Still Say This Is NOT a Political Issue?
By anniepa
@anniepa (27955)
United States
October 16, 2009 6:25pm CST
When I previously posted about the possibility of Rush Limbaugh becoming an NFL owner and posted it in this interest, there were some who responded to tell me it wasn't a political issue. I put it in this interest because Rush is a political figure, so to speak. He's not an elected official but many would argue he IS a leader if not THE leader of the Republican party since if anyone dares say anything to hurt his little (?) feelings they end up kissing his feet as they apologize profusely. However, I DO get what they're saying...football is "sports", not politics. Believe it or not, it seems Rush and I are on the same side in this...OH NOOOOO!!! Below are some excerpts, in quotes, from an article which you can read by clicking (hopefully!) the link I've supplied
"ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh lashed out at NFL union leader DeMaurice Smith, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and the media a day after being dropped from a group trying to buy the St. Louis Rams."
: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/15/arts/AP-FBN-Rams-Limbaugh.html?_r=1
"During a 15-minute counterattack at the start of his show, Limbaugh said he believes he's been made an example by a players' union seeking leverage in talks over a new collective bargaining agreement. What happened to him was an illustration of ''Obama's America on full display,'' the commentator said.
Limbaugh's history hurt his participation in the bid. In 2003, he was forced to resign from ESPN's Sunday night football broadcast after saying of the Eagles' Donovan McNabb: ''I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well.''
According to transcripts posted on his Web site, in 2007 Limbaugh said: ''The NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There, I said it.''
Limbaugh blamed Smith, executive director of the NFLPA and an ''Obama-ite,'' along with Sharpton and Jackson, whom he referred to as ''race hustlers,'' for Checketts' decision to drop him. He said his sacking was an example of the political clout wielded by President Barack Obama's administration.
''What is happening to the National Football League, what is about to happen to it, has already happened to Wall Street, has already happened to the automobile business,'' Limbaugh said.
Limbaugh said he was victimized in the media by ''misreporting, lying, repeating the lies while also saying 'Limbaugh denies,' repeating the made-up quotes, the blind hatred.''
''Believe me, the hatred that exists in this is found in the sports writer community, it's found in the news business, it's found in the race hustler business,'' Limbaugh said.
Limbaugh said Checketts telephoned on Tuesday, asking him to withdraw from the group. Limbaugh responded that he wouldn't withdraw and that Checketts would have to ''go public and fire me,'' and thought the news would be made public Thursday morning."
(End of excerpts)
Notice that according to Rush it's the media's fault, it's Obama's fault, it's the union's fault or it's some high-profile liberals' fault; for someone he preaches "personal responsibility" for everyone else so often, he sure never accepts any for himself, does he? IF he wouldn't have said those select things nobody would have cared about him purchasing or being a part owner of an NFL team! Rush has nobody to blame but RUSH!!
Any thoughts?
Annie
1 person likes this
11 responses
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
17 Oct 09
I don't understand how anyone says this isn't a political issue either. Limbaugh's politics and job has everything to do with why the NFL leadership wanted him out of the deal.
2 people like this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
17 Oct 09
You don't think his own words regarding Donovan McNabb among other things didn't have a part to play in this?
1 person likes this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
17 Oct 09
P.S....remember Imus and his "nappy headed" comment.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
17 Oct 09
That's part of why it IS a political issue.
1 person likes this
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
17 Oct 09
Get him on what he actually said. That's fair enough but when you have to add lies and things that can't be substantiated then it makes you no better. I think I watched maybe two of his shows when he was on television. I found him totally disgusting and never watched or listened to him again, but I didn't believe what was said automatically just because I didn't like him. If a lie has to be added the problem isn't with Rush.
2 people like this
@iriscot (1289)
• United States
17 Oct 09
Limbaugh brought it all upon himself. Checkett was stupid for even trying to bring him in the group. The attendance at the Ram's games and other games would have dropped drastically. I for one, would never buy another Ram ticket and wouldn't wear my Ram cap and sweatshirt if he were a partner in the purchase of the Rams. He stirred up the soup he's in, now let him wallow in it! Several players have come out against him being in the purchase group, what were those buyers thinking. I guess Rush thought he was out of "harms' way" and nothing could hurt him. Well, well, well. :-( Poor Rush.
