Turn off Rush: Changing the Channel is not Censorship

I am a pretty much and absolutist when it comes to freedom of speech. Since libel and slander can be addressed in the courts, except for the oft cited “Yelling fire in a crowded theater” example, I think people should have the right to say whatever they feel like. Therefore, I am compelled defend the right of Rush Limbaugh to speak whatever words leak out of the cottage cheese and moss he has between his ears.

You and I, however, are under no compulsion to listen to Rush’s drivel. Whenever Rush comes on, we are free to turn off the radio or television or change the channel. And after Limbaugh’s racist attack on Obama’s response to the crisis in Haiti, if we want to consider ourselves decent, honorable men and women we must refuse to support Rush by listening.

Today Rush Limbaugh castigated President Obama for his rapid response to the Earthquake in Haiti. He said, “Here's President Obama speaking about Haiti this morning in Washington at the White House. He held a press conference. Now, I want you to remember, it took him three days to respond to the Christmas Day Fruit of Kaboom Bomber, three days. And when he came out after those three days, he was clearly irritated that he had to do it. He didn't want to do it. He comes out here in less than 24 hours to speak about Haiti.” (Here is a link to the complete transcript.)

This obviously is a gross politicalization of the earthquake in Haiti, which is a heart rending tragedy. It also ignores the urgency of the ongoing crisis in Haiti, and the fact that President Bush took six days to make even a brief statement about shoe bomber, Richard Reid’s similar failed attempt.

This would have been bad enough, but later Limbaugh added, “This will play right into Obama's hands. He's humanitarian, compassionate.  They'll use this to burnish their, shall we say, "credibility" with the black community -- in the both light-skinned and dark-skinned black community in this country. It's made-to-order for them. That's why he couldn't wait to get out there.”

Rush leaps from politicalization of an horrific tragedy into claiming that Obama’s motives are based on his desire to enhance his credibility with blacks. This is itself racist, and deeply offensive. It is so deeply offensive that it should turn into one of those moments, like the tide turning on Senator McCarthy when Attorney Josesph Nye Welch, in the defense of a young attorney McCarthy had slandered, said, "Until this moment, senator, I think I never gauged your cruelty or recklessness....Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"

That is a question we may well ask Rush Limbaugh, and then we can stop listening. Indeed if we have “left any sense of decency,” we must stop listening and by so doing we will cause Limbaugh to wither into insignificance. He can use his freedom of speech to rant and rave alone in the dark and silence of the night were he can do no further harm. This is not censorship, freedom of speech does not guarantee an audience.