In the video above we addressed a lot of the substance of Rush's comments. You can argue that there was no need to because the comments are so stupid and offensive that there is no sense in responding to them. But what does need to be addressed and what we emphasized on the live show (but what you didn't see in the clip above as much) was the Nelson Mandela comments.
Who criticizes Nelson Mandela? Who still calls him a communist? But much more importantly, who argues that we should not have helped to replace the white government of South Africa? Only a racist like Limbaugh. The transcript is right here:
LIMBAUGH: Yeah. This is -- you're not going to believe this, but it's very simple. And the sooner you believe it, and the sooner you let this truth permeate the boundaries you have that tell you this is just simply not possible, the better you will understand Democrats in everything. You are right. They want to get us out of Iraq, but they can't wait to get us into Darfur.
CALLER: Right.
LIMBAUGH: There are two reasons. What color is the skin of the people in Darfur?
CALLER: Uh, yeah.
LIMBAUGH: It's black. And who do the Democrats really need to keep voting for them? If they lose a significant percentage of this voting bloc, they're in trouble.
CALLER: Yes. Yes. The black population.
LIMBAUGH: Right. So you go into Darfur and you go into South Africa, you get rid of the white government there. You put sanctions on them. You stand behind Nelson Mandela -- who was bankrolled by communists for a time, had the support of certain communist leaders. You go to Ethiopia. You do the same thing.
When I was a Republican, I thought Nelson Mandela was a living legend. He helped transform South Africa into a functioning democracy where everyone was equal without any bloodshed. Look at what has happened in the Palestinian territories and all over the world when you have ineffective leaders who choose violence instead of the path that Mandela took to get to justice. But now I see that I was in the wrong room, with the wrong people. The rest of the people in my party apparently paid lip-service to what I was saying and actually believed what Rush was saying. Did anyone of them ever care about Mandela or the injustice in South Africa at all?
How can anyone say they are a proud Republican anymore? I guess if you disavow all of the people like Limbaugh (and the torturers, and the ones who support wars of aggression and the people who violate the constitution, etc.), then you might be able to begin to rebuild the Republican Party. But what you can't do is claim you support Rush Limbaugh and still pretend not to be a racist.
Remember, Rush earlier in his career also told an African-American caller to "take that bone out of your nose." Let alone his nonsensical comments about how people in the media rooted for Donovan McNabb because he's black and rooted against Rex Grossman because he is white.
None of that matters now, because now Rush's racism is irrefutable. He argued against replacing the white government of South Africa. I guess if he still had it his way, the black citizens of that country -- and maybe our country as well -- would still be under the thumb of white people. I guess just like Rush dreams about.
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Reader Comments ( Page 4 of 16)
46. This is off-topic for the title, but I'm replying to this specific comment:
:one of you Rush riders please tell me why it took Bush so long to go into New Orleans please say something about that."
I believe that the first line of response in any localized eventis the city, county (or parish, state and then federal. The call for federal help in Louisiana didn't come for some time, I think it was four days. Where was the planning for an event that was known was going to happen by the city and the state? Where was the money that was earmarked by the feds spent to shore up the levees the knew weren't going to hold? Why was there no preplanning on a local level, only an accusation that "mom & dad" federal government doesn't care about us? By the time the feds got there, after being called in finally, the damage was done.
Was the delay to call in the feds done for political purposes on the backs of the poor in New Orleans? That question should be asked of the govenor and thje mayor.
Danny at 8:43AM on Aug 26th 2007
47. RODOLFO FLORES, its good for you that you dont need a "crutch" to fight your battles and that you dont want "your heritage" to be that you "rested" on your "laurels" and not your race. What you fail to mention is the difference of being brought here as slaves and being here illegally. If I were you, I wouldn't exactly "rest" on my laurels, seeing that I could be deported any minute from now....