1 person likes this
@sierras236 (2739)
• United States
17 Oct 09
I am not certain that Rush looked six years into the future planning to buy a football team. He would have to be some sort of psychic, I guess. The whole thing was actually politicized by those who adamantly opposed his purchase and then posted all those lies. He has already clearly admitted that he made those comments. It is not like he is denying it or trying to hide it. Already, CNN has made a public, on air apology. Astonishing isn't it. I think the bigger story is not the comments but the clear lack of fact-checking by the media outlets. This further tarnishes their already lackluster reputations.
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
18 Oct 09
Well, I KNOW I'm not going to be trying to buy a football team in the future and the words I saw aren't heard by millions of listeners or viewers but I STILL don't make racist comments because it's wrong and it's not in my heart. Maybe you could clarify for me what you meant; you wrote, "He has already clearly admitted that he made those comments. It is not like he is denying it or trying to hide it," but then you imply that the media lied about them as if he did NOT say them.
I agree that "the clear lack of fact-checking by the media outlets" is a problem but this applies to a lot more than just what they've said about Rush Limbaugh.
Annie
@sierras236 (2739)
• United States
18 Oct 09
To clarify, the two statements that you mentioned, the McNabb statement and the Blood, Crypt statement are the ones that he did not deny. The rest were still lies. I still think the bigger news story is the lack of fact-checking by those media sources.
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
17 Oct 09
"He's not an elected official but many would argue he IS a leader if not THE leader of the Republican party"
Well, I know you argue that constantly. But you seem to listen to him much more than I do.
" if anyone dares say anything to hurt his little (?) feelings they end up kissing his feet as they apologize profusely"
Actually, they haven't apologized for the libelous statements that they made. An apology doesn't cure libel. He has grounds for a lawsuit.
You've conveniently left out most of the statements and "quotes" that were broadcast widely by members of the MSM that were outright lies and never uttered by Limbaugh. Do you believe for a moment that these don't matter or had nothing to do with it?
Someone remarked that such a racist as Limbaugh didn't belong in the NFL which was 70% minorities. Limbaugh wondered and I do too, why, if he is a racist, would he want to be involved in any sport that was made up of 70% minorities.
It's okay, you can put down your hatred of Limbaugh long enough to agree that no one should have lies spread about them on the internet and in blogs and have them repeated by the media as if they were true. It could happen to anyone they were disenchanted with - you, me, anyone. Goodness, what if tomorrow they didn't love Obama?
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
17 Oct 09
What he said regarding McNabb was a commentary on the MEDIA's bias. If anyone should have been upset, it should have been the sports commentators to whom he referred. Oh yeah, they were upset.
Racism, by definition, is the making of decisions based on race. That includes decisions that are favorable. I know that you would want someone to point out when someone is being discriminated against because of race, that is definitely wrong and is racism. But, it's also racism if one is praised and lauded simply because of their race. That's the type of racism though that no one must dare point out, because if they do, they are racists.
It's never going to be a post-racial era, because you have to be willing to give up and ban both sides of racism in order for everyone to be truly color blind.
1 person likes this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
17 Oct 09
"What he said regarding McNabb was a commentary on the MEDIA's bias. If anyone should have been upset, it should have been the sports commentators to whom he referred. Oh yeah, they were upset."
I disagree. He expressed his opinion that McNabb was overrated and then used the media to express a racially charged conclusion...that they wanted to see a black quarterback succeed. Did he back that opinion up with any facts? Has he ever cited any media outlets that had specifically indicated that they wanted to see a black quarterback succeed? I don't recall him mentioning anyone by name. Whether there was or is media bias when it comes to Donovan McNabb, stating that the critiques of his performance on the field are due to the color of his skin instead of his talent is ugly and many people, not just the media, were offended by that comment.
And, by the way, how do you blame this quote from his radio show on the media?
"RUSH: Look it, let me put it to you this way. The NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There, I said it.
