HirPolitics

We’re not supposed to buy into stereo types, even though we all do, at least occasionally on some level. Most of us, those that HAVE a sense of humor, will enjoy poking fun at those stereo types. The great comedians are able to use those stereo types and our insecurities related to them, as great material. See Larry David, Wanda Sykes, Daniel Tosh, Mel Brooks, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle and anyone else that’s funnier than Dane Cook for examples. But the thing about those stereotypes is, there’s always a group of people who fit the bill perfectly.

I recently read a story about how Rush Limbaugh fell for a hoax regarding President Obama. The hoax goes like this, Limbaugh reported a story as fact on his show, and that story claimed that the President wrote a thesis in college that slammed the Constitution.

"While political freedom is supposedly a cornerstone of the document, the distribution of wealth is not even mentioned," read the bogus Columbia University thesis. "While many believed that the new Constitution gave them liberty, it instead fitted them with the shackles of hypocrisy."

So Rush takes to the airways, and tells his moronic listeners all about it. Then he later finds out the thesis never existed. Does he apologize for not doing any actual reporting? No, of course not, instead he takes the stance that it’s satire, but in all good comedy must contain an element of the truth. “And we know how he feels about the distribution of wealth.”

I guess, Rush, that means all the jokes we hear about you being a racist, hate mongering, anti-Semitic, pill popping, “big fat idiot” must be based on some truth, and you’re admitting as much by giving the hoax even the slightest bit of credibility. That’s fantastic. Thanks for admitting what millions already knew. I guess that also makes any jokes I make about your listeners, based on truth, even if I haven’t done the research to back up just how stupid they are.

See Rush, you do as much to make white men look stupid as OJ Simpson does to make black men look violent, or Madoff does to make Jews look greedy and Bin Laden does to make Muslims look hateful and dangerous. Good job, asshole.

Now here’s what I want to see, but it never will happen. I want to see Fox News, yes you Bill and Glenn, go on air and blast Rush for failing to do “real reporting” just as you’d blast Jon Stewart if he reported that Limbaugh wrote a thesis at his junior college about bringing back slavery. By the way, I like that I can find videos online that say “the media say Rush Limbaugh was hoaxed” as if Rush isn’t actually a part of the media. So what is he does again?



This all got me to thinking, and I usually avoid that activity at all costs. Recently a hate crime bill passed, that now makes it a federal offense to beat up someone for their sexual orientation. The Republicans were largely against this because it’s already a crime to beat anyone up, and making it a federal offense because of the thought process (or lack thereof) that lead to the attack is “a thought crime.”

On some level, I agree. I’m not sure if it should matter why someone is assaulted, if its their skin color or just because they spilled a beer on you at a bar shouldn’t really matter. Hitting anyone is wrong. But then again, there’s something extra sick about the fact that such violent acts can take place just because we’re different. My point is, I find it damn funny that on one hand Republican’s are afraid of “thought crimes,” because we can’t really measure what one’s thoughts were. And at the same time, so many of these Republicans seem to know exactly what thoughts our President is having, and how he has this awful plot to take over the world.

Is this really so different? Shouldn’t they judge him on his actions, and not what ideology may or may not be inspiring him? Glen Beck can call the President a racist, with a “deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture.” And that matters, but if someone beats the snot out of someone just for being black or gay, well all that really matters is the act. The Republican Party, where logic and common sense go to die.