Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Limbaugh's hypocritical critics
The Philadelphia Daily News ^ | Oct. 3, 2003 | MICHAEL P. TREMOGLIE

Posted on 10/03/2003 6:19:53 AM PDT by conservativecorner

I HAVE NEVER been enamored of Donovan McNabb.

I believe that Randall Cunningham was the greatest Eagles' quarterback and never received the recognition he deserved.

I am a regular listener of Rush Limbaugh's radio program.

Having said that, I do not concur with Limbaugh's now-famous comment that McNabb was the beneficiary of racial political correctness, which ended up costing him his gig with ESPN.

Limbaugh was wrong to say that the assessment of McNabb had been affected by the fact that "The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well."

But I also don't agree with the sportswriters and commentators who speciously and maliciously called Limbaugh a racist.

It's specious because they have no proof other than this remark - which is no proof at all. It's malicious because many of these same sportswriters hate Limbaugh's politics and - until his resignation - were envious of his assignment with ESPN.

To be sure, Limbaugh isn't the first to inject race into sports. Didn't Dusty Baker recently say that blacks play better in warm weather and whites in cold? And did ex-Eagle Mike Quick then call Baker a left-wing bigot like he called Rush Limbaugh a right-wing bigot? No, of course not.

Shannon Sharpe once said that Denver Broncos' receiver Ed McCaffrey would be paid more if he were black. Yet, there were no columnists proclaiming Sharpe was a racist, as there are proclaiming Limbaugh one.

During the 2002 Winter Olympics, there was a column in the San Francisco Chronicle that said the U.S. team was 95 percent white and not diverse enough. According to the column, "The USOC is aware of the lack of diversity... and is attempting to do something about it through its Community Olympic Development Program," U.S. Olympic exec Dwight Bell said.

"We clearly would love to see more diversity on the team," Bell said. "We've engaged our national governing bodies and our Community Olympic Development Program to get involved in winter sports in the inner city areas to recruit and develop athletes...

"Other than some athletes in bobsled, figure skating and speedskating, the rest of the U.S. Winter Olympic team members are as white as the snow surrounding them."

No, Limbaugh isn't the first to inject race into sports.

However, he is one of the few to be labeled a racist. Why? Because his comment is not mirror the politically correct perspective. It's about, indirectly, reverse racism and a challenge to affirmative action.

The reaction to Limbaugh was not unusual. Liberals like to call conservatives racist, sexist and homophobic.

What is unusual is for the media to note that liberals often do not abide by their own rules. During Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's confirmation hearings, GOP Sen. Orin Hatch asked her if a company located in a mostly minority area would be considered guilty of discrimination if it did not employ the same percentage of minorities as were in the general population.

Ginsburg replied that it would be. Hatch then informed Ginsburg that her staff was mostly white, although she was an employer in the mostly black city of Washington, D.C.

Ginsburg exemplifies liberal hypocrisy. The rules are meant for others, not them. It is perfectly fine for a white liberal judge to allege that a small-business owner is discriminating. But the judge can do the same thing without thinking twice.

Just as insensitive are the sportswriters who condemned Limbaugh, who numbers Clarence Thomas and Charles Barkley among his friends.

They should be more introspective. How many of these white sports journalists work with black sports journalists? Is the percentage of black sports journalists similar to the percentage of black professional athletes?

The next time you read a denunciation of Limbaugh, ask yourself if the sports media are the real racists. You know the answer. So do they.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: limbaugh; rush

1 posted on 10/03/2003 6:19:53 AM PDT by conservativecorner
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: conservativecorner
ZING!
2 posted on 10/03/2003 6:23:11 AM PDT by The G Man (Wesley Clark is just Howard Dean in combat boots)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: conservativecorner
Hatch then informed Ginsburg that her staff was mostly white, although she was an employer in the mostly black city of Washington, D.C.

That's hilarious! Does anyone know what Ginsburg's reaction to this was? Score one for the Senator from Utah!

3 posted on 10/03/2003 6:24:25 AM PDT by Lou L
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: conservativecorner
Attacks on conservatives who make mistakes (and attacks when they dont)are calculated to proove conservative opinions are wrong.

I bet the factions attacking Rush hope we all believe that negates his opinions. Well, it does NOT.

Besides, being "investigated" is nothing. Most liberal-socialists trump up charges and ask for investigations just cause they want to cause social derision.

Like I said. . .It aint gonna work.
4 posted on 10/03/2003 6:24:52 AM PDT by Roughneck (Like Terrorists? Vote for democrats in 2004.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All
I would like to take a moment to ask for donations.

It should be clear to all conservatives by now that the left intends to demonize us. They don't just disagree with us, they hate us. And worse, they want to get other people to hate us.

Places like Free Republic drive the left batty.

Please donate. Thanks for your consideration.

