I wasn't going to write about this but what the heck. I ain't getting any younger. I am being marginalized in society and it has nothing to do with my fat. I am a traditional Christian Republican. And I am increasingly hated. Hated by those who preach tolerance and acceptance. Go figure.
At friend Kim's wedding reception I was seated with some fun people and we were having a fun conversation. Being a group of mature nurses, we were discussing the good old days of health care and decrying the loss of compassion and concern in our chosen profession. This led to a discussion about the decline of civility in the culture in general. This reminded me of something I had heard on the radio so I said, "That reminds me of something Rush Limbaugh said yesterday." Well...the general intake of breath sucked the flowers off the center piece and put out the candles. The shocked looks of all and sundry was something to see. And this from a group of women who routinely discuss excrement and body fluids during lunch. The woman seated next to me scooted away, and a huge silence filled the air. Finally one of these ladies said, and I quote, "Anyone who listens to Rush Limbaugh is a stupid homophobic, racist, Nazi, fascist." Silence on my part. Then she smiled and offered me cream for my coffee. With this offer the conversation resumed around me as though I hadn't spoken. But I was marked.
Now I don't listen to Rush on a daily basis but when you are trapped in a car for two days with a broken CD player, no Ipod, and you have run out of conversation, you want to listen to something. Mark listens daily and has for years so it was no stretch for us to tune in and listen. I kind of like Rush. He's smart, sassy and his struggle with addictions (pain killers, food) is a sometime uplifting topic of conversation that I can relate too. But, I am by no means a political wonk and all that in depth stuff about Congress and the President just bores me. Or at least it has in the past. I find I am getting more political by the day. Each time some perfectly normal nice person calls me a "stupid homophobic racist Nazi" and seems to take pride in the rude idiocy of the comment I drift a little more to the right. I am not yet a total Conservative but I am heading in that direction.
One of the songs we listened to on our journey to Nevada was "Life's Been Good to Me So Far." I love rock. The louder the better. I love this song. The louder the better. A favorite line in the song is, "Every body's so different but I haven't changed." This is what is happening to me. The culture shifted and I haven't. I have what used to be pretty run of the mill Protestant and Patriotic beliefs. I was never very political, or if truth be told, very Christian. So it is still a shock when my formerly common place beliefs are now held to be way right of center and militant. Militant, me? Must be some other poor fool who has the temerity to still believe in sin and self reliance. And to voice those beliefs in the land of free.
God Bless America. Love Lynn
8 comments:
The reaction to your statement about listening to Rush just took my breath away. It was cruel, rude, and incredibly inappropriate.
You're the first person I know who does listen to him. I haven't and I don't like the political things that are quoted in the media, both from the left and right.
But it's good to know his show talks about more, and that there are things that resonate beyond the political.
We are not in the same place politically but I respect that you are true to yourself and your beliefs. It would be boring if we all believed and said only the same things.
Cruelty and rudeness, though, are never okay no matter what one believes.
The comment made to you by the "righteous" woman was uncouth and uncalled for in a polite social setting. Good grief. (you wouldn't even hear that on "the View") I can imagine that you sat there unable to say anything in your defense (without starting a broohawhaw).
The only thing I can say is, don't take it personally.
People who are willing to bring up such hateful comments aren't worth your time.
I can't abide Rush. I think it's not just conservative opinion he spouts, he is an entertainer, a well-paid entertainer. The more controversy he creates, the more people "hate" him, the higher paid he is.
I used to listen to him on an infrequent basis just because I don't think one view of an issue is ever correct, but I swore off him when he was reporting on an aerobics instructor who had been fired for her weight. The woman was fighting being fired saying her weight did not impede her ability to teach, and classmates attested to her abilities. Rush started going on and on about a fat instructor and how the rolls of fat would just keep going around and around and around and around. He just wouldn't stop the diatribe of bias and disgust.
That did it for me. No More Rush.
However, that is MY opinion, and I stand by the best part of this country is that I will support your right to believe what you want to believe.
Love Rush
Sorry you were insulted like that. Respecting other people and their beliefs, and so on is a sign of maturity and just plain good manners. I hope the rest of the wedding reception went well..and I hope Rocket Socks is doing good..
Rush Limbaugh is a hypocritical homophobic excuse for a human being. It's a real shame that he has such a loyal following.
Personally, I would love to have a sit-down with you and understand what draws you to your beliefs. I would not start the conversation by calling you a Nazi, but I'm sure you would be interested to hear how much the religious right in the U.S. closely resembles the mob that Hitler so successfully stirred up in 1930s Germany.
In the meantime, why don't you listen to PBS from time to time, just to get a different point of view.
Here's an article you might be interested in:
http://karws.gso.uri.edu/jfk/conspiracy_theory/the_paranoid_mentality/the_paranoid_style.html
I'd love to hear what you think of it. Seriously.
I'm also wondering if you'd like to start a joint blog. Something along the lines of "Duelling Banjos", starring two, middle-aged ladies, one on the right and one on the left.
If you're interested, leave me a message on your blog and we can try it out.
First, let me say that I have been reading your blog for about a year. I find you to be a genuine, funny, and caring person.
That a person could so carelessly call you those names is beyond rude. It amazes me how people can so quickly stoop to such ugliness in the name of their beliefs.
I tend to lean to the left myself, but I certainly have enough sense to respect the opinions and beliefs of others...who knows, I might learn something.
I am sorry that this person made you feel like you had to defend yourself.
On the bright side, in calling you a homophobic racist nazi, she proved herself to be an uneducated ignorant fool.
Good grief, what a horrible thing to say. It was exceedingly impolite. I may not agree with people, but to call someone a Nazi? I'm blown away. For all of her talk about moralizing self righteous people, she sure IS one.
I don't like Rush Limbaugh for a lot of reasons but it's your choice and decision. I'm probably way to the left of you but we both believe in civility and kindness which is important in this day and age. I'm so sorry that you had to hear that -- and at a wedding! Jeez Louise!
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