Ode to Hypocrisy

November 12, 2003

I’ll come out of the closet: I’ve always liked Rush Limbaugh. I like him even more now. More on that in a minute. But first, for those of you who don’t follow American politics, a little about Rush:

Rush Limbaugh is the Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky and Tiger Woods all-wrapped-into-one of talk radio. He specializes in political entertainment, but his is the largest and most listened to show, on any topic, in the history of the medium. His vast army of fans call themselves ‘dittoheads’ (often misunderstood to refer to uniform, closed-minded thinking) after an incident from the early days of the show in which a caller gushed that Rush was great, wonderful, marvelous, excellent, handsome and had wonderfully-smelling breath, or something to that effect. The subsequent caller didn’t want to ramble on so she just said “ditto.” This evolved into the standard greeting to Rush from a caller: “Dittos from East Buttcrack, USA...” Rush is equally despised by his political enemies who, as one can see, are frustrated enough by his popularity (which is inconceivable to them) to resort to kicking him while he’s down (more on that, too). His satire has caused enough blood to boil in politically left-leaning circles, particularly the extreme left, that his name is virtually taboo. The ire that Rush draws from his opponents is quite remarkable considering that his beliefs and positions are A) widely held and B) not invented by him. Which brings me to what Rush is not, nor claims to be: an intellectual. One thing most people don’t understand about Rush is that he doesn’t make arguments, he sells them...and does he ever! While George Will, Bill Buckley, Thomas Sowell or any of the others on the intellectual cutting edge of Conservatism can cogently explain the dangers to our society inherent in the radical feminist worldview, it took Rush Limbaugh to give us “Feminazi trading cards” (to clear up another misconception, a ‘feminazi’ isn’t a garden-variety feminist, but specifically one who is disheartened when a woman is talked out of an abortion). When others were attempting to describe the deeper dimensions of teenage promiscuity, those which might be exacerbated, not cured, by free condoms in high schools, Rush simply stretched a condom over the microphone in his studio and proclaimed to those who consider his views dangerous that they no longer had a case, his words having been rendered benign. The jury’s still out on the issue, but Rush made the point as only he can.

Returning to current events, it turns out that Rush is also a drug addict. Six or so years ago, he was prescribed opiate-containing painkillers after failed back surgery and has been addicted to them ever since. It has been speculated that these drugs might have been responsible for an acute deafness Rush recently developed (diagnosed as auto-immune inner ear disease; Rush performed his show totally deaf for a bit then had a cochlear implant which restored some of his hearing). Well, needless to say, his political enemies, including the mainstream media, saw this as a grand opportunity. Having ignored completely the recent news that he had signed a $300 million (!) contract to continue his AM radio (!!) show (a format that was, before him, roughly equivalent to the UHF dial on an old TV), the major news media, demonstrably dominated by politically left-leaning elitists, ran the news of his addiction on Page One. “Hypocrite!” was their cry (it’s ironic, considering the fact that the left would normally be the first to cast Rush as the victim, blaming, then, of course, suing his physician...but I digress). Well, Rush is a hypocrite, and we should all thank him for that.

Let me explain: When ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, NPR, TIME, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post and others call Rush a hypocrite, they mean it in the Jimmy Swaggart, preach-about-the-immorality-of-adultary-while-frequenting-the-whorehouse sense of the word. They are dead wrong. Rush does discuss the sheer anguish and destruction that drugs have caused in America and the world. And he has advocated strong punishment for drug offenders. This makes him a hypocrite, but only in the same sense as, for example, a smoking parent, or an obese physician. Rush’s positions on drugs are political in nature, based on reason and societal consensus, not moralistically judgmental. He has never denounced addicts, or anyone else for that matter, as lesser humans, filth, scum...the kind of things you might hear from the extreme, moralist right. And he would never suggest that he receive different treatment than any other person in his position (although we are free to point out the legal and obvious moral difference between someone addicted to prescribed legal painkillers and, say, a crack addict). I might add also that his addiction to painkillers shouldn’t obligate him to a particular position on drug use any more than, say, being a minority should dictate ones position on Affirmative Action. I guess my point is this: if you’re a drug addict, at least have the decency to be a hypocrite as well.

Some of us (see the examples listed above) are hypocrites out of duty or professional obligation. But Rush is one voluntarily, and that is why I like him now more than ever. If only more addicts would speak out against, rather than attempt to justify, drug abuse. About his addiction, he had this to say:

"You know I have always tried to be honest with you and open about my life. So I need to tell you today that part of what you have heard and read is correct. I am addicted to prescription pain medication... Immediately following this broadcast, I am checking myself into a treatment center for the next 30 days to once and for all break the hold this highly addictive medication has on me... I am not making any excuses. You know, over the years athletes and celebrities have emerged from treatment centers to great fanfare and praise for conquering great demons. They are said to be great role models and examples for others. Well, I am no role model. I refuse to let anyone think I am doing something great here, when there are people you never hear about, who face long odds and never resort to such escapes. They are the role models. I am no victim and do not portray myself as such. I take full responsibility for my problem... I deeply appreciate all your support over this last tumultuous week. It has sustained me. I ask now for your prayers..."

You have mine, Rush.