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 The author argues that Rush Limbaugh didn't really apologize for maligning a Georgetown Law student.
March 6th, 2012
01:05 PM ET
My Take: Rush Limbaugh's 'apology' fails test for public confession
By Stephen Prothero, Special to CNN Dear Rush, which part of “I’m sorry” don’t you understand? The ritual of public confession is so formulaic in American culture that it’s hard to imagine that someone as media savvy as Rush Limbaugh doesn’t know how to do it. But his so-called apology for calling Georgetown Law student Sandra Fluke a “slut” and a “prostitute” shows he doesn’t know the first thing about this rite, so here is how it goes. First, admit that you have done wrong. Say this straight. Do not hedge. Do not confuse things by saying that others have wronged you. Do not say that others have committed similar sins.
Here the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church is a good model:
Second, show that you are truly sorry. Saying “I’m sorry” (which Limbaugh did not do) is a good start, but it isn’t enough. You have to make yourself believable. Here tears are not necessary, but they help. Others need to believe that you are confessing for the sake of your soul, and not merely for the sake of your career. Hint: the best way to make that happen is to actually be sorry. Third, humble yourself. Admit that you are a human being like the rest of us. This can be difficult for people with a high opinion of themselves. So what. Suck it up. Fourth, repent, turn around, promise that you will go and sin no more. Look familiar? It should, if you’ve ever gone to Catholic Mass or observed Yom Kippur. But Limbaugh flubbed it big time. First, he didn’t really apologize for turning a public policy question into a vicious personal attack. In fact, he said, “I did not mean a personal attack on Ms. Fluke.” Second, he tried to justify his unjustifiable behavior by claiming that he was trying to be “absurd” and “humorous.” He wasn’t trying to libel or slander Fluke, or to shut her up or humiliate her. He was just trying to have a little fun. Third, Limbaugh stopped apologizing almost as soon as his apology had begun. Instead of detailing his many and manifold sins, he launched into a reprise of his argument against birth control coverage in U.S. health plans, and criticized President Obama along the way for coming to Fluke’s defense. In other words, he changed the subject, so the bulk of his ”apology” wasn’t an apology at all. Finally, when he got to something approaching apologizing, Limbaugh did not apologize for what he really did. He did not apologize for launching a multi-day ad hominem attack against a private citizen. He did not apologize for dragging the American public through the muck and mire of his misogynistic fantasies. He did not apologize for inspiring a series of copycats in the right wing blogosphere. CNN’s Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the biggest stories Instead he apologized for “insulting word choices.” In other words, he apologized for using the word “slut” instead of some less insulting synonym. Given this abysmal performance, we should not be surprised that Fluke did not find his remarks particularly apologetic, or that she and many others believe he issued it not out of genuine remorse but in an effort to stanch the hemmoraging of advertisers from his show. “I don’t think that a statement like this issued, saying that his choice of words was not the best, changes anything, and especially when that statement is issued when he’s under significant pressure from sponsors who have begun to pull their support,” said Fluke, a Georgetown Law student. Neither should we find it surprising that advertisers, including AOL, are fleeing the show en masse, and that some radio stations are now refusing to air it. Limbaugh could have stanched the bleeding by practicing what historian Susan Wise Bauer has described as “the art of the public grovel.” Instead he gave us the art of the public equivocation. Why? So why couldn’t he say, "I'm sorry"? In a word: ego. Republicans and Democrats will doubtless disagree about vices and virtues of the man who would be a GOP kingmaker. But there is no doubting that Limbaugh admires himself. And he is not about to sacrifice that form of worship at the altar of Sandra Fluke or anyone else. That is why he is now blaming not himself but the companies who have stopped advertising on his show for their decision to separate themselves from his hate speech. “They’ve decided they don’t want you or your business any more,” he told his radio audience on Monday. This in my view is a foolish course. Americans are a forgiving people. Many of the public figures profiled in Bauer’s “The Art of the Public Grovel” have come back into the public eye, not least President Bill Clinton. But the American public will not forgive you unless and until you confess and repent. And so far at least Limbaugh has refused to do either. At this point, what is dragging Limbaugh down is not so much his incendiary attack on Fluke but his refusal to admit that, like the rest of us, he is a sinner, too. Until he does that, he will continue to float around in a celebrity limbo of his own making, praised by his true believers but damned - and rightly so - by most of the rest of us. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Stephen Prothero.
