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By Toby Harnden World Last updated: October 14th, 2009

Which public figure can be quoted as having said something bigoted and disgusting and it doesn’t matter whether he did or not because he might have? Who can Big Media brand a racist without checking the facts? Who has to prove he did not say something racist, rather than the accuser proving he did?

A pat on the back for anyone who guessed the answer: Rush Limbaugh (OK, the blog headline was a clue). From CNN to MSNBC to ABC, it’s been put about that Limbaugh said this:

I mean, let’s face it, we didn’t have slavery in this country for over 100 years because it was a bad thing. Quite the opposite: slavery built the South. I’m not saying we should bring it back; I’m just saying it had its merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark.

It’s also been spread around that he said this, about the death of the man who assassinated Martin Luther King:

You know who deserves a posthumous Medal of Honour? James Earl Ray. We miss you, James. Godspeed.

Here’s CNN’s Rick Sanchez baldly stating at the 1.14 point that Limbaugh made the slavery comment:

Trouble is, he didn’t say either of these outrageous things. And it wasn’t difficult to check, as protein wisdom shows here. They originated from, er, Wikipedia and Wikiquotes. Both quotes ended up in this book - a hit job that doesn’t cite any sources. They’re also included in this internet list posted a year ago and endlessly ripped off ever since.

The irony is, of course, that the people reporting this as fact are the same types who are always denouncing bloggers and the internet as forces of evil intent on destroying proper journalism – proper journalism being the kind that involves checking facts. In the case of Rush Limbaugh, however, it seems to be enough that the intention (i.e. to show the talk radio host is a racist) is considered pure.

"http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/to...dia-lynch-mob/"

"The World's Finest"

• "The government's been taking care of [young blacks] their whole lives." On February 1, 2007, Limbaugh responded to a Reuters report about a University of Chicago study that found that "a majority of young blacks feel alienated from today's government" by asserting, "Why would that be? The government's been taking care of them their whole lives."
  
  
• "The days of [minorities] not having any power are over, and they are angry." On June 4, Limbaugh said, "This has been the argument the Reverend Jackson has proffered throughout my life -- that it's impossible for minorities to be racist because they don't have any power. Well, president of the United States. We're talking now about a Supreme Court justice. The days of them not having any power are over, and they are angry. And they want to use their power as a means of retribution. That's what Obama's about, gang. He's angry; he's going to cut this country down to size. He's going to make it pay for all the multicultural mistakes that it has made -- its mistreatment of minorities. I know exactly what's going on here."
  
  
• "[M]inorities never do anything for which they have to apologize." On April 12, 2007, Limbaugh criticized Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson for refusing to apologize to three former members of the Duke University men's lacrosse team who were accused of rape in March 2006 -- all charges were dropped on April 11, 2007 -- and asserted that "minorities never do anything for which they have to apologize." Presumably referring to the decision by CBS Radio and MSNBC to stop airing Imus in the Morning following controversial comments by host Don Imus, Limbaugh stated: "Everybody's demanding that everybody apologize in this country for simply breathing. It's getting to the point some people are not allowed to breathe or exhale, or make syllables." Limbaugh went on to complain about the protests Sharpton and Jackson led condemning Imus' remarks, saying: "They're members of the minority. Don't ever forget that this is the case. Minorities, victims, members of groups, are allowed to do anything to address their grievances and to get noticed, because ... they're so oppressed."
  
  
• Limbaugh: "The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well." In 2003, Limbaugh resigned from his job as an ESPN commentator after saying that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb hasn't "been that good from the get-go" and "got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve," because "[t]he media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well." After the Eagles reached Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005, Limbaugh returned to making racial comments about McNabb, saying, "There's no question McNabb has improved and I'm happy to see it," but that "when the defense ... was propping the Eagles up," the media "were still giving McNabb credit -- because there's this social hope."
  
  
• Limbaugh says "NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips." On January 19, 2007, Limbaugh stated: "Look it, let me put it to you this way. The NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There I said it."
  
