Whether you are a fan of Rush Limbaugh or not, you must certainly recognize the powerful hit attempt on him by the mainstream media, politicians and certain community organizers. With all of the other news out there, the focus was on Rush Limbaugh for the better part of the week. That is, until Rush started firing back at what he condemns as slanderous remarks. Once the goal to keep Rush from owning an NFL team was accomplished, the story was promptly dropped and his rebuttals replaced by mania over Falcon, the balloon boy, a story that may or may not have been a hoax.
If nothing else, this is a text book exampe of the toxic sludge in mass media today and how unchecked power can be used to attack and destroy an individual for no better reason than someone not liking their political, economic or social views.
Limbaugh fired back at his critics and attackers in a strongly worded Op-ed in the WSJ.
I never said I supported slavery and I never praised James Earl Ray. How sick would that be? Just as sick as those who would use such outrageous slanders against me or anyone else who never even thought such things. Mr. Wilbon refuses to take responsibility for his poison pen, writing instead that he will take my word that I did not make these statements; others, like Rick Sanchez of CNN, essentially used the same sleight-of-hand.
The sports media elicited comments from a handful of players, none of whom I can recall ever meeting. Among other things, at least one said he would never play for a team I was involved in given my racial views. My racial views? You mean, my belief in a colorblind society where every individual is treated as a precious human being without regard to his race? Where football players should earn as much as they can and keep as much as they can, regardless of race? Those controversial racial views?
Limbaugh later writes:
As I explained on my radio show, this spectacle is bigger than I am on several levels. There is a contempt in the news business, including the sportswriter community, for conservatives that reflects the blind hatred espoused by Messrs. Sharpton and Jackson. “Racism” is too often their sledgehammer. And it is being used to try to keep citizens who don’t share the left’s agenda from participating in the full array of opportunities this nation otherwise affords each of us. It was on display many years ago in an effort to smear Clarence Thomas with racist stereotypes and keep him off the Supreme Court. More recently, it was employed against patriotic citizens who attended town-hall meetings and tea-party protests.
After following mainstream reports and listening to Rush Limbaugh’s side of the story on the EIB network, it is clear that Mr. Limbaugh never made the comments regarding slavery or James Earl Ray. There is absolutely no evidence that the statements attributed to him are accurate. And be assured that every word Mr. Limbaugh says on the radio is recorded, so if he had said it, you’d be listening to an MP3 of it on this website right now.
For so many years he has spent his time on the radio mis-labeling others.  Finally he had his judgment day.
Methinks he dost protest too much…
Wow, who would feel sorry for that rich blow-hard. He’s laughing all the way to the bank and his loyal fans are crying all the way to the poorhouse. What dopes!
Well, I will admit I listen to Rush from time to time and he is quite entertaining. I do not feel sorry for Rush, he knows the rules of the game he is in. This story was more of a basic case study into how the media controls our perceptions. In this case, I have to take Rush’s side of it, simply because all of the quotes used by the MSM are fabrications.