Stop blaming Rush Limbaugh for the murders in Afghanistan.

[USArmyParatrooper]

I've already seen one thread suggesting AFN has Rush on to give the troops "justification" for their missions, and now I've seen another suggesting the shooter must have gotten his cue from him.

Enough.

There is no doubt that Rush Limbaugh is a shameless, racist, inflammatory antagonizer. He is the radio equivalent of an internet troll, only on an epic scale.

With that being said, he has little or no affect on the the troops. We are not mindless drones. We're an extremely diverse organization on every scale, with one exception. In comparison to the general population we have a disproportionate number of males, although females aren't even remotely an anomaly. We have a very strong mix of different ethnicities, different religious beliefs, different age groups, different sexual orientations and different political ideologies. Just like the general population we have our share of... intellectually challenged people, but for the most part the guys I've worked with over the years have been of average to above average intelligence. In fact, about 30% of applicants can't score a high enough AFQT on their ASVAB to even join the military.

We are not some homogenous group. We are NOT "ditto heads."

The only people who listen to Rush are people who are right wingers to begin with. Even many Republican troopers will admit he's over the top.

I don't know what caused that soldier to do what he did. I don't know if he had a mental breakdown, if it was purely out of malice or both. There's no question it is a tragedy. It is first and foremost a tragedy for the victims and their families. It is also a tragedy that it will likely cost the lives of American troops who had nothing to do with the shooting and who conduct themselves with honor. It will make a near impossible job even more difficult.

But this I can tell you without question. That soldier did what he did for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with Rush Limbaugh. Any suggestion otherwise is giving Rush way too much credit.

[trof]

1. OK

[Gman]

2. Hey, why not

surely he had to have influenced somebody. And we don't know that he didn't have anything to do with it.

[USArmyParatrooper]

4. And we also don't know if Paris Hilton had anything to do with it.

So let's make some threads about that.

[HangOnKids]

11. Well Yes Because Paris Hilton & Rush Limbaughs Sphere Of Influence Is So Similar! NOT.

Really, is Rush talking about Spring fashion this week? Is Paris fomenting hate among our troops on AFR? Your comparison fails on so many fronts I have a headache.

[USArmyParatrooper]

15. They are similar in that

There is as much evidence that Rush Limbaugh had anything to do with it as there is Paris Hilton.

[HangOnKids]

18. BS Rush Has A Megaphone to the Troops through AFR

You really think that is of no influence? Were done.

[USArmyParatrooper]

20. He also has a megaphone into the civilian population.

So let's pick random murders committed by civilians stateside and blame Rush for those.

If you're done that on you.

[Zanzoobar]

35. That makes perfect sense.

It almost like you're trying to convince us that military personnel are human.

[11 Bravo]

10. Having worn the green suit, and having been in combat, I will respectfully submit that ...

I do know what I'm talking about; and I will venture to say that Rush Limbaugh did not have a single fucking thing to do with one grunt losing his shit.

[elehhhhna]

3. k&r

prepare to be flamed.

I couldn't agree more.

Support the troops: Bring them home.

[GodlessBiker]

5. I understand your point, but what evidence do you have that the reasons had nothing to do with Rush?

[USArmyParatrooper]

9. Aside from the fact that it's an absurd suggestion...

What evidence is there that it did? You can't prove a negative. Prove to me that Colonel Sanders (yes, the fried chicken guy) didn't have anything to do with it. You can't? So let's make a thread blaming KFC.

[Bluenorthwest]

22. Sanders is deceased. I think that gets him out of contention.

nt

[GodlessBiker]

28. I'm not saying he did. You are making a claim and I'd like to see some evidence. That's all.

Anyone who claims that RL had something to do with the killer's reasons should be put to the test, too. Where's the evidence?

And I don't think it is absurd to think that the venom which hate-filled talk radio show hosts spew out into the airwaves every day doesn't have an effect on people who listen. Whether RL is relevant in this case has yet to be established, one way or the other.