LD at 9:01AM on Aug 26th 2007
48. QUIT PULLING THE RACE CARD YOU CRYBABYS. IT'S NO SECRET THAT POLITICIANS DO OR SAY THINGS TO GET POLITICAL SUPPORT. GEORGE BUSH INVADES A COUNTRY WE HAVE NO BUSINUESS BEING IN FOR THE SAKE OF OIL RIGHTS AND TELLS THE COUNTRY IT'S A WAR ON TERROR AND WE BELIEVE HIM. RUSH LIMBAUGH ACTUALLY SAYS SOMETHING WHICH IS TRUE AND EVERYONE PULLS THE RACE CARD. EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTY IS SO SCARED SHITLESS TO BE CALLED A RACIST,THAT THEY ARE AFRAID TO SPEAK THE TRUTH.
ME at 9:48AM on Aug 26th 2007
49. Cenk, I am with you. Rush Limbaugh is a constant reminder to me that leaving the Republican party was the moral, smart thing to do.
Carol W at 10:00AM on Aug 26th 2007
50. Aren't you all tired of this? We are still having the same conversations about race we had when I was a child in the 70's.
You must understand. Racists will never change. Most racists will never even see themselves for what they are. We all want to think that unless you are from the south, drop "N"bombs, or have had a "sheet fitting" we are not racist. Not true.
Racism is not a box you check yes or no on. It's a spectrum, and we're all on it. In fact many of you that will be most offended by this statement will be "unaware racists".
The trick isn't finding ways to deny your racism. It's becoming aware of it, and working hard to understand what shapes what you think.
Yes. Rush is a racist. To a degree we all are. Myself included. The kicker is that I am mixed race, half black and half white.
Drew at 10:56AM on Aug 26th 2007
51. Well I agree with you that Rush is an idiot and that his comments about "it's only about black people" are racist. As someone who actually knows a little more about Darfur than just having heard the name on the news, I can very easily state people campaigning for intervention in Darfur are concerned about the GENOCIDE!!! It is a horrible tragedy and should be stopped.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure the young turks actually know too much about it either.
1. Darfur does have oil. In fact Sudan (the country of which Darfur is a region) is a major supplier of oil to China. This is one of the reasons that China had opposed many security council resolutions on Darfur. It is also why when pressure was put on China (in advance of the Beijing Olympics) they were able to get the government of Sudan to agree to allowing a UN force in.
2. The problem in Darfur is still largely a problem of white-oppression of black people. Though some of the people committing the violence are black, they are simply mercenaries being paid by the predominantly white Northern government. For those who need a geography lesson, the people of the North of Sudan are much lighter than those in the south and the division (post-decolonisation by the British) has left the Islamic north in control.
These two mistakes do not, however, make the key points that Rush's comments are racist and that the genocide in Darfur is a tragedy any less valid. It might give a bit more credibility though if the statements were a little better researched.
As for Ron Miller, as far as being an American first and not caring about some international laws... this sort of comment is simply ignorant and unfortunately indicative of the selfish nationalistic attitude responsible for many of the problems in the US and many other countries at the moment. The USA, along with most other countries, has ratified many principles at the UN which are essentially legal acknowledgements that as a country which believes in Human Rights (and which initially was a forerunner of this idea). These ratifications are AN AGREEMENT THAT THE PRINCIPLES WILL BE ACCEPTED INTO THAT COUNTRY'S NATIONAL LAW SYSTEM TOO. The USA was largely responsible for the founding of the UN and it is irresponsible, as the most influential country in the world, to disregard the laws to which it has agreed and belittle an institution such that dictators or elected governments in other countries feel they can do the same.
International law is not some pact of left-wing governments designed to control America. These laws are agreed to by countries as principles which will protect the rights of every human being - rights like the right to food, shelter, education and freedom from persecution (not your bullshit right to bear arms!!).
Brendan at 11:05AM on Aug 26th 2007
52. Ha! Well said, LD!
I wonder if the 'Racism crutch' is anything like the
'Illegal-Immigration-I-Want-Special-Treatment Crutch'.
What do you think?
JimDandy at 11:29AM on Aug 26th 2007
53. Rush was righ.Mandela was a terrorist and supported by the comunist and domocrats of this great country. And you Sr. learn a little more about Nelson Mandela history,he was a violent guy and a killer. Thank You
W.Rodriguez at 10:03PM on Sep 2nd 2007
54. Since there's no more racism, Rodolfo should have no problem with the Minutemen, doing their Patriotic duty along the Arizona border.
