Opinion Article: Should the FCC Clear Rush Limbaugh?

[tropicsgoddess]

After the recent brouhaha with Rush Limbaugh's slut insult to Sandra Fluke, a lot of outrage has been pouring out over this along with advertisers pulling out from his show. This opinion article states all the hateful things besides the "slut" insult Rush Limbaugh has said over the past and why Rush Limbaugh out to be off the air. To be honest....FUCK YEAH! Take the pill popping, hypocritical jackass off the air and I say NOW! All the things he spouts off on air are nothing but verbal diarrhea and he gives political pundits (along with Ann Coulter and others similar to him and her) a bad name.

Link!

[lordlundar]

A) You have the wrong link up. That's the 3 F's video.

B) Much as I despise Rush and would like to see him taken off the air, this is not the way to do it. Rush and his supporters have been claiming violations of Free Speech with the advertisers bailing on him. While such a claim is absurd, having the FCC pull his show IS a clear violation of the first amendment and should not be done. Now if the stations decide he's no longer profitable or decide they're more profitable if they axe his show off their station/network and decide to do so, that's free market at work.

[MadMike]

having the FCC pull his show IS a clear violation of the first amendment and should not be done.

I despise the drug-addicted, hypocritical blowhard as well, and I agree for the most part. However, I'm wondering, can the FCC pull you off the air for making slanderous statements? Because that's what he did. As I said in the other thread, if he had referred to her as "bitch", or something along those lines, I think he'd be in the clear. Basically, a "bitch" is a disagreeable woman, and if he finds her "disagreeable", then he's simply stating an opinion.

However, "slut" and "prosititute" are a lot more specific -- i.e. she has lots of sex with multiple partners and/or for money. Unless he has some sort of proof to back this up, he could find himself in legal hot water.

[Hyena Dandy]

If you can be pulled for slander, he should be. Otherwise, keep him up.

[bara]

As much as I would like to see him off the air, the best way about it is petitioning/boycotting his sponsors.

If he loses his sponsors then the radio stations will drop him like a rock. This in no way violates his freedom of speech.

[tropicsgoddess]

A) You have the wrong link up. That's the 3 F's video.

Oh...sorry about that! Got that fixed!

[mikoyan29]

I don't think the FCC should start yanking licenses because that is bordering on censorship. Now if he said one of the 7 words, then he should be fined. Now I could see Fluke seeing her legal options though...

[Rapscallion]

Depends on the sort of person she is. I'd be tempted in that position to just watch as he crashed and burned under the weight of his own shitty decisions.

That said, she could pay off a load of college debt...

Rapscallion

[blas87]

I think justice via karma is better than anything else in this case.

He will be choking on his own words just like what happened to Glenn Beck when he started going off of any valid subject or points and started going just absolutely tin foil hat bat shit insane.

[lordlundar]

However, I'm wondering, can the FCC pull you off the air for making slanderous statements?

No. The only way they can pull you off the air is if you're promoting something that's a criminal offense or what legally classifies as offensive language. Promoting the death of someone for example can get you yanked, so can use of fuck, shit, etc on the air as well. Sadly "slut" and "prostitute" are not under that legal definition. Rush did push the border with the youtube request though.

Now a network CAN yank the show due to not wanting to deal with any more lawsuits as a result of slander, but the FCC has no such power.

[crashhelmet]

No. The only way they can pull you off the air is if you're promoting something that's a criminal offense or what legally classifies as offensive language. Promoting the death of someone for example can get you yanked, so can use of fuck, shit, etc on the air as well. Sadly "slut" and "prostitute" are not under that legal definition. Rush did push the border with the youtube request though.

Now a network CAN yank the show due to not wanting to deal with any more lawsuits as a result of slander, but the FCC has no such power.

I'm not sure what the requirements are to get yanked for foul language. Normally they fine the crap out of the show and station for swearing. The network ends up yanking them first.

[Silverharp]

I'll agree with the others who have said that the FCC should not yank his show.
This is a matter that falls under bother freedom of the press and freedom of speech. He is not advocating illegal behavior or actions, is simply being a hate filled windbag.
That said, he has less sponsors and less talk radio channels carrying his show every day.