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  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Editor's Note: Stephen Prothero, a Boston University religion scholar and author of "God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions that Run the World," is a regular CNN Belief Blog contributor.
LOL...I have heard the defense of why Rush Limbaugh should be castrated while Bill Maher should get a pass. Best was becasue Rush went after a "young girl studying law. The young girl was...a 30 year old girl. I had to laugh. At thirty us females hopefully stop being girls (a message to those anti-feminsits on the left eith demeaning this woman in a way to support their fake wrath) and by the time one is 30, most of the pale of innocence has been rubbed off the bloom. Law school, at 30, is no longer a childish whim but a stepping stone to a serious and adult wise plan. So, let's be honest- for most it matters not what Limbagh says or does- any time we can go after him is fair. True honesty would admit that but, since we are not truly honest, Bill Maher must come to Limbaughs defense becasue for those of us on the left, Maher knows he and Rush do the same thing and when it comes right down to it, this 30 year old GIRL, he knows, is not as innocent and he, Maher, is as guilty as any of us for...well...steping in the trap we should have seen before taking that step in it. Apology? The only apology necessary is the one we should all be making when we are being uncharacteristically honest. And let's face it, where would all of us outraged people go to spend our time if we were not looking for this stuff in the first place? 🙂
Rush is a hate monger whose vitriol will never serve any useful purpose. The GOP needs to distance themselves from him and his points of view. Otherwise they will be closely associated to him...and that will not serve them well in the long run. They pander to him because he has had a large audience...but Independents, who actually have a lot of influence in who gets elected, will be turned the other way.
Just because Rush has gathered enough sponsors to make himself and the radio station some money, does not make him any more of a competent announcer than trading made Bernard L. Madoff a successful broker.
Has anybody apologize to Palin? What about those critics who discussed about Gingrich, Bush or even Cheney? Why must they force Rush to apologize but they don't.. Who elected them as god to judge and why is Obama so spared when Americans are being killed in Afghanistan and he is busy apologizing
last time i checked, Obama wasn't the one who sent the troops into Afghanistan in the first place, and he's subsequently pulled them out. But I suppose that's good enough for you either. It's funny how people skew things to their own way of thinking. Doesn't matter what anyone else says or does. It'll always just be someone elses fault according to people like you.
Rush is so debased that women should be advised not to stay long in his presence, lest their sensibilites be offended.
Rush isn't even creative. I'm pretty sure he used the classic high school freshman insult generator. Bad news rush, your suppose to display a little more class and maturity by the time you turn 15.
A relatively few on the right have expressed the belief that the left is hypocritical and not without sin. They site examples of diatribes that the unholy trinity of Mathews,Maher and Stewart are presumably guilty. Being the objective person I think I am, I gave this issue some rational thought. Without a doubt, M,M&S are not as pure as the driven snow. What then is the distinction ? It is, as far as I am concerned, that the Rumbaugh rant went on far, far too long and the hatred and vitriol could not be disguised. I am a 61 year old veteran, considered by his friends to be a mild-mannered type. However, given the opportunity I would eagerly slap Limbaugh in the chops. If I were really lucky I would slap him twice.
PLEASE! Please! Let a few more of us get in slaps as well! (We might have to form a PRETTY LONG line). ;)!
The best thing that ever happened to Ms Fluke. She can ride that horse into middle age, at least. Another example of " the truth hurts"
Time to call and write Clear Channel Communications let them know that Limbaugh is unacceptable and must be removed from the airwaves. He contributes nothing but is compensated a MILLION DOLLARS A WEEK! It is insane and shameful and we need to shame his employer. Keep up the pressure daily and he will be gone!
Clear Channel Communications Inc has a double standard because they replaced "Star and Buc Wild Morning Show host in 2006 because of what he said. Clear Channel Communication what are you waiting for?
and Schultz, and Mahrer, and the list goes on!
Rush needs to go. He may generate money for the station? If the station is willing to put anything on the air that makes them money, then it is up to each and every one of us to evaluate the quality of broadcasting of that station and demand better by boycotting them in any way possible.
We as listeners deserve better.
Only for the newbies:
Going to the nitty gritty of birth/STD control and way beyond the likes of Limbaugh and Prothero:
The Brutal Effects of Stupidity: ->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
: The failures of the widely used birth "control" methods i.e. the Pill ( 8.7% failure rate) and male con-dom (17.4% failure rate) have led to the large rate of abortions and S-TDs in the USA. Men and women must either recognize their responsibilities by using the Pill or co-ndoms properly and/or use safer methods in order to reduce the epidemics of abortion and S-TDs.- Failure rate statistics provided by the Gut-tmacher Inst-itute. Guttmacher has listed these safer methods in their on-line reviews. Doubling up i.e. Pill plus condom or mutual masturbation are not listed but should be.
Added information before making your next move:
from the CDC-2006
"Se-xually transmitted diseases (STDs) remain a major public health challenge in the United States. While substantial progress has been made in preventing, diagnosing, and treating certain S-TDs in recent years, CDC estimates that approximately 19 million new infections occur each year, almost half of them among young people ages 15 to 24.1 In addition to the physical and psy-ch-ological consequences of S-TDs, these diseases also exact a tremendous economic toll. Direct medical costs as-sociated with STDs in the United States are estimated at up to $14.7 billion annually in 2006 dollars."
And from:
Consumer Reports, January, 2012
"Yes, or-al se-x is se-x, and it can boost cancer risk-
Here's a crucial message for teens (and all se-xually active "post-teeners": Or-al se-x carries many of the same risks as va-ginal se-x, including human papilloma virus, or HPV. And HPV may now be overtaking tobacco as the leading cause of or-al cancers in America in people under age 50.
"Adolescents don’t think or-al se-x is something to worry about," said Bonnie Halpern-Felsher professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. "They view it as a way to have intimacy without having 's-ex.'" (It should be called the Bill Clinton Syndrome !!)
Obviously, political leaders in both parties, Planned Parenthood, parents, the "stupid part of the USA" and the educational system have failed miserably on many fronts. ...
Note: Some words are hyphenated to defeat an obvious word filter.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This is a blog not a book writing contest.
Reality does not write or think all reality posts are copy paste of others hit report abuse on every reality post
For those who are reading challenged:
So abortionists get rich at the expense of the Immoral Majority: i.e. those who forget to use birth control properly. Take your Pills ladies, wear your condoms guys and save yourself a lot of money and grief and also thereby sending abortion doctors to the poor house.
Reality, You silly twit, you just used this to talk dirty, didn't you. Why hide behind or-al and se-x? We know what that means. I misspelled twit, he,he, it should read shxx
Rush Limbaugh may well be the most misunderstood genius in America, bar none.
OR, he could just be the ever present idiot (aka court jester), barring many!
@Tom, your inadequate attempt to make fun of him failed. "Barring many" implies that there are many more idiots out there than him.
Go back to school and learn something before defending some dumb girl who likes having se-x.
Prayer changes things,
~The statistical studies from the nineteenth century and the three CCU studies on prayer are quite consistent with the fact that humanity is wasting a huge amount of time on a procedure that simply doesn’t work. Nonetheless, faith in prayer is so pervasive and deeply rooted, you can be sure believers will continue to devise future studies in a desperate effort to confirm their beliefs!~~
studies proven false
"Studies proven false"
You've been proven to be a LIAR on this blog site over and over again even under all your various names you use. Thanks for proving your lying opinion again.
Prayer really changes things
God bless you
"Prayer really changes things"
Sorry dude you've been proven wrong but your desperation in all your lies proves me right.
if god exists and god is so Just, why are so many people born into starvation, born with aids, murdered for no reason...you live in America and don't witness atrocities that happen in other countries. Get a grip, god is not real, he is merely a political tool. oh and when you die, you don't go anywhere, you go six feet underground.
Rush Limpbow...the Hindenburg of talk radio. The only thing bigger than his enormous waistline is his megalomaniacal ego. I listened to him for about 3 minutes one time and felt like I needed to bathe. The man is disgusting.
he is such a drug adict, why does anyone listen to this fool, oh ya they are dumba$$ republicans.
I have looked but could not find a picture of Sandra Fluke in a bikini.
Yes, he is not sorry at all. He needs to self analyse himself. He would probably realize that he is full of hate; he is a emotional terrorist; a pyschopath (incapable of having empathy; let alone compassion)
Only for the newbies:
Going to the nitty gritty of birth/STD control and way beyond the likes of Limbaugh and Prothero:
The Brutal Effects of Stupidity: ->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
: The failures of the widely used birth "control" methods i.e. the Pill ( 8.7% failure rate) and male con-dom (17.4% failure rate) have led to the large rate of abortions and S-TDs in the USA. Men and women must either recognize their responsibilities by using the Pill or co-ndoms properly and/or use safer methods in order to reduce the epidemics of abortion and S-TDs.- Failure rate statistics provided by the Gut-tmacher Inst-itute. Guttmacher has listed these safer methods in their on-line reviews. Doubling up i.e. Pill plus condom or mutual masturbation are not listed but should be.
Added information before making your next move:
from the CDC-2006
"Se-xually transmitted diseases (STDs) remain a major public health challenge in the United States. While substantial progress has been made in preventing, diagnosing, and treating certain S-TDs in recent years, CDC estimates that approximately 19 million new infections occur each year, almost half of them among young people ages 15 to 24.1 In addition to the physical and psy-ch-ological consequences of S-TDs, these diseases also exact a tremendous economic toll. Direct medical costs as-sociated with STDs in the United States are estimated at up to $14.7 billion annually in 2006 dollars."
And from:
Consumer Reports, January, 2012
"Yes, or-al se-x is se-x, and it can boost cancer risk-
Here's a crucial message for teens (and all se-xually active "post-teeners": Or-al se-x carries many of the same risks as va-ginal se-x, including human papilloma virus, or HPV. And HPV may now be overtaking tobacco as the leading cause of or-al cancers in America in people under age 50.
"Adolescents don’t think or-al se-x is something to worry about," said Bonnie Halpern-Felsher professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. "They view it as a way to have intimacy without having 's-ex.'" (It should be called the Bill Clinton Syndrome !!)
Obviously, political leaders in both parties, Planned Parenthood, parents, the "stupid part of the USA" and the educational system have failed miserably on many fronts. ...
Note: Some words are hyphenated to defeat an obvious word filter
Not sure it's "ego" that prevents the sincere apology. Maybe he really isn't sorry at all.
Rush didn't even fully comprehend what Ms. Fluke was doing in front of congress in the first place. It would only make sense he would botch the "apology" just as much. Give the man credit for acting like the jerk he truly is though. A lot of men wouldn't have the guts to be so bold like him and spew their bigotry in public like he did even though that is how they truly think.
Well said Mr. Prothero. I am quite amused a young women will not bow to Limbaugh while the majority of the Republican party does. Hang in there Ms Fluke.
hang it up Rush. never had credibility as an entertainer, a talk show host, or punn-dit