Thank you, Mr. Limbaugh

In the midst of snow, freezing temperatures, and obscene profits in energy markets, a person of some note passed away last week.

For some of the 74 million people who voted for the former occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., this person was their John the Baptist. This person was, if you can forgive me for mangling scripture, their “voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the former game show host.’”

For some of the 74 million people who voted for the former occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., this person was their LIVING EMBODIMENT of a TV character from yesteryear, unrepentant, unapologetic, and proud of it.

For some of the 74 million people who voted for the former occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.,this person was—to borrow from the eulogy of another great American hero, who many believed spoke the truth and was vilified for it–their “Whitehood, our living Whitehood!”

So as the human remains of Rush Hudson Limbaugh III, talk show host, cancer survivor, philanthropist,  are laid to rest (with some thinking that there but for the grace of voters in Georgia, he most likely would have lied in state in the U.S. Capitol).

I, to paraphrase one W. Shakespeare, “have not come to bury Rush Limbaugh, but to praise him.”

I want to praise him for his entertainment skills—because for some of the 74 million people who voted for the former occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.—Limbaugh made them laugh.

Like the time he joked about the life altering disease of a fellow entertainer (who ironically enough, came to fame playing a character who would have been a fan of Rush)

But don’t forget, those people who praised him say that he was “just an entertainer”

And the people who said this are honorable people.

When on April 19, 1995, deranged White men left a crater in Oklahoma City where a federal building had stood, people started wondering about his rhetoric, but he reminded everyone that ‘Talk is not a crime. And talk is not the culprit here.’ And he reminded everyone that after all, he was “just an entertainer.”

And those people who praised him told America that it couldn’t hold Rush accountable for the incendiary rhetoric that killed hundreds because after all, he was “just an entertainer.”

And the people who said this are honorable people.

I want to praise Rush, because without him, we would have never known about the NFL’s conspiracy regarding Black quarterbacks.  Who can forget Rush’s stint on ESPN and the secret he let slip about Donavon McNabb.

Rush was soon a former member of ESPN’s football pregame team, but apologetic? Of course not, because he was being “entertaining,” since controversy is entertaining.  

And those people who said Rush brought “flavor” to ESPN said some Americans were angry for no reason because after all, he was “just an entertainer.”

And the people who said this are honorable people.

National media, desperate to stay relevant in the emerging digital age, praised Rush, saying he was no worse than another talk show host that had become a national flashpoint. In fact he was a “shy, sensitive guy” (All you had to do was ask him{$}).

And those people who tuned into Rush said: “see, he REALLY IS no worse than Howard, because after all, not only was he “shy and sensitive,” he was “just an entertainer.”

And the people who said this are honorable people.

(A quick aside—Seattle’s very own version of Rush has also been described by those around him as shy, sensitive, etc.—and also as “just an entertainer.” In fact he is so entertaining the company that hired him for a side gig asked him to take his entertainment elsewhere—but I digress)

Rush broadened our horizons and our vocabulary, with such wonderful terms as:

• “Feminazi” (he didn’t take credit for creating the term, but he did enjoy using it)
• “Magic Negro”
• “Slut,” a term that once upon a time was reserved for those books boys hid from their parents, Rush brought out of the closet and into the mainstream, because as we know, if you’re going to have the audacity to have sex, you should at least make those acts available for viewing.

And those people who applauded Rush when he said these, and so many other endearing words and phrases, said these words were never to be taken too seriously, because after all he was “just an entertainer,” and these people need to “lighten up”

And the people who said this are honorable people.

In fact, these honorable people also made it clear that a man who reveled in celebrating the deaths of people, and made himself very rich in doing so, should himself not be mocked in death.

“Anyone who rejoices and makes fun of the passing of another human being based on your political beliefs is trash.”

Talk about

But again, these people have been quick to remind us that even in passing, Rush was “just an entertainer.”

And the people saying this are honorable people.

Because at the end of the day, these honorable people really consider what he said and did “just an act.”

Gotta tell you…

–Ashton Kutcher, who majored in biochemical engineering at the University of Iowa, playing Michael Kelso in “That 70’s Show” was acting.

–Manny Jacinto, a graduate of the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering, playing Jason Mendoza in “The Good Place” was acting.

And even I am willing to concede that perhaps, PERHAPS Rush Limbaugh was acting—at the start.

But if you will allow me—my thoughts about what Rush Hudson Limbaugh III—and those who consider him a hero worth lowering flags for, even though he was “just an entertainer”—can be paraphrased from the movie “My Favorite Year”

If you haven’t seen it, take the time to watch it

For those who are not aware of the movie, it involves hero worship and finding out your hero may be just be acting—and I paraphrase:

“Whoever you were on the air, that silly goddamn racist meant a lot to *me*! What does it matter if it was an illusion? It worked! I needed Rush Limbaugh’s as big as I can get them! And let me tell you something: you couldn’t have convinced me the way you did unless somewhere in you you *had* that racism, bigotry and bile! Nobody’s that good an actor! You *are* that silly goddamn racist!”

To the millions of people who were blind to the damage that his words and actions caused—or worse yet, reveled in the chaos, pain and hurt behind those words and actions—to those people who I continue to call scared little people— Rush Hudson Limbaugh III was the hero they needed to justify their anger, their racism, their bigotry, and their bile.

And he delivered.

Until Next Time.