Like much of what Rush Limbaugh says over the airwaves, his recent comments bashing a Georgetown University law student over her position on birth control have created national headlines. And like much of his previous headline-grabbing remarks, they were not notable for their wisdom or humanity.
Limbaugh this week found himself in a firestorm of criticism in the wake of his comments about Sandra Fluke, a law student and former president of the campus’ Students for Reproductive Justice. After she was initially denied from speaking at a Congressional hearing on the Obama administration’s birth control rule, Fluke eventually spoke before a mock in support of the new policy requiring employers to offer health plans that include birth control coverage.
Limbaugh was quick and caustic to label Fluke a “slut” and a “prostitute” for arguing that the government should pay for her contraception. While the predictable denunciations followed, there also seems to have been a noticeable lack of citizens calling for Limbaugh’s silencing, which is a good sign in our opinion. Any campaign calling for the silencing of Limbaugh based on such remarks would be misguided and contrary to one of this country’s founding principles protecting speech, however deplorable that speech might be.
In that respect Limbaugh is only one of many personalities whose stock in trade is provocative language. While having such passionate people freely espousing their views is what makes this country unlike any other, it also can present problems. The American citizenry needs to be vigilant about safeguarding protected speech in all forms and instances and any wrongheaded legislative attempts to limit such speech should be viewed with extreme suspicion.
Taking a page from similar efforts targeting paid on-air personalities, those who took issue with Limbaugh’s remarks leveraged their anger at the radio show’s advertisers to good effect. Two of the radio program’s advertisers have already suspended their ad dollars.
True to ideological form, Limbaugh fired back, telling people to “lighten up,” and firmly standing by his previous comments. And as strange as it might sound, his latest remarks are OK with us.
THE ISSUE:
Rush Limbaugh’s questionable remarks making headlines again.
WE SAY:
Despite deplorable remarks, such speech is protected by First Amendment.
WHAT DO YOU SAY?
Send us your thoughts on this topic to www.ivpressonline.com/letterstotheeditor
Limbaugh this week found himself in a firestorm of criticism in the wake of his comments about Sandra Fluke, a law student and former president of the campus’ Students for Reproductive Justice. After she was initially denied from speaking at a Congressional hearing on the Obama administration’s birth control rule, Fluke eventually spoke before a mock in support of the new policy requiring employers to offer health plans that include birth control coverage.
Limbaugh was quick and caustic to label Fluke a “slut” and a “prostitute” for arguing that the government should pay for her contraception. While the predictable denunciations followed, there also seems to have been a noticeable lack of citizens calling for Limbaugh’s silencing, which is a good sign in our opinion. Any campaign calling for the silencing of Limbaugh based on such remarks would be misguided and contrary to one of this country’s founding principles protecting speech, however deplorable that speech might be.
In that respect Limbaugh is only one of many personalities whose stock in trade is provocative language. While having such passionate people freely espousing their views is what makes this country unlike any other, it also can present problems. The American citizenry needs to be vigilant about safeguarding protected speech in all forms and instances and any wrongheaded legislative attempts to limit such speech should be viewed with extreme suspicion.
Taking a page from similar efforts targeting paid on-air personalities, those who took issue with Limbaugh’s remarks leveraged their anger at the radio show’s advertisers to good effect. Two of the radio program’s advertisers have already suspended their ad dollars.
True to ideological form, Limbaugh fired back, telling people to “lighten up,” and firmly standing by his previous comments. And as strange as it might sound, his latest remarks are OK with us.
THE ISSUE:
Rush Limbaugh’s questionable remarks making headlines again.
WE SAY:
Despite deplorable remarks, such speech is protected by First Amendment.
WHAT DO YOU SAY?
Send us your thoughts on this topic to www.ivpressonline.com/letterstotheeditor
