[UPDATE 3/3 #3: Carbonite has issued a statement that despite Rush's non-apology apology, they are pulling their advertising from his show.]
[UPDATE 3/3 #2: RUSH STILL NOT GETTING IT - Rush issued a wimpy apology to Ms. Fluke (probably his sponsors pulling out of his show started to make him sweat), but said this: "I think it is absolutely absurd that during these very serious political times, we are discussing personal sexual recreational activities before members of Congress. I personally do not agree that American citizens should pay for these social activities..blah blah blah... In other words, he still doesn't understand that Ms. Fluke was testifying on behalf of her friend who lost an ovary due to cysts, and he doesn't get that taxpayers aren't paying anything; the cost of the birth control pills were simply to be covered under the college's student health care plan. Jeez, I knew the man was stupid, but he's surpassing even my low expectations!! Don't get too complacent, O'Reilly -- we're comin' for you next.]
Unless you've been living under a rock the past couple of days (or maybe if you watch Fox News), you probably know the despicable things Rush Limbaugh has said on his radio show about Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown law student who testified before a House committee this week regarding the high cost of birth control.
I'm not going to repeat what he said here, because a) it was too disgusting to reprint, and b) you've probably already heard it and don't need to hear it again. But what a lot of people are missing is the fact that it's obvious from Rush's remarks that he doesn't understand how birth control pills work! So Rush is not only an arrogant asshole, he's an ignorant arrogant asshole! It reminds me of a woman I used to know who had a college roommate who asked her if she could have one of her birth control pills because she was going on an overnighter with her boyfriend. My friend gave her one (probably one of the inert ones), because she figured if she was that dumb she was bound to get pregnant at some point anyway (she didn't, at least not that weekend).
The other thing ignorant Rush doesn't get is that birth control pills can be prescribed for things other than contraception. In fact, Sandra Fluke was testifying on behalf of a friend of hers, who had been prescribed birth control pills to prevent ovarian cysts. Georgetown has a student health plan, but being a Jesuit institution it does not pay for birth control pills on religious grounds. When her friend could no longer afford the pills (at $100 a month, that's $1,200 a year, let me help you with the math there, Rush), a tennis-ball sized cyst formed, and she had to have surgery to remove her ovary. This, quite frankly, was a senseless tragedy.
Now, Rush has said vile things before, and ignorant things on a minute-by-minute basis, so I normally just ignore him as he's not worth the bandwidth on my blog. Actually, he's not worth the dust bunnies under my computer... but this was so horrible and so egregious that I have to join the many others calling for him to be fired, and failing that, a boycott on his sponsors (three of which have already left - Sleep Train, Sleep Number and Quicken Loans). I have a list of the others hanging with Rush - so far - below:
Cleveland Cavaliers (suspending advertising for the year)
ProFlowers (reevaluating)
Citrix (suspending advertising)
Carbonite (pulled their advertising)
LegalZoom (pulled their advertising)
AutoZone (pulled their advertising)
I'm not going to repeat what he said here, because a) it was too disgusting to reprint, and b) you've probably already heard it and don't need to hear it again. But what a lot of people are missing is the fact that it's obvious from Rush's remarks that he doesn't understand how birth control pills work! So Rush is not only an arrogant asshole, he's an ignorant arrogant asshole! It reminds me of a woman I used to know who had a college roommate who asked her if she could have one of her birth control pills because she was going on an overnighter with her boyfriend. My friend gave her one (probably one of the inert ones), because she figured if she was that dumb she was bound to get pregnant at some point anyway (she didn't, at least not that weekend).
The other thing ignorant Rush doesn't get is that birth control pills can be prescribed for things other than contraception. In fact, Sandra Fluke was testifying on behalf of a friend of hers, who had been prescribed birth control pills to prevent ovarian cysts. Georgetown has a student health plan, but being a Jesuit institution it does not pay for birth control pills on religious grounds. When her friend could no longer afford the pills (at $100 a month, that's $1,200 a year, let me help you with the math there, Rush), a tennis-ball sized cyst formed, and she had to have surgery to remove her ovary. This, quite frankly, was a senseless tragedy.
Now, Rush has said vile things before, and ignorant things on a minute-by-minute basis, so I normally just ignore him as he's not worth the bandwidth on my blog. Actually, he's not worth the dust bunnies under my computer... but this was so horrible and so egregious that I have to join the many others calling for him to be fired, and failing that, a boycott on his sponsors (three of which have already left - Sleep Train, Sleep Number and Quicken Loans). I have a list of the others hanging with Rush - so far - below:
Cleveland Cavaliers (suspending advertising for the year)
ProFlowers (reevaluating)
Citrix (suspending advertising)
Carbonite (pulled their advertising)
LegalZoom (pulled their advertising)
AutoZone (pulled their advertising)
American Forces Network (DOES NOT INTEND TO LEAVE RUSH'S SHOW)
Mission Pharmacal (has not advertised on Rush's show for some time)
TaxResolution (suspended their advertising)
Sears (ad ran on Rush's show by mistake)
LifeLock (DOES NOT INTEND TO LEAVE RUSH'S SHOW)
AOL (suspended their advertising)
The Republicans in Congress, each and every one of them, should denounce Rush and his comments, but they are terrified of doing so because Rush has a huge (and apparently not very bright) audience. John Boehner, I'm going to call you out specifically, because you hid behind your spokesperson. As Speaker of the House, you are a coward if you don't get in front of the press cameras and throw Rush Limbaugh under a big, red, double-decker London bus.