  
• Limbaugh declares basketball "the favorite sport of gangs." Discussing the government's attempts to curb violence, Limbaugh told a caller on October 7: "It's not reasonable that you should understand the insanity that local and state and federal bureaucracies are doing. It's perfectly normal and understandable that none of what they do would make sense to you. My question -- OK, a 1 cent sales tax to fight gang violence. What do you spend the money on to fight gang violence? Afterschool program -- don't we already have afterschool programs? Don't we already have -- what do you call it, extracurricular events? Midnight basketball -- I mean, we've done it all. We've taken the favorite sport of gangs, and we put it at midnight to get them on the basketball court. We had 100,000 new cops with Clinton -- we've done it all. And the problem still is out of control. Liberalism doesn't work."
  
  
• Limbaugh invented "racial component" to Hackett's decision to withdraw from Ohio primary race. During the 2006 Democratic primaries, Limbaugh invented a racial element to explain Iraq war veteran Paul Hackett's departure from the Ohio Democratic Senate primary race against then-Rep. Sherrod Brown, asserting, "And don't forget, Sherrod Brown is black. There's a racial component here, too." In fact, Brown is white -- a point on which Limbaugh was corrected later in the program.
  
  
• Limbaugh on Survivor series: "African-American tribe" worst swimmers, Hispanics "will do things other people won't do." On August 23, 2006, Limbaugh suggested that the competition in a season of CBS' Survivor, in which contestants were reportedly divided into competing "tribes" by ethnicity, "is not going to be fair if there's a lot of water events." In support of this assertion, he cited a March 2, 2006, HealthDay article reporting that "young blacks -- especially males -- are much more likely to drown in pools than whites." He later added that Hispanics have "probably shown the most survival tactics," that they "have shown a remarkable ability to cross borders," and that they can "do it without water for a long time, they don't get apprehended, and they will do things other people won't do." On his September 29, 2006, show, Limbaugh claimed "[t]here can only be one reason" Survivor scrapped "segregated" competition after two episodes -- "the white tribe had to be winning."
  
  
• Limbaugh suggested Colin Powell only supported Obama because of race. After Limbaugh asserted that Colin Powell should leave the Republican Party because of his support for Obama, Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) said on MSNBC's Morning Joe that "[i]t's not up to Rush Limbaugh to decide who ought to be in the Republican Party." Limbaugh responded on his May 18 show that all Democrats "had to do was nominate an African-American and [they've] got Colin Powell."
  
  
• Limbaugh called illegal immigrants an "invasive species." Referring to an April 1, 2005, federal court ruling that prohibited shipping boats from dumping of ballast water containing "invasive species," including some types of mollusks, into U.S. waters, Limbaugh described illegal immigrants as an "invasive species" that U.S. courts willingly permit to enter the country.
  
  
• Limbaugh repeatedly calls Native Americans "Injuns." Media Matters for America documented at least four separate instances of Limbaugh using this slur on his program.
  
  
• Limbaugh says Democrats' interest in Darfur is securing black "voting bloc." On August 21, 2007, Limbaugh claimed that Democrats "want to get us out of Iraq, but they can't wait to get us into Darfur." He continued: "There are two reasons. What color is the skin of the people in Darfur? It's black. And who do the Democrats really need to keep voting for them? If they lose a significant percentage of this voting bloc, they're in trouble." A caller responded, "The black population," to which Limbaugh said, "Right."
  
  
• Limbaugh says that if "feminazis" had remembered to oppose "affirmative action for black guys ... they wouldn't face the situation they face today." On May 21, 2008, Limbaugh said that "one of the objectives of the feminazis over the last 20, 25 years has been to dominate the public education system so as to remove the competitive nature of boys. You know, there's a crisis of young man-boy education in the schools. And they did this on purpose, to eliminate male competition in the work force. This is part of feminazi grand plan." Limbaugh then said, "They forgot affirmative action for black guys. And because of that, every bit of their plan has gone up in smoke now, because they -- if -- they had to come out in favor of affirmative action for black guys, and that's -- see, this is one of the things that really irritates the women. And there are women all over this country fit to be tied -- trust me on this. ... [L]iberals eventually are going to be devoured by their own policies. And it has happened here. Because Barack Obama is an affirmative action candidate." He concluded, "So, it's just -- they just forgot that one thing: affirmative action for black guys. And if they had remembered to oppose that, then they wouldn't face the situation they face today."
  

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Why isn't the media lynch mob going after Michelle Obama for using the term, "whitey?"

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Originally posted by GRAYMAN:
media matters? really? lol, yeah right. {sarcasm on} yeah, they arent bias {sarcasm off}

GRAYMAN

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Originally posted by Esample1:

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Why isn't the media lynch mob going after Michelle Obama for using the term, "whitey?"

When did she use the term "whitey?" Oh that's right, we're still waiting for the video...1 1/2 years later.

"The World's Finest"

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Originally posted by Kegler300:

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Originally posted by Esample1:

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Why isn't the media lynch mob going after Michelle Obama for using the term, "whitey?"

When did she use the term "whitey?" Oh that's right, we're still waiting for the video...1 1/2 years later.

According to the democrat playbook, that's now how it works - you prove she didn't say it.

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Originally posted by Sgt_Schlappy:
The NFL is slowly turning to garbage anyway...ala the NBA.

Rush should sue them for billion$ and donate the money he WOULD surely win to starting a new league where rookies wouldn't be gauranteed squat until they actually prove themselves on the field..and..black QBs wouldn't be hyped by the liberal media (see ESPN and Oberdorkman) just to satisfy the politcally correct, guilt ridden white elitist in our society. What Rush said about McNabb was 100% true...he is not and never will be Peyton Manning, Tom Brady or Brett Favre, but many want you to think he belongs in that group!!!

Of course, that's JMO...guess I'll never be allowed to own an NFL team.

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Originally posted by IHAWKER:
Must come as a shock to Rush to discover that he is not as popular as he thinks he is.

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Originally posted by Sgt_Schlappy:
The NFL is slowly turning to garbage anyway...ala the NBA.

Rush should sue them for billion$ and donate the money he WOULD surely win to starting a new league where rookies wouldn't be gauranteed squat until they actually prove themselves on the field..and..black QBs wouldn't be hyped by the liberal media (see ESPN and Oberdorkman) just to satisfy the politcally correct, guilt ridden white elitist in our society. What Rush said about McNabb was 100% true...he is not and never will be Peyton Manning, Tom Brady or Brett Favre, but many want you to think he belongs in that group!!!

Of course, that's JMO...guess I'll never be allowed to own an NFL team.

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Originally posted by SignalSgtWilliams:
I can say alot worse comments about the NFL, gangs in this country, illegal immigrants and they would be strictly my opinions on how I feel about the subjects and I have that right to express those or any opinions and so does Rush Limbaugh. And Like Rush, because an opinion about or towards someone of color, I'll be branded a racist too. When people start looking past color and take the chip off their shoulder, only then will the true racist show their face.

Funny when the truth is spoken, so many people retaliate with the 'racist' 'homophobic' remarks as if to coverup the truth.

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Originally posted by m551sheridan:

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Originally posted by SignalSgtWilliams:
I can say alot worse comments about the NFL, gangs in this country, illegal immigrants and they would be strictly my opinions on how I feel about the subjects and I have that right to express those or any opinions and so does Rush Limbaugh. And Like Rush, because an opinion about or towards someone of color, I'll be branded a racist too. When people start looking past color and take the chip off their shoulder, only then will the true racist show their face.

Funny when the truth is spoken, so many people retaliate with the 'racist' 'homophobic' remarks as if to coverup the truth.

yer right SSW....... when one looks at which group(s) are doing the preponderance(s) of the crime and then make a general opinion statement. My town is over 40% Hispanic and most likely 1/2 of them are illegal and I hate to tell ya but it ain't the white guys who are causing "most" the trouble/crimes. Having said that SSW, welllllllllllll, allow me to buy you a beer fellow racist.