JimDandy at 11:40AM on Aug 26th 2007
55. Rush Limbaugh is a big pile of dope sucking shit.
mdembree at 12:02PM on Aug 26th 2007
56. Hey people watch the news....How do you consider the truth racist???? The media did the same thing with Hatai...like or not the people in power think the only people that will vote for them are people of color and illegals...Guess what!!!!! They are absolutely RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ann Jones at 12:07PM on Aug 26th 2007
57. Yep. He was *almost* as violent as Fulgencio Batista. He *wasn't* supported by Mafia criminals, however.
JimDandy at 12:09PM on Aug 26th 2007
58. The one's defending RL are just as stupid as he is. RL makes a comment and it is automatically true yet, he offers no proof or where he gets his info from. The Rush defenders, echo his words and again, without proof or a source. Rl's comments about McNabb and Grossman are so wrong. If Rush knew anything about Football or looked at the records of the two QB's would see McNabb heads above Groosman in every QB statistic, race had nothing to do with it.
RL, makes a statement and you sheep agree with him, right or wrong. Is that a Republican trait? You do the same with Bush. George says he had a conversation with God or Jesus, this is what he said and you say, "Of Course" I just want to know, which one of you, bought the Bridge Rush was selling?
David Rosenberg at 1:49PM on Aug 26th 2007
59. Whether or not Rush is or was on oxy's or anything else is immaterial. When one starts an opinion with an ad hominem attack it is often because they lack anything better.
I have done some of my best thinking and writing while high on various substances. You might try it yourselves, because, face it, you libs taking shots like that at Rush are about as original as striking a pinata at your kids birthday party!
As a libertarian I support a lot of what Rush says, and I also always dug Hunter Thompson. I bet you Young Turks also appreciated his writing and did not discount it because he was Somewhere Around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold!
Brian Sandre at 12:33PM on Aug 26th 2007
60. WHY IS IT THAT BEFORE RUSH LIMBAUGH'S DRUG PROBLEMS WERE DISCLOSED, ACCORDING TO HIM ALL DRUG ADDICTS WERE THE SCUM OF THE EARTH, BUT HE IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD AND FORGIVEN NOW? HE IS PART OF THE PROBLEM W/THIS SOCIETY. MOST FAMOUS PEOPLE W/MONEY (AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES PEOPLE FAMOUS) CAN DO/SAY/BEHAVE HOWEVER THEY FEEL WITHOUT ANY TRUE CONSEQUENCES.MOST CAN PAY THEIR WAY OUT OF SITUATIONS WITHOUT REALIZING THAT YOU CAN NOT BUY MORALS OR DECENCY OR A KIND/CARING HEART. WHEN YOU LISTEN TO RUSH (AND OTHERS LIKE HIM),I BELIEVE HE IS BEING TRUE TO HIMSELF. HE IS WHAT HE IS..A PATHETIC HYPOCRIT W/MONEY. THE MEDIA IS GIVING LESS ATTENTION/COVERAGE TO THE SUFFERING OF HUMAN BEINGS IN DAFUR THAN WAS GIVEN TO THE DOGS IN THE MICHEAL VICK DOGFIGHTING CASE. BECAUSE THESE DOGS WERE BEATEN, STARVED, TORTURED, KILLED.ETC., THIS WAS ALL FRONT PAGE NEWS THAT WAS CONSTANTLY BEING REPORTED ON... DAY IN, DAY OUT. THESE POOR DEFENSELESS ANIMALS, AS REPORTED, COULDNOT HELP THEMSELVES. WELL, WHAT ABOUT DEFENSELESS HUMANS/BABIES/CHILDREN THAT ARE BEING TORTURED, STARVED, KILLED, RAPED, BEATEN, TOTALLY CONTROLLED BY EVIL DICTATORS OR OTHER PEOPLE IN POWER? HOW DO YOU HELP THEM? WAR IS A BUSINESS. SOMEBODY IS MAKING MONEY FROM ALL OF THIS. MAYBE DAFUR AS OPPOSED TO IRAQ, IS NOT SHOWING SUCH A GOOD PROFIT MARGIN FOR THE POWERS TO BE IN THIS COUNTRY.
LG at 5:07PM on Aug 26th 2007