Rush to Judgment

I enjoy listening to Rush Limbaugh. I also enjoy listening to Bill Maher. Though they're at opposite ends of the political spectrum (disclosure: my politics are closer to Limbaugh than Maher), both often come up with insights that never occurred to me.

Rush Limbaugh and Bill Maher are interesting, witty, and very rude, even offensive. They are comic entertainers.

Our culture has long treated comedy as a circumscribed area--much like smoking lounges or red light districts--where people can make the most politically incorrect--racist, sexist, ageist, and any other "ist" one can think of--statements and not be sanctioned. We need safety valves for the juvenile feelings that all of us keep hidden. These outlets have historically been open to everyone, despite efforts to shut them down by one side or the other.

That said, Rush Limbaugh should not have made personally pejorative remarks about Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke. Ms. Fluke had argued before a Democratic Congressional gathering that contraceptive services be provided free to women students, including those who attend Catholic institutions. There are strong First Amendment arguments, as well as arguments about the proper role of government, against her position.

Instead Rush Limbaugh took her statement that "contraception can cost a woman over $3,000 during law school" and riffed on Ms. Fluke's sex life. After the understandable outcry, he apologized.

But an apology is not good enough for his detractors. They're going after his advertisers. They're petitioning the FCC to remove him from the air. Now there's a counter-petition to remove Bill Maher from HBO. (Over the years there have been many efforts to silence Bill Maher; "Bill Maher petition" has over three million Google hits.)

IMHO, we should keep them both on the air. They stimulate the national dialogue, and if they cross the line, their own causes will be hurt much worse than their victims. © 2012 Stephen Yuen