[sharp_stick]

32. The evidence to be provided has to come

from those suggesting he had a role, to suggest that someone provide evidence that he didn't have something to do with it is ludicrous and fails the test of logic.

It's like suggesting that the phase of the moon had something to do with it and then trying to get people to prove it didn't... can't be done.

[loyalsister]

16. What evidence is there to prove otherwise?

The real problem and focus of this incident should be 1. The soldier was irresponsibly on active duty under circumstances that put him and everyone around him at risk. 2. We need to get out of there ASAP

Those are the things that truly matter here.

[banned from Kos]

6. Well written. Lets save our effort for better things.

Thanks.

[jsmirman]

14. Yeah, I gotta be honest, it just doesn't strike me as appropriate,

productive, or well-timed.

Something really horrible happened. I mean REALLY horrible.

Can we at least let some mourning take place, let some fact finding take place, let some time for reflection take place - before launching into some of this stuff?

[Junkdrawer]

7. Yeah, and if this keeps up, Rush might be pulled from AFN....

and then what?

[USArmyParatrooper]

17. Are you actually suggesting I want Rush on AFN?

Is that what you're implying?

There are plenty of legitimate reasons to petition having him pulled off the air, which would be much more effective that drawing absurd and completely unproven conclusions.

[Junkdrawer]

21. Do you want Rush on AFN or not?

Simple question.

I think he should have been pulled for Club Gitmo Ts....

For his support of the Abu Graib tortures...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002412586

[USArmyParatrooper]

25. Simple, but silly question.

Read my OP in its entirety and read the very post above yours. Use logic.

[Junkdrawer]

27. Yes or no. What do YOU think?

[Junkdrawer]

29. BTW: I mean just what I posted. Rush has been on AFN for SO LONG....

that SOME troops would find it very strange to be without their daily Rush fix.

[EFerrari]

8. No, you can't tell anyone that

unless you have some special psychic knowledge of his process.

And, we don't take orders here.

[USArmyParatrooper]

13. Oh, my bad.

I figured it was obvious from the context of my post that it is an opinion piece, and that the title shouldn't be taken literally as a direct order.

As for the rest, refer to my Paris Hilton/Colonel Sanders analogy.

[FSogol]

12. Links to those threads?

[otohara]

47. News to Me

It would be nice to blame the racist blob at Premiere - but I'm not seeing the connection.

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. Well you are correct

Last edited Mon Mar 12, 2012, 09:45 PM - Edit history (1)

Not just because I know the environment. But what has emerged so far, places this soldier away from where he could even listen to Rush regularly.

Unfortunately many folks do not realize that at the tip of the spear at times you worry bout silly shit like sanitation, not having a radio...

There is more, according to NPR he came from Ft. Lewis, which has a few discipline issues... Yes hearings should be in order.

Oh and did I mention this was his fourth deployment?

Of course there is another piece of data, most of Rush's listeners are well over the age most people serve.

Another piece of data to emerge...TBI.

[xchrom]

23. So are we saying words are powerless and have no meaning? Nt

[onenote]

26. No. I think what is being said is that there is no more evidence that

Rush's influenced what happened then Ed Schultz's words or the some voices in the guy's head.

[xchrom]

31. Then I'm going to say that's a false equivalence.

And I will want quotes that are as radical as rush's words.

[onenote]

33. Seems like the burden is on the folks who think they know what caused this

I'm not claiming to do that.

And by now I suppose you may have heard that the guy was diagnosed with Traumatic Brain Injury.

[xchrom]

39. I didn't chime in on the 'rush caused'

It thread or what ever that was.

But I do want rush or any right wing extremist off AFN.

I think the reasons for that are clear.

[wendylaroux]

24. rush has adverse affects on civilians

making them all crazy talking and such. So could he have the same affect on military people in the middle of a war? I don't know,couldn't help.

