The plight of Rush Limbaugh, part II
October 07, 2003 ~ 5:14 p.m.
What do the drugs Oxycontin, Lorcet and hydrocodone all have in common? All three are powerful painkillers, and have claimed talk-radio celebrity Rush Limbaugh as a victim of addiction.
We cannot say what the state of Limbaugh�s mind was that caused him to get hooked on the drugs, and to recruit his housekeeper to score the narcotic painkillers from black market dealers for him. What we can guess, with certainty, is that an anti-drug platform was endorsed by the set of conservative beliefs held by the commentator.
His �racist� comments concerning NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb do not even figure into the equation, except for hysterical, vindictive liberal detractors of Limbaugh�s, keen to use this as another whip. This drug investigation, however, is a different matter.
Limbaugh would normally be the first to come down heavy on drug dealers, encouraging a �toss them in jail and throw away the key� policy. Quite right, considering that dealers are law-breakers and are often involved with violent crime. But considering he clandestinely turned to these very hoodlums for his fix has dropped Limbaugh into a considerable quagmire in which the strength of his own convictions are being questioned. This is very similar to the charges of plagiarism and gambling that ruined The Book of Virtues author Bill Bennett.
What can Limbaugh say? At present, he is saying nothing. His enemies are rolling on the floor with delight at what seems like a clear-cut case of hypocrisy. But there is now righteous rage among his conservative audience, who are not going to be forgiving of recreational drug abuse.
It is possible that Rush became addicted while on the drugs for medical reasons. This is understandable and anyone can overlook that as a dangerous consequence of some medications. However, recreational drug use is seen as just plain foolhardy, especially by conservatives.
This is the one bone I have to pick with conservatives. I am with libertarians on this one. The drug war is futile, is costing lives (every war has its casualties), and needs to be re-examined for a more effective strategy against dealers and the illegal drug market. I find it abhorrent whenever users are punished. Any market, including a black one, generates clientele. Limbaugh was among those whose demand generates supply. The problem is, instead of respectable pharmacists, it was criminals who supplied him.
I believe that people should put into their bodies whatever they like, as long as they are prepared for the consequences of such actions (this is quite different from the subject of sex and abortion, in which personal responsibility plays a much more important role, but that�s another entry for another time). I was inspired by Gonzo journalists like Hunter Thompson and P.J. O�Rourke, and fervently endorse a style of writing influenced by alcohol and/or drugs�get bent and vent.
I believe conservative administrations help keep law and order but that we have personal rights that should not be trampled. The right to experiment with ourselves as we see fit is one of them. My support for President Bush and marijuana legalization are not entirely as disparate as they might first appear.
I will not judge Rush Limbaugh on the whole drug episode. It is not my place to do so, nor is it anyone else�s. He�s human, thus fallible. But I suggest that Limbaugh get a grip on what he truly believes about drugs and abridge his thoughts on the matter. Only then can he be truly forgiven. Coming clean is the second part of Limbaugh�s journey through what must be a nightmare for him. Let�s hope he�s got the wherewithal to go through with it.
� M.E.M.
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Copyright � 2001-2007 by M.E. Manning. All material is written by me, unless explicitly stated otherwise by use of footnotes or bylines. Do not copy or redistribute without my permission.
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