Why haven't we cowards accepted Attorney General Eric Holder's invitation to racial dialogue?
The outcry over Rush Limbaugh's attempt to purchase an NFL franchise is exhibit A. Entitled groups own the conversation and make the rules, often on the fly. Those authorized to freely dialog on race form an exclusive club.
The rest of us can only come in through the back door, and then we must sit quietly while we are admonished and clucked over by the aggrieved and the anointed. We must choose our words, nay, even our targets carefully lest we be branded with the scarlet R.
Too often, the dialog becomes a lecture, and ordinary Americans of all stripes don't like being shouted at through bullhorns. I know many black people as well who have refused to join the dialog because they are worn out by the implied tokenism.
Many also tire of getting cornered into defending the Jacksons and Sharptons, or worse, repudiating them when they may actually agree with their larger point while simultaneously decrying their bombast.
Bigotry still exists in America, but life's too short. It's easier to just shut your pie hole and keep moving.
Even Jason Whitlock, the nation's most credible traffic cop working the intersection of sports and society, thinks Limbaugh owning the Rams would be a bad idea.
Here are two quotes from the best-of Rush Limbaugh racist collection:
"You know who deserves a posthumous Medal of Honor? James Earl Ray (Dr. King's assassin). We miss you, James. Godspeed."
And ...
"Let's face it, we didn't have slavery in this country for over 100 years because it was a bad thing. Quite the opposite: Slavery built the South. I'm not saying we should bring it back. I'm just saying it had its merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark."
You can argue the comments are presented out of context and were meant as jokes. Then I'd argue that Limbaugh needs to get on the comedy-club circuit and out of the business of attempting to influence presidential politics.
Jason admits the comments were yanked from their larger, sarcastic context by provocateurs wanting only to inflame, but it doesn't matter. Limbaugh is not authorized to make such cracks that are routine fodder for liberal comedians, black and white.
Rush doesn't belong to that exclusive club, but he brazenly barges in the front door amid billowing clouds of fragrant cigar smoke and pungent right-wing commentary. He doesn't know his place.
So he is deemed a racist. This is why a large segment of the population just avoids the whole subject. Invite me in to "dialog" and then castigate me for saying the wrong thing? Nah, I don't need the hassle.
There are certain franchises in America, exclusive clubs, where only the right kind of people are welcome. I'm staying away. I know my place.
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11 comments:
I've always been of the opinion that Rush was a blow-hard bombastic windbag and more of a liability than anything else.
While I believe that he is truly a conservative at heart, he is more concerned with ratings (and rightly so) than high political principal. The problem is that too many equate fame with qualification on both the left and right.
Yeah, and this is not so much a defense of Limbaugh as it is an attack against those who purposely distort, smear and take things out of context for political gain.
Rush is richer than God and he sure doesn't need my help. I just want people to see the larger agenda underpinning this.
"I just want people to see the larger agenda underpinning this"
Agenda it is Silverfiddle to silence opposition speech right at the what they see as the source..
I'm gonna post O'Reilly's talking points on that one tonight...this is actionable some think on principle and so do I. Reverse racism
fiddle and I go back over 15 years in discussions about Rush. He was jerk back then and still is. His mouth is bigger than Obama's speeches are long.
Rush pats himself on the back more than O'Rielly.
Yeah Ron, but if they're going to call him a racist they've got to prove it. They are pulling quotes out of thin air.
It's time for the race hustlers to put up or shut up.
Bozell demands media put up or shut up on Limbaugh Lies....
I saw that Ray. I think this will have the unintended affect of making the press look even worse than they already do. they just repeat crap with no sourcing or questionable sources at best.
Media matters records every word the guy says, for Pete's sake. Go there today and you'll see a big summary of all the "racist" things he has said. Every quote is sourced, and none of it backs the racism charge, unless you buy into the stupidity that criticizing a black president is racist.
Most telling is they leave out the now famous "quotes" because they are bogus, which begs the question, if he's such a racist who says bigoted stuff, why do you need to invent quotes?
I hate Rush but he has said alot things with shock value. This has allowed others to make up things that were not true and use it against him which is not fair. But is politics fair and he got a taste of his own politics. He made his bed and he has to sleep in it--can't forget the millions he is making with his mouth . Rush is shock commenator and if you sit there, listen to him and beleive him. You have a problem.
You're a flamer, Ron! I always knew there was a soft, squishy liberal inside you just waiting to come sashaying out and crying about that mean Rush...
I am person that can make up their own mind!! I also hate Rush alot but unlike my old a friend that wants to be a Rush ******!!! How many brain cells did we kill back in the day over the same subject. Looks like you still haven't changed still admire the idiot.
Try to find sombody else that don't make millions off of idiot admirers. Remember that when you go to mass it is for God and not the Church of Rush. It is all talk radio Rush lover and a shock jock.
I don't want to be Rush, I just wish I had 1/100th of his money!
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