5 posted on 10/03/2003 6:25:03 AM PDT by Support Free Republic (Your support keeps Free Republic going strong!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: conservativecorner
Rush accused the sports press of racism. That is the essence of his charge. They favor a black quarterback more for his skin color than his abilities.

That is Rush's judgement of the sports press. Let them refute the charge. Otherwise, Rush has said nothing racially offensive to a person particularly, or a racial group generally. He just called journalists racist.
6 posted on 10/03/2003 6:25:25 AM PDT by Uncle Miltie (Leave, Pat, Leave!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: conservativecorner
I'd love to find a transcript of Sunday's program where Rush made the statement about McNabb. If anyone was watching, there was another person on the show that day who made similar claims but hasn't been called to task about it. I'm almost sure that Micheal Irvin, former Dallas Cowboy and now ESPN analyst, stated during a discussion about the antics of Terrell Owens that Owens was only being treated the way he was because he's black and then launched a mini-tirade about how it would be okay for T.O. to act that way if he were white. Did anyone else see that? Isn't that more of a racist comment than what Limbaugh said?
7 posted on 10/03/2003 6:39:52 AM PDT by RightFighter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Brad Cloven
Rush's opinions tend to be sharp-edged.
8 posted on 10/03/2003 6:46:19 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: RightFighter
I'd love to find a transcript of Sunday's program where Rush made the statement about McNabb.

He said McNabb was over-rated. The rest of the comment was about the press.

9 posted on 10/03/2003 6:48:49 AM PDT by lepton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Eric in the Ozarks
"Rush's opinions tend to be sharp-edged."

Hey, thats funny! Sterling Sharpe's opinions tend to be rushed!

:-)

10 posted on 10/03/2003 6:50:34 AM PDT by The G Man (Wesley Clark is just Howard Dean in combat boots)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Lou L
I agree. I love it when it comes right back at them.

But it got me to thinking. Should her staff, and other staff in the federal government, "look like" America or "look like" Washington, DC?

I say it should consist of the best people for the job, no matter their "color". But I'm old-fashioned that way.

11 posted on 10/03/2003 6:55:01 AM PDT by robertpaulsen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Lou L
bump
12 posted on 10/03/2003 7:00:34 AM PDT by GOPJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: conservativecorner
Coming Soon! -- Al Franken's new book:

Hypocrisy and the Hypocritical Hypocrites Who Speak It
13 posted on 10/03/2003 7:02:24 AM PDT by kevao (Fuques France!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lou L
...and Ginsberg walked into that one like a blind woman. Scary to think she is considered intelligent enough for the Supreme Court of the United States of America. That is truely what liberal racism has brought us. A half-wit like Ginsberg just because she is considered black (I personally think she is American Indian). But Clarence Thomas, a truely brilliant man, was crucified by liberals because he can think for himself. A Black American with wisdom, intelligence and knowledge is a very dangerous person in the Liberal mind. Racist! Racist! Racist!
14 posted on 10/03/2003 7:21:05 AM PDT by whereasandsoforth (tagged for migratory purposes only)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Eric in the Ozarks
But, THAT's the point.

1. It was Rush's OPINION and,

2. ESPN HIRED him to be controversial.

Shall you lose your job because you state an opinion that differs from others? Shall you be assailed in the press for stating your OPINION publicly? Why is Rush Limbaugh's opinion more controversial than yours?

Whether you agree or disagree, is not even on the radar screen of this issue. Many television and print commentators are supposed to be controversial; to "stir the pot". Why is Rush stirring the pot an different from any other commentator who expresses an opinion that stirs the pot? Did you ever hear of Howard Cosell? Did HE ever say anything controversial? Was there ever this much publicity because of it?

And, for those of you who have missed the 20,000 reruns on the lamestreams, Rush NEVER said that Donovan was a lousy quarterback because he is black, he said (in essence) that the press is giving into Donovan TOO MUCH because they want a black QB to succeed in the NFL. That's NOT, IMO, a racist statement. It is Rush's OPINION of the status of the SPORTS PRESS as much as it is his OPiNION of Donovan McNabb's abilities.
15 posted on 10/03/2003 7:43:10 AM PDT by DustyMoment (qb)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: The G Man
Ouch !
16 posted on 10/03/2003 8:18:34 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Lou L
Actually Hatch felt ashamed for asking her this, and later apologized for "blindsiding" her with the question.
17 posted on 10/03/2003 8:23:54 AM PDT by boop
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: boop
Actually Hatch felt ashamed for asking her this, and later apologized for "blindsiding" her with the question.

That's carrying the "decorum" of the Senate too far, IMO. If you wanted to debate someone--assuming you have no priviledged evidence no available to your debate partner--why would asking an obvious question be considered "blindsiding?"

What should've Hatch done--provided her with the question in advance, so she could side-step with a contrived answer?

Conservatives should never be "afraid" to win a debate. We should be tactful and good sports, but never afraid to win with a sound argument.

18 posted on 10/03/2003 11:05:30 AM PDT by Lou L
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson