The decline of American decency

Rush Limbaugh never fails to sicken me and his comments last week on our own local celebrity’s act of selflessness puts me at wit’s end.

While many readers who want to lump me in with the run-of-the-mill liberal journalist stereotype probably think I’m blowing off steam about Limbaugh’s overall conservatism, that is not the case at all.

In case you missed it, he stooped to an all-time low (quite possibly trumping even his illegal Viagra possession, pain killer addiction and entirely sexist attitude toward all women’s issues) in what he apparently saw as some insightful truth into the declining nature of the capitalist values he believes make the United States the end-all-and-be-all of human existence.

Specifically, he took the story of West Liberty-Salem long distance runner Meghan Vogel helping another runner cross the finish line and said the young athlete lacks the spirit of American competitiveness that makes our country strong.

What the dolt is missing about the true American spirit — and what Meghan demonstrated by pushing Arlington runner Arden McMath ahead of her in the state 3,200 meter track competition — is that life isn’t all about coming in first place in some athletic competition.

Just the other day, I was walking to work and a man asked me for directions to the nearest gas station. Instead of blowing on by him so I could get to work and earn my cash — as Limbaugh wants all to believe is the only worthwhile pursuit in life — I took the time to point him in the right direction.

Recently, local businessman Robert Notestine spoke with me about giving a few bucks here and there to folks who are homeless or down on their luck.

These everyday acts of consideration for others may not equate to or garner the national attention of sacrificing a better placing in a state competition, or — as Limbaugh goes on to compare it to — Rory Sabbatini sacrificing the Memorial tournament so Tiger Woods can feel better about himself, but they do occur throughout our country on a daily basis.

As a matter of fact, if life were all about competition, Middle America probably wouldn’t exist at all.

We’d all be off running the rat race in New York or Los Angeles trying to be on top of the American dung hill Limbaugh and his ilk call home.

Quite frequently people ask me why I don’t aspire to work for a bigger newspaper, but I just don’t.

I was born right here in Bellefontaine. My family is here. People know me. And, honestly, I don’t know of any better place to ply my trade than right here in Logan County. And, trust me, I have ventured out.

So, according to the radio loud mouth, that’s just one more strike against me as a true American.

But in my opinion, it is the people of all the small communities who are not striving to be on top in Washington, the Big Apple or Hollywood that make America what it is.

And yes, we do frequently stop to help our neighbors or even complete strangers out, despite the fact that it may entail a sacrifice on our own part.

And this opinionated blowhard has the gall to say we’re the ones making America weak.

In my own opinion, the television and radio stations that feed us this endless stream of drivel from arrogant pundits like Limbaugh are much more to blame for the decline of America than the Meghan Vogels of this country.

Reuben Mees is an Examiner Satff Writer and vitriolic despiser of television-era punditry that serves no purpose in educating our society. He can be reached at rmees@examiner.org

Clearly anyone reading some of the response on here would see the how much the decline of American decency.

I guess if my neighbors barn gets hit by lightening or blown away in a cyclone instead of helping organize a barn raising I should rejoice at the prospect that his farm will now do poorly now that he has no barn where as it will make my farm and its products that much more valuable. Maybe use it to force him out of business maybe pick his farm up for pennies on the dollar.

I don’t know this blogger and he may be a left-wing wacko and I don’t care, but I do know Rush and though he is pretty much right on the money on things anyone that doesn’t recognize the fact that he at times is more than a bit of a blow hard has been worshipping at the ‘dittohead’ alter to long.

What the girl here did didn’t effect the competition as both girls were out of the running she merely came to the aid of a fellow athlete. I guess those people who cheer on someone in there 20th hour of a marathon race must be nuts because the person is clearly a LOSER! The winner had finished up hours ago so why cheer them on?

There is competiveness and there is sportsmanship and the problem as I see it isn’t the lack of one or the other it’s the lack of balance of the two.

Living with a ‘liberal’ label
Written by Reuben Mees
Monday, 18 June 2012 10:24

All the negative comments I’ve seen this past week from right wing extremists about my personal opinion of Rush Limbaugh — mainly by anonymous Internet users who have no idea who I am as a person — started me thinking about where I do shake out politically.

I know I am neither Democrat nor Republican although I do typically vote in Republican primaries because that is oftentimes the deciding race in local politics.

Over the years, I’ve been called a liberal more times than I can count (I would never venture to guess how many times former Logan County Sheriff Michael Henry asked, “How’s my favorite liberal reporter today?”)