[chknltl]

30. USArmyParatrooper

You just earned my respect on many levels. First off, thank you for your service. Next, thanks for this thread, you have made your case and defended it well, I agree with you. Lastly, imo the more diverse the backgrounds of our fellow DUers, the better our DU becomes. Your background as a member of our military enhances the big DU immeasurably, thank you for being here.
c

[UTUSN]

34. It's a *mind set* - calling it LIMBOsevic is shorthand. nt

[gulliver]

36. Nope, but let me take this opportunity to start.

The Freeper posts on this issue provide some evidence.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2857825/posts

Have a read. Do American hard right-wingers have the right to hate and dehumanize Muslims? Sure they do. Do they have the right not to be blamed when that attitude leads to violence. Nope. Those are two very different things. The freedom of speech is not freedom from blame. Quite the contrary.

Rush didn't pull the trigger, but that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve a share of the blame. He most likely does.

On edit: Changed "certainly" to "most likely." I leave open the possibility that we will find out that the trigger man wasn't a right winger. "Certainly" is too strong a word.

[certainot]

37. all iraq and afghanistan vets, casualties, wounded can thank team limbaugh.

i'd blame him and the RW radio monopoly for pushing us into afghanistan and lying us into iraq. it did the groundwork for it. intimidated politicians and media with screams of 'traitor!', from 1000 coordinated radio stations. he is/was point man. it shouted over the protests and enabled the chickenhawk war machine politicians.

[tiny elvis]

38. i think he deserves some credit

for his great contribution to demonizing the whole people
if his dissertations begin with the premise that islam is bad,
then he does not need to say islam is bad
nationwide demonizing of a people has only one purpose,
to justify slaughter

[alcibiades_mystery]

40. Great post

Nice job.

[babylonsister]

41. I wonder if being on his 4th tour contributed?

No way am I excusing his actions, but I'm sure there's a lot of reasons that made this guy snap the way he did, none having to do with Limbaugh.

http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/ap_soldier_accused_of_sunday_massacre_was_on_his_4th_tour_20120312/

AP: Soldier Accused of Sunday Massacre Was on His 4th Tour

[Chorophyll]

44. Four tours would have been unthinkable thirty or forty years ago.

My neighbor is a Vietnam veteran who is still somewhat traumatized by his experience. He saw ONE tour and came home. He still writes about it.

We're going to be dealing with trauma in our War on Terror® vets on a scale that we can't even imagine yet.

[uponit7771]

42. Demonizing "others" DOES contribute to an attitude of supperiority

[Bandit]

43. Without Rush we probably would not even be in Afghanistan

Republicans valued Rush's voice so much they made him an honorary member of Congress. I doubt very seriously that Republicans and Bush* would even have been elected without the voice of Rush and his ilk.. Rush is a great influence upon Republicans and has the ability to get the base stirred up.. Yes in my opinion Rush has a great deal to do with every single atrocity that has been committed by Americans in our Wars of choice. He sets the standard for Republican behavior and keeps it at a level that is obscene. They actually think torture is the right kind of activity Americans should engage in along with any and all ways to demean people.. Yes Rush has blood on his hands as well as almost every Republican that voted for Bush*.

[mwooldri]

45. Exactly: Enough.

Chances Mr. Limbaugh had anything to do with this is pretty slim to none - it'd be more likely he'd win the lottery than having anything to do with this horrendous act.

There are more likely reasons than Mr. Limbaugh's radio program. 4th tour of duty? Heck daily life messes my head up, let alone being in a war zone! War is traumatic for anyone. Like USArmyParatrooper said, we don't know what caused that guy to do what he did. All I know is that this is traumatic for everyone - the victims, their families, the soldier and his family, and his comrades (for want of a better word) in the Army.

[SpartanDem]

46. You're right Rush is an ass, but we can't blame him

[jwirr]

48. Do we even know if this man listened to rush? With some of the violence we have seen in the states

the investigaters actually found books by people like Beck, etc. That being said I am against extremist preaching hate on any taxpayer founded media.