That was an insult to every black player in the NFL in more ways than one. It was also racist. Racism is not simply making decisions based on race...it's also an attitude that one has towards a race as well as making comments about an individual or a group of individuals based on race.
1 person likes this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
17 Oct 09
The bogus quotes aside, what Rush DID say...on national television about Donovan McNabb when he was a commentator on ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown show...was ugly, was racist and gave football fans nationwide such a negative impression of him that it caused a firestorm at ESPN and the result was that he resigned. He followed that up with an additional racially charged comment on his radio show. This kind of attitude, where a man is judged not by his skills but by the color of his skin, is unacceptable and I've heard nothing from Rush to indicate that his views have changed. No one wants to watch a bigoted sports commentator and few professional players want to play for one.
Why would Rush want to be involved in a sport made up of 70% minorities? Because he's not prejudiced against the color green, ie. money.
2 people like this
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
17 Oct 09
Hi, Annie!
I have a newly strengthened respect for the NFL!
1 person likes this
@bailey2009 (174)
• United States
17 Oct 09
Me too! I think I will even purchase a St. Loius Rams Jersey and start watching their games! Smart move. :-)
1 person likes this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
17 Oct 09
Annie, if the media hadn't published numerous lies about him, including many false quotes like I listed in another thread, then I might actually agree with you (see how close you came?) However, MSNBC, CNN, and the New York Times spread lies about him because they were too lazy to do proper research and just used blogs as sources. All of them are guilty of libel and slander so Limbaugh really does have a point here.
Now, if the media hadn't campaigned against his NFL bid, there's a chance he still would have been considered a liability and dropped, but the media DID campaign against him and they DID maliciously spread lies about him which people interpreted as facts since many of us come from an age where you used to be able to trust what you saw on the evening news.
I must say Annie, I've NEVER seen a campaign like that against an individual being a minority owner of a team. In fact, I've never seen ANYONE in the media oppose anyone else ever owning a team. This is a first Annie, so there really is no precedence to base your judgment on.
As for Limbaugh, I think he's just glad he can use this debacle for more publicity and to bolster his point about the intolerance of the left wingers in this country.
1 person likes this
@Sourceseeker (1197)
• United States
19 Oct 09
The hubbub about Rush Limbaugh buying the St.Louis Rams reminds me of furor Bill Cosby created when he was attempting to buy NBC. The was alot of grumblings about Cosby's bid. People said in cooler talk Cosby was going to start another all black network. All the television shows would be black and all the employess black.
This theory was ludicrius. It would be illegal and it would be counter productive financially. A successful network must be sensitive to a broad spectrum of people and any black person including Cosby must be concerned about race and attempt to be sensitive.
It was Bill Cosby right to try to buy NBC and equally Rush Limbaugh should allowed to buy the St. Louis Rams. Rush being an owner in football could have been one of the best things for him and our society. He would had to learn more sensitivity to be an effective owner.
@Sourceseeker (1197)
• United States
19 Oct 09
Yes people are using this as a political issue. It reminds of when Bill Cosby was reportedly trying to nuy NBC. There was an incredible grumble around the media to his purchasing a network. It was like there going to be a fear the he was going to make the whole network black, like all the shows were going to black and all employees were going yo be black. That would be both illegal and stupid. Anyone who wishes to make many in a very public of arena of TV or sports has sensitive to diversity issues because it affects the bottom line.
Rush Limbaugh had every right to purchase the St. Louis Rams if he has the money. Despite aNany personal opinions he may have he must be sensitive to a wider audience if he was going to be successful.
Rush Limbaugh becoming a NFL owner could have been one of the best things for our cukture, He would had to appear more sensitive whether those were his true feelings or not.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
17 Oct 09
I agree with you that Rush's ugly remarks have caught up with him. What he said on the air about Donovan McNabb was hateful and ugly, his follow up comment about the Bloods and Crips was equally hateful and ugly. His own words have come back to haunt him so, no, he's not real popular with the player's union. I'm not a fan of the Rams but I do think that McNabb is a decent, hard working man who shouldn't have been publicly disrespected like he was.
