Pubdate: Fri, 17 Oct 2003
Source: Virginian-Pilot (VA)
Copyright: 2003, The Virginian-Pilot
Contact:  http://www.pilotonline.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/483

DON'T RUSH TO JUDGMENT ON LIMBAUGH'S PILL-POPPING

Those who live by the sword make tempting targets when their own 
imperfections are exposed.

Liberals and others skewered by conservative radio talk host Rush Limbaugh 
may get a kick out of seeing their old nemesis wound himself.

But addiction to painkillers is no joyride, and anyone struggling to 
overcome a dependency born of physical suffering deserves a measure of 
sympathy.

Limbaugh is doing the right thing in seeking help. Acknowledging and 
confronting a problem is always the first, essential step to healing. What 
legal culpability exists from his acquisition of the pills will be sorted 
out at a future time. On that score, he should be treated no better and no 
worse than other alleged offenders.

In 1995, apparently before Limbaugh began taking painkillers due to an 
unsuccessful spinal surgery, he complained that "too many whites are 
getting away with drug use. The answer is to . . . find the ones who are 
getting away with it, convict them and send them up the river."

The comment does two things: First, it adds a bit of context to the other 
recent flap involving Limbaugh -- his assertion on ESPN that Philadelphia 
Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb is getting favorable treatment because 
the media want to see a black quarterback succeed.

Limbaugh's admirers insist that he's no racist, and his willingness to 
target whites lends some credence to the claim. In the McNabb incident, 
it's probably better to debunk the message than to waste time railing about 
the messenger.

Second, Limbaugh's 1995 comment reminds us how little role nuance plays in 
his judgments. In the take-no-prisoners world of talk radio, mistakes merit 
ridicule, not sympathy, certainly not forgiveness.

When Limbaugh returns to radio, here's hoping he will be drug-free and his 
world view will have grown a little more complex.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman