Posted on 10/10/2003 12:17:21 PM PDT by ThePythonicCow
Press Release
Source: Premiere Radio |
Rush Limbaugh Statement on Prescription Pain Medication Stories
Friday October 10, 2:55 pm ET
"You know I have always tried to be honest with you and open about my life. So I need to tell you today that part of what you have heard and read is correct. I am addicted to prescription pain medication.
"I first started taking prescription painkillers some years ago when my doctor prescribed them to treat post surgical pain following spinal surgery. Unfortunately, the surgery was unsuccessful and I continued to have severe pain in my lower back and also in my neck due to herniated discs. I am still experiencing that pain. Rather than opt for additional surgery for these conditions, I chose to treat the pain with prescribed medication. This medication turned out to be highly addictive.
"Over the past several years I have tried to break my dependence on pain pills and, in fact, twice checked myself into medical facilities in an attempt to do so. I have recently agreed with my physician about the next steps.
"Immediately following this broadcast, I am checking myself into a treatment center for the next 30 days to once and for all break the hold this highly addictive medication has on me. The show will continue during this time, of course, with an array of guest hosts you have come to know and respect.
"I am not making any excuses. You know, over the years athletes and celebrities have emerged from treatment centers to great fanfare and praise for conquering great demons. They are said to be great role models and examples for others. Well, I am no role model. I refuse to let anyone think I am doing something great here, when there are people you never hear about, who face long odds and never resort to such escapes. They are the role models. I am no victim and do not portray myself as such. I take full responsibility for my problem.
"At the present time, the authorities are conducting an investigation, and I have been asked to limit my public comments until this investigation is complete. So I will only say that the stories you have read and heard contain inaccuracies and distortions, which I will clear up when I am free to speak about them.
"I deeply appreciate all your support over this last tumultuous week. It has sustained me. I ask now for your prayers. I look forward to resuming our excursion into broadcast excellence together."
For audio/video clip(s) of Rush Limbaugh's on-air statement, please go to
www.rushlimbaugh.com and/or www.premieretalk.com.
It wouldn't be in "case law", legal eagle. It would be found within state and municipal statutes.
But don't take my word for it:
Go here (Florida statutes -- isn't that where he lives?) -- and review Title XLVI, Section 893.13
You would know, of course.
Do you think this is a brilliant career move for the most popular conservative talk show host? Maybe brilliant career move #2 in two weeks after the furor over Eagles QB McNabb?
Its one thing to have pain and use prescribed painkillers. Its another to break the law through illicit drug purchases, and then to mislead people about it to boot; all the while lecturing drug users and other common criminals via a mass market radio show.
Does Rush lambaste illegal immigration? Mollycoddling of criminals? Lenient judges? Etc., Etc.? Why should he get a pass?
Am I supposed to applaud him for breaking the law?
The difference is that the street user started out to get high. Someone like allegedly Rush or Elvis etc. ends up in the same boat as the street user...getting high.
Because you wondered who would do it first instead of doing it yourself.
This doesn't make sense. Your logic goes like this:
1. Wizzler wondered who would first suggest prayer.
2. Wizzler was not himself the first to suggest prayer.
3. Thus Wizzler would be bugged by the suggestion of prayer.
Do you see the problem in your thinking? The "bug" aspect of this is what we call a non sequitur.
He also is not engaging in various criminal activites to obtain his needed medication.
Oh wait, then you say:
I see nothing wrong with a person going outside of the 'system' to obtain critically necessary medications when they are not provided due to 'insurance' or other excessive restraints.
That would also be known as engaging in various criminal activities to obtain needed medication.
Do you have any more recent quotes?
Sheesh. Are you James Carville?
Or wasn't Rush clear?
We reap what we sow. In his instance, he is asking for more kindness and understanding than he was willing to extend to others.
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Silly. Rush doesn't have to be deified for you to be an idiot.
Can't you see what a collossal blunder this is for him?
Can't you see how collossially painful this is for him and his family... or would you and others like to continue kicking him while he's down?
Tell her the souls of the just are in the hands of God. (Wisdom 3.1). Tell her the child is now happy.
Sinky, everyone will be in God's sight, its a matter of whether or not we will be able to see God.
And who knows that it's not true?
Christ did not reveal it to us. So its just speculation, like the funeral eulogies telling about how the person is enjoying heaven. We don't know that!
Yes, over and over again.
I have a 63 year old sister who is an alcoholic and resides in a nursing home because of her addiction. I love my sister, but she made her choices long ago.
Rush came clean because he was outted. Would he have signed himself into a 30 day rehab program had this not been made public? In a way his housekeeper did him a favor. She forced him to have to deal with the problem. I've seen alot of people over the years who have been dependent on drugs/alcohol. It wasn't until they were backed into a corner, that they finally admitted they even had a problem and sought help.
I once worked with two different individuals who were addicted to chemical substances...one to alcohol and the other to coke. In both cases, these individuals could not function normally on thejob, but they had co-workers who took care of them. If they didn't show up to work on time, the co-workers called them, or even went to their house to get them up. If they didn't show up at work, they were given a personal leave day or an owed day off to prevent them from getting written up. All this coddling did was create an even bigger monster. It didn't do anything in forcing these individuals to deal with their problems. These co-workers who thought they were helping, were in fact becoming the enablers. The addictions eventually took their toll on both of these people. One lost her job after about 20 years, but not before she had been involved in several severe work incidents, which put the rest of our lives in jeopardy. The other one, the one who was an alcoholic also lost his job. He died at the ripe, old age of 35. By that time, his wife had left him, he never got to see his only child, and he'd also lost his house. He suffered from bleeding ulcers and choked to death on his own vomit. A shame, because he had a promising future, if he could have only beat this problem. He was given chances at rehab, but he never could deal with it.
It's a shame the things we do to ourselves. I hope Rush does well in rehab, but that's only part of getting over an addiction. He's got to stay clean once he's back out, and that is where the hard part comes in. Only time will tell.
I once had this dream...you and I were sitting in a coffee shop in Timbucktoo...you had a lap-top and a Sabertooth Tiger wrapped around your neck...I was drinking a Mocha Cafe Latte decaf double sugar and whipped cream.
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That needed to be said. Thanks.
This is where his legal council comes in. Unless this is you, I think he's probably better off listening to the lawyers he's hired to help him with the legal issues.
Perception and law are two different things. There have not been any charges yet that I've heard of only allegations by the media. Instead of beating the snot out of him with useless and inflammatory speculation, why don't we just see what happens, shall we?
If you speak out in support of the drug laws, you don't break them.
Sorry, anyone who disagrees with him and the devout are idiots. I forgot.
Can't you see how collossially painful this is for him and his family...
He brought it on himself. Should law breakers be glorfied? Nobody forced him to break the law. Its painful? Its going to be painful to me to listen to the liberals gloat.
or would you and others like to continue kicking him while he's down?
Can't you see how hypocritical this all is for those of us who have been betrayed by a man we had hoped was law abiding, and who uses his radio soap box to frequently criticize the law breakers around us?
I'm not allowed to express disapointment in this?
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