Limbaugh's school of hard knocks for other guys

Palm Beach Post ^ | Sunday, May 9, 2004 | Frank Cerabino

[new cruelty]

Rush Limbaugh is a slow learner.

That might explain why he looked at the sadistic photos from the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and likened them to some college fraternity high jinks.

Boolah, mullah! Boolah, mullah!

Most reasonable people expressed disgust by the sight of the bound, nude, hooded men in American custody being forced to degrade themselves sexually.

And Limbaugh surely would have, too, if it had been under the previous administration.

But Limbaugh's a referee without a whistle these days. So here's how he excused the inexcusable:

"This is no different than what happens at the Skull and Bones initiation, and we're going to ruin people's lives over it, and we're going to hamper our military effort, and then we are going to really hammer them because they had a good time," he said on his radio show.

Limbaugh added: "I'm talking about people having a good time. These people, you ever heard of emotional release? You heard of need to blow some steam off?"

I knew he was an apologist. But I just figured that in light of his newfound expertise in the realm of investigatory zeal run amok -- something he claims to have learned the hard way in Palm Beach County -- he might have temporarily burst through the wall of his professional limitations.

But, like I said, Limbaugh is apparently a slow learner.

And yet, there's hope.

There used to be a time when he thought that the problem with drugs was that we weren't locking up the people who got caught. This was during the days when he thought the American Civil Liberties Union was a flaky impediment to justice and criminal defense lawyers were an evil bunch of liberal simps who were out to subvert the truth by freeing the guilty on procedural maneuvers.

He has been educated through experience in that regard.

Caught in cross hairs of justice

Ever since the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office declined to respectfully turn a blind eye to Limbaugh's years of prescription drug abuse, he has become a champion of the drug addict caught in the cross hairs of justice. He talks of the pain of addiction, the need for treatment and the unfairness of prosecutors pursuing people with a personal problem.

If you go to Limbaugh's Web site these days, it's full of tales of horrific miscarriages of justice and calls to end investigatory techniques that we, as Americans, shouldn't stand for.

There are warnings about the "threat to the rule of law." Harassment we can't condone. And a horrible "fishing expedition" for information that should chill us to the core.

No, none of that is about the sadistic abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison.

It's all about Palm Beach County State Attorney Barry Krischer's having the nerve to document Limbaugh's drug abuse through the use of his medical records.

Oh, the horror!

From Limbaugh's bellowing, you'd think Krischer was breaking chemical lights and pouring the scorching phosphoric liquid over the naked talk-show host's... oh, never mind.

Besides, that's just "people having a good time."

All those naked Iraqis must be guilty of something, right? There can't be any innocent civilians rounded up by overzealous authorities. That never happens.

And as for the guilty -- well, the rights of people behind bars is just a left-wing abstraction.

For now. The slow learner better hope this isn't the next awakening in his education.

[arasina]

Rush pretends that he has certain intellectual powers which he does not possess.

It seems you just don't understand Rush's "nuance", or perhaps your sense of humor is out of sync with his and millions of other Americans. As a remedy for your ailment, I recommend seceding from society, using an obscure computer operating system and taking additional pomposity lessons from F'n Kerry.

[Diddle E. Squat]

I guess you missed the hint, that from what I have seen (over a much longer period than just this thread) your analysis was way off.

[Torie]

It comes down to a matter of judgment, and of course, whether than man wants to tell the "truth," as he sees it, or pander to his audience. And being informed about the events of the day, and being informed about the intellectual capital accruing to those who have done the heavy lifting to acquire more of it than Rush has, are not co-extensive. Still Rush is a major talent. No doubt about it.

[GreatOne]

Where I disagree with Rush is that by the time he made his comments, it was clear from the photos that these were not abusive hijinks by our soldiers/contractors. That's why I couldn't believe that he compared it to a Yale frat stunt. I don't think that hooding a man and attaching wires to his extremities or forcing them to strip and be piled into a pyramid qualifies.

I hope that it doesn't appear that I'm attempting to split hairs here. What was done was bad, but not as bad as other things done to us or that you pointed out. And it is outrageous that this is such a huge story - it's being handled by our military, so it should be a story for a few days, tops. But that does not mean, to me, that Rush's comments didn't cross the line.

[Diddle E. Squat]

I do like Rush much of the time, but I try not to be a damned fool about it.

Well said. I may have to steal that for a tagline on appropriate threads...

[Torie]

Good to "hear" from you Hop. I hope this finds you well.

[going hot]

By the way, I did not mean to quote the Bible. That is a weak spot for me. I should read it someday, cover to cover, before I depart this mortal coil.

Might not do you much good to read it after.

[quidnunc]

arasina wrote: (Rush pretends that he has certain intellectual powers which he does not possess.) It seems you just don't understand Rush's "nuance", or perhaps your sense of humor is out of sync with his and millions of other Americans. As a remedy for your ailment, I recommend seceding from society, using an obscure computer operating system and taking additional pomposity lessons from F'n Kerry.

There's about as much 'nuance' in Rush's schtick as there is in the act of the average baggy-pants burlesque comedian.

[Destro]

Just talking about your use of English. I was not tasking you about your opinion of Rush per say.

[woofie]

I had a "smart" liberal once tell me that Twain was a racist because he used the "n" word....Your reasoning ability is in the same category

My apologies.... this was meant for Torie ...was distracted by my 10 year old

[F16Fighter]

"Mortal coil"?? Lol! I had assumed you weren't plagerizing the Burning Bush.

Btw, I am quite aware of your "contribution" to FR's forums. We have butted heads a few time as a matter of fact.

From what I've gathered, you are a rather pragmatic opinionated centrist GOPer (or some may just consider you a RINO) who appreciates a challenge, yet doesn't take a difference of opinion personally.

[arasina]

Whatever. I believe it's just a matter of taste. Kind of like preferences for reading Mark Steyn posts in full. :o)

[Torie]

My English I think on that post was OK. Unusual for me. I usually screw up somewhere. Maybe you found my logic to be internally inconsistent, even as I found it elegant. In any event, I think it grand when a Greek Cypriot (maybe a fils of one) smash mouths my English. Is this not the home of the brave and the free or what? Cheers. Bring it on.

[John Lenin]

Here is you alternative to Rush. A CNN video with Dice Clay (Warning Graphic Language) http://www.ebaumsworld.com/cnndice.html

[Torie]

Anyone who does not find an irresistible impulse to read Steyn stuff in full, probably can't read.

[arasina]

LOL...but ewww!!

[arasina]

What, no "Cheers" for arasina?

[A Jovial Cad]

*I guess you missed the hint, that from what I have seen (over a much longer period than just this thread) your analysis was way off*

I guess I did. As a rule, I don't shadow posters I've disagreed with in one thread to the next, looking for openings to challenge them. I treat each thread for what it is: one argument about one issue on one particular day/night. I can't honestly remember ever interacting with an "Diddle E. Squat" at FR in any manner whatsoever, but perhaps I have. Challenging me to debate often leads to such resentment on the part of the challenger after the dust settles, so I understand.
That said, please enlighten me on how my "analysis" is "way off"? Pray tell, what about it is skewed, wrong, horrific, & subversive of everything fitfully right in "Diddle E. Squat's" world? By all means proceed.

[John Lenin]

That video brought tears to my eyes. LOL

[GreatOne]

I agree with you.