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Originally posted by SignalSgtWilliams:

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Originally posted by m551sheridan:

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Originally posted by SignalSgtWilliams:
I can say alot worse comments about the NFL, gangs in this country, illegal immigrants and they would be strictly my opinions on how I feel about the subjects and I have that right to express those or any opinions and so does Rush Limbaugh. And Like Rush, because an opinion about or towards someone of color, I'll be branded a racist too. When people start looking past color and take the chip off their shoulder, only then will the true racist show their face.

Funny when the truth is spoken, so many people retaliate with the 'racist' 'homophobic' remarks as if to coverup the truth.

yer right SSW....... when one looks at which group(s) are doing the preponderance(s) of the crime and then make a general opinion statement. My town is over 40% Hispanic and most likely 1/2 of them are illegal and I hate to tell ya but it ain't the white guys who are causing "most" the trouble/crimes. Having said that SSW, welllllllllllll, allow me to buy you a beer fellow racist.

Don't forget that I'm a pro-DADT which makes me a homophobic too.

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Originally posted by thorin001:

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Originally posted by SignalSgtWilliams:

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Originally posted by m551sheridan:

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Originally posted by SignalSgtWilliams:
I can say alot worse comments about the NFL, gangs in this country, illegal immigrants and they would be strictly my opinions on how I feel about the subjects and I have that right to express those or any opinions and so does Rush Limbaugh. And Like Rush, because an opinion about or towards someone of color, I'll be branded a racist too. When people start looking past color and take the chip off their shoulder, only then will the true racist show their face.

Funny when the truth is spoken, so many people retaliate with the 'racist' 'homophobic' remarks as if to coverup the truth.

yer right SSW....... when one looks at which group(s) are doing the preponderance(s) of the crime and then make a general opinion statement. My town is over 40% Hispanic and most likely 1/2 of them are illegal and I hate to tell ya but it ain't the white guys who are causing "most" the trouble/crimes. Having said that SSW, welllllllllllll, allow me to buy you a beer fellow racist.

Don't forget that I'm a pro-DADT which makes me a homophobic too.

That is not what makes you homophobic.

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Originally posted by Yooper_tj:
Racist, homophobe, generic hatemonger, or none of the above.

Rush's potential business partners gave him the boot, not the NFL, not the NFLPA, not NBC, not the NAACP, but Dave Checketts and his LLP.

What they're trying to buy is a franchise in an exclusive club, not a Krispy Kreme store.

Had Sharpton been any kind of smart, he'd have shut the hell up and let the rich guys come to this conclusion on their own---which I figure they did anyway.

It ain't about race. It's about image--just like that Country Club that won't take certain of the lottery-winning but still obnoxious nouveau-riche who didn't come by their money in some appropriate way...cuz as a private club, they don't have to!

There's no legal leg for the Rushster to stand on in civil court, Kids.

What a shame.

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Originally posted by Thud357L:

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Originally posted by Yooper_tj:
Racist, homophobe, generic hatemonger, or none of the above.

Rush's potential business partners gave him the boot, not the NFL, not the NFLPA, not NBC, not the NAACP, but Dave Checketts and his LLP.

What they're trying to buy is a franchise in an exclusive club, not a Krispy Kreme store.

Had Sharpton been any kind of smart, he'd have shut the hell up and let the rich guys come to this conclusion on their own---which I figure they did anyway.

It ain't about race. It's about image--just like that Country Club that won't take certain of the lottery-winning but still obnoxious nouveau-riche who didn't come by their money in some appropriate way...cuz as a private club, they don't have to!

There's no legal leg for the Rushster to stand on in civil court, Kids.

What a shame.

Guess you haven't heard. Rush has it all figured out. It's a massive international, possibly intergalactic plot headed by George Soros and involving Barack Obama and a bunch of Frenchmen. It also involves North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, the Black Panthers and the Hillbilly Mau-Mau.

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Originally posted by Thud357L:


The rest of you pathetic, whining clowns can go pound sand.