confess some sort of strange addiction to literotica.com, if it were true.

I am addicted to caffeine.

[Liberal Classic]

I would never say addiction is a good thing.

[blackie]

It's easy for me to mess the dates up as I went to my first AA meeting on my 45th (in '75) birthday. :)

[CDHart]

Wasn't sarcasm on my part -- I don't know about anyone else.

Carolyn

[southernnorthcarolina]

The Admin Mod has a thankless job, and does it well.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Since this story broke a week ago, I have been vilified for just suggesting that Rush might have a drug problem, that he might have bought narcotics illegally, that his hearing loss might have been caused by drug abuse, and that his stance in support of the War on Drugs might be hypocritical.

Well, "might" just turned to "does". I'm happy for you.

[1Old Pro]

So I guess when he says "I accept full responsibility", he means it in a Janet Reno sort of way.

We could only wish Reno was ONLY addicted to prescription painkillers. She was guilty of manslaughter and stupidity. Maybe you should take a "time out".

[Rebelbase]

Once addicted, always addicted......my mouth just started salivating for a cigarette and I quit 10 years ago.

[Sally'sConcerns]

I share that hope with you. At times I've found some of the holier than though responses to people who were addicted almost enough to turn me away from FR.

Maybe the people who are willing to offer their support, prayer and love to Rush will extend the same to strangers who are in the same boat.

Addiction, whether it be to alcohol or drugs, is heartbreaking and it not only affects the addict but the people around him/her.

[Captainpaintball]

What has happened to you over the last few weeks does not change one thing you have said the last 15 years. Prayers will be made, and the days in the calendar will be marked accordingly...Thank you for all you've done--now get better!!!

Freepers: Now WE will have to prepare for the all-out media assault. Now's not the time for uncertainty and weak knees. Get ready, the next few weeks are going to be a doozie!!! We will learn what liberal hatred REALLY means!!!

[You Dirty Rats]

I'm addicted to Free Republic. (Well, there was the warning on the front page!)

[Mr.Atos]

I do not doubt that he is on the up and up on this. That garbage is quite necessary and incredibly addictive with serious injuries. Just ask Bret Favre. After wrist surgery, I was one HC for a week and became addicted. Fortunately I broke it quickly. But, spinal injuries are maddening from what my PT wife tells me. And there are worse maladies for which there are NO known cures. If one has ever known a woman with Endometriosis for instance, you quickly learn to accept the addictions and do everything in your power to help... even if that means buying whatever she needs [Consider that as well... anything is possible]. So, for others refering to Rush as a hypocrit, I'd be very careful how you apply those terms. It strikes me that only those who DO NOT stand in defense of values are free from that moniker. How convenient. But, I remind you that having a drug addiction does not prevent him from recognizing the negative affects of the abuse. In fact, he may be more qualified to discuss the subject.

I would agree with you. Mr. Galt, that Rush has continued to make tremendous contributions during the 5 years of his addiction. But I'm not sure that I would not employ that as a new commercial for drug abuse. If anything Rush's situation demonstrates how vulnerable we all our to a variety of addictions. Meantime the crucifixion of Limbaugh will commence. And he deserves much of it. But the amusing aspect of the media persecution of Limbaugh will be the tremendous hypocracy they will be bathing in as they try to pike Limbaugh with what they perceive as his own.

Perhaps he should have stuck with doobage. At least then, the Left Coast Libs would been stuck in a quandry.

[rightbanker]

ANY junkie takes it to get high. You think Rush took 100 pills a day because he was in pain. Maybe at first. But once the drug takes over, it takes over, it becomes an end in itself, the end all be all.

My brother died at the age of 48 after long, long battles with addiction. I saw it first hand. You just don't know how awful a road Rush is on. Truly awful.

As for robbing and mugging. Right. A junkie will do ANYTHING, absolutely ANYTHING to get the drug. It's their Categorical Imperative, their Unbreakable law.

Rush is just LUCKY. He's already got the money to buy his drugs, loads of it. But he isn't any different at bottom from any other junkie. He is no longer in control of his life. He lives for a highly addictive drug. He can say that he wants to get off, but believe me it's a long road. Most junkies that I have known through the ugly journey of my dear brother -- who was a great guy, in his own right -- have to hit utter rock bottom before they turn their lives around. And many never do, it's an endless spiral into darkness.

the only difference between RUsh and the rest is his dough and his celebrity.

I hate to say this. the man has been through detox twice. he's lost his hearing. he will probably loss his show and his celebrity will be repalced by noteriety. He may end up in prison.

But you know what? that may not be enough.

You should have more and deeper sympathy for the down trodden who lack anything like Rush's resources. Many of them fight the good fight against this sort of thing a lose. Some survive. But it is truly horrible. Truly.

Have you ever seen the movie Requium for a Dream. It tells the honest story about what addiction is like.

[LanPB01]

Hey, I've heard of that literotica.com myself. Where would an innocent girl like you get that address?

[Monty22]

And remember, people want EASIER access to these addictive things. Insanity.