In his 1996 bestselling book, Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot, former comedian Al Franken, now the junior US senator from Minnesota, exposed (with eviscerating humor) the galling hypocrisy and brazen lies that permeate the conservative gospel Rush Limbaugh preaches on his radio talk show every day.
For example, even though thrice-divorced, Limbaugh never betrays any hint of appreciation for the hypocrisy inherent in his self-righteous fulminations on family values.
Therefore, it is not at all surprising that, even though he belongs to the all-white Everglades Country Club, Limbaugh is now hurling moral indignation at those who rallied to deny him membership in the NFL owners club.
Specifically, after it was reported that he belonged to a group of wealthy investors who were bidding to purchase the St Louis Rams, the black players on that team vowed not to play if he became their (part) owner.
Then DeMaurice Smith, the NFL Players Executive Director, made it clear that Limbaugh was considered persona non grata by players throughout the entire league, 70 percent of whom are black:
Sport in America is at its best when it unifies, gives all of us reason to cheer, and when it transcends… I have asked our players to embrace their roles not only in the game of football but also as players and partners in the business of the NFL…
We also know that there is an ugly part of history and we will not risk going backwards, giving up, giving in or lying down to it.
(DeMaurice Smith, NFL Players Executive Director)
Not surprisingly, the adverse publicity this generated forced his business partners to drop him from their ownership roster: a very sound business decision – pure and simple.
This is why I find it regrettable that self-appointed advocates of these NFL players, like Rev Al Sharpton, are asserting that this rejection of Limbaugh is payback for some of the racist things he has said.
It’s regrettable, of course, because far too many of the quotes they’re attributing to Limbaugh he never said. But the main quote they’re trying to hang around his neck is not even racist; namely, his saying that:
Donavan McNabb is overrated [and that] the media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb…
After all, on the one hand he’s just expressing his opinion about McNabb being overrated; and on the other hand, what he said about the media was (and perhaps still is) true.
Instead, I think the players would be in a far more unassailable position if they had insisted that they will not play for Limbaugh simply because they do not want to be associated with him. And this would be based on the same, undeniable principle that allows Limbaugh to belong to an all-white country club.
Not to mention the delicious irony in being able to spew Limbaugh’s own political rhetoric about the free market, freedom of association and political correctness having no place in business all back in his face.
Indeed, it’s laughable to the point of being pitiful that Limbaugh (58) does not see the hypocrisy inherent in claiming that there’s a vast left-wing conspiracy out to get him – when it’s the market forces he always preached about that have now turned him into a racist outcast.
All of which means that, despite surgical weight loss (no doubt in vain hope of pleasing his new 31-year-old girlfriend), Limbaugh (58) is still what Al Franken called him a few years ago: a big fat idiot.
NOTE: To add insult to Limbaugh’s perceived injury, chances are very good that a group of wealthy blacks will end up buying this NFL team he so coveted as the cream to top off his American dream.
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