Although I’ve usually just let those comments slide, I’ve never considered myself all that liberal, however.

And when it gets down to brass tacks, I’m finding I may be a lot more conservativethan most people who know me may realize — at least on the economic issues. I even voted for Ron Paul in the last two presidential primaries.

So I’m going to tell you what I do believe and let you decide what you think.

First and foremost, I believe in fiscal conservatism at all levels of government. Wasteful spending is the root of economic downfall.

I believe the two-party political system we have come to accept limits our nation’s ability to grow intellectually and prevents those with a genuine desire to affect change from realistically achieving any meaningful ends.

I believe Congress as it is organized under the Constitution (i.e. both houses being elected on solely geographic criteria) is no longer the best-suited body to represent the diversity of people in the United States.

I believe in a limited military capable of protecting our homeland and a strong citizenry with the right to bear arms that would assist the armed forces against any effort to invade our nation. Let other countries deal with their own issues and wage international warfare only when there is a serious cry for help or blatant human rights violation.

I believe in severely cutting regulatory government but, at the same time, I believe government-run social programs such as public education, public roads and transportation and even a well-run public health care program that provides free basic preventive and emergency medicine are essential to a healthy society based on equality.

I believe in limiting welfare and disability programs to only the most severe cases.

I do not believe the government should step in and tell individuals or businesses they must buy health insurance, eat broccoli or not drink super-sized sodas.

I also don’t believe the state should force religious or other groups to hand out free birth control. Leave that up to the free public clinics.

I do believe in fostering ideas throughout our society now regarding population control, primarily by giving up the senseless debates on assisted suicide, pulling the plug on coma patients or a woman’s right to choose whether or not to have an abortion.

I am not a Christian although I do respect the beliefs of Christians and recognize the importance of the social programs churches provide. But I do not view the afterlife in the way most Christians do. Instead, I tend to believe in a form of reincarnation and karma that determines our reward or punishment in the next life.

Thus, I believe in the summary execution of convicted murderers and repeat violent offenders and the physical castration of violent rapists, which would in turn reduce government spending on prisons.

I believe all naturally-occurring, non-processed substances currently classified as drugs should be decriminalized. On the flip side of that coin, I believe the production of processed chemicals, including prescription pain relievers and other pharmaceuticals should be slashed and violators (including major pharmaceutical companies) should be held accountable and dealt with as criminal offenders.

I believe in personal responsibility for one’s own actions and a genuine compassion for other human beings.

And although I may not have stated it quite this succinctly in my previous column, I believe this is what motivated West Liberty-Salem runner Meghan Vogel to carry another runner over the finish line and not — as Limbaugh told his listeners — a lack of competitive spirit that indicates a decline in American drive to succeed.

So this is what I believe. Call it what you will.

That being said, I still believe the Rush Limbaughs, Bill Mahers and all those purported journalists whose sole purpose in their professional careers is to help one party control the presidency and Congress are not worth a hill of beans.

Reuben Mees is an Examiner staff writer who would like to thank the many local residents — both Democrat and Republican — who expressed both their favor and disfavor for the previous column in rational terms. He can be reached at rmees@examiner.org.

I admit that when I hear “Rush Limbaugh is a total (INSERT EXPLETIVE HERE)!” followed by an admission (explicit or otherwise) that they have never listened to him beyond a snippet of audio, then I usually will consider that person a liberal.

I have three examples of my own personal behavior that buttress this, as I consider myself a conservative, and find common ground in this approach with others I regard as conservative.

I was railing about excerpts I had read from Barack Obama’s book “Dreams From My Father”, and was pointedly asked if I had actually read the book. I admitted that I had not, although the excerpts I referred to seemed to stand on their own just fine. But, I felt as though I had to read the entire thing just so I could speak with authority on what I read.

So I read it. God, it was awful. Real linguistic torture. But I read it.

Same kind of thing with Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals” and Marx and Engels’ “The Communist Manifesto”.

I really had a hard time getting through the Manifesto which I found paint-drying boring, but “Rules for Radicals” was very interesting, even though it was harder to read. THAT was like having an open window on the mind of liberals, like reading their game plan.

Point is, this twit has never listened to Rush Limbaugh. He may say otherwise, but it is clear as day, he hasn’t. He is guilty of what he is whining about people doing to him: passing judgement on him without knowing who he is.

Got some news for you, Mr. Brownstained Chin: We know just what bucket you fall into.

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