Stars and Stripes letters: Get Limbaugh off Armed Forces Radio

For those who haven't read these, I have reposted as requested:

http://www.stripesonline.com/article.asp?section=125&article=18916

Take Limbaugh off AFN

Rush Limbaugh is a drug addict, and a rich one at that. He should be treated just like our young troops – get caught once and you’re out. Limbaugh is some role model for our armed forces. He should be taken off AFN. That’s what we call zero tolerance. Limbaugh should take his own advice and go to jail.

Alexander J. Fiore
Camp Darby, Italy


http://www.stripesonline.com/article.asp?section=125&article=18915


Will Limbaugh change?

I hope Rush Limbaugh will be able to overcome his drug addiction. Anyone hooked on OxyContin deserves all of our support and compassion. Speaking of compassion, how will this difficult experience change Limbaugh? Will he stop calling certain liberals “drug-infested maggots”?

It’s a darned good thing that Limbaugh is a wealthy, powerful, middle-aged white guy. Imagine what nasty little jail cell he’d be sitting in if he were a young servicemember or a member of a minority group.

On his Web site a few weeks ago, Limbaugh questioned the patriotism of retired Gen. Wesley Clark. Will Limbaugh apologize to him? Surely Gen. Clark deserves better. He was seriously wounded as a combat infantry leader in Vietnam and awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star for valor. Maybe if Limbaugh had answered the call to serve, he’d understand this.

But hey, that’s ancient history, and this is Limbaugh’s chance to switch to a kinder, gentler message. Over the past 20 years, Limbaugh has done a superb job of telling Americans how to hate and who to hate. Imagine how much better the world would be if Limbaugh shared with Americans a message of love and understanding. I’m sure the “flush Rush” crowd doubts that Limbaugh can be a changed man. How about proving them wrong?

John McDowell
Sembach, Germany

Remove Limbaugh show

This letter isn’t about radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, who recently said that all drug addicts should be put in the same jail cells as drug pushers. This is about AFN’s decision to continue broadcasting Limbaugh’s show. This show has no place on AFN. It provides no service to our servicemembers. It’s just political propaganda at its worst. The entire show is nothing more than continuous, vicious attacks against one of America’s prominent political parties.

How could the Department of Defense approve this show for AFN? Is the DOD championing one political party over another for its servicemembers? Will unit voting assistance officers start pushing the same political party that AFN pushes with the Limbaugh show? The Defense Media Center, which oversees AFN, claims it’s just giving the public what it wants.

The Limbaugh show may be fine in the U.S., where the public can choose between hundreds of English language news programs. That’s freedom of choice. But for servicemembers in different parts of the world, AFN may be all they get. That makes the Limbaugh show forced political propaganda sanctioned by the DOD.

Here’s an example: A soldier pulls 15 hours of combat duty and maybe gets five hours of sleep. He decides to listen to AFN news. Then he hears someone telling him how stupid he is for belonging to a particular political party. Anyone who’s heard the Limbaugh program can’t deny that this is the type of abuse he inflicts on anyone who doesn’t agree with his political views. At least the so-called left-leaning National Public Radio and right-leaning Fox News provide a wide range of daily new coverage of world events.

The Limbaugh show is nonstop political brainwashing. How can we ask our soldiers to put their lives on the line and teach others the benefits of free elections, removed from the coercion of powerful militaries, when our military is using a show like Limbaugh’s to coerce its own people? With an election year coming up, let’s hope our leaders set the correct example and remove this show.

James Carrethers
Heidelberg, Germany

This deserves a kick - I'm sure however the military is more than happy to blast this propaganda.

eom

When you say "the military" you include people like me and several other DUers. I take offense.

:kick:

I lived in Japan for 4 years. Every single day, I'd drive home pissed off because Rush was on AFN. I didn't listen to him. I'd just pop in a tape, but it still pissed me off royally. Glad to see these letters!

Well written and to the point. Keep us posted on what transpires.

What will we tell the kids about that dope head?

Thanks, I needed that!

Consider writing one of your own to Stripes, on the topic of your choosing. Military members and their spouses have been doing so, frequently, and at great risk to their careers. They need the help of citizen "soldiers" like yourselves who wouldn't be risking their profession to express their views.

Here's the address. You'll need a phone number contact. I recommend keeping it professional and factual, as this board so often times is.

letters@mail.estripes.osd.mil

I've been there! Sometimes AFN is the only thing keeping these people going! This is outrageous! I will email the story to Robert Byrd tomorrow! Again thank you lebkuchen, for posting this piece! This is the page we need to keep pushed in Rush's face on DU!

to protect us from the likes of OBL. Many are pissed as hell that their kids got sent to Iraq.

Maybe misguided of them, but hindsight, etc.

They need our support.

Keep :kick:ing this!

..and ask them to request having Limbaugh removed from AFN for the very reasons voiced by the soldiers who are writing these Letters to the Editor...

I agree that we could write to AFN ourselves, but I wouldn't be surprised if those letters are "politely" ignored... however, if enough of us can get our congress critters involved... maybe... just maybe... we may see something incredible happen...

..the fact that Limbaugh is an admitted drug user under investigation by law enforcement is strong ammunition for our senators and reps to use in demanding that he be taken off the AFN airwaves...

..like the writer of the first letter points out.. "He should be treated just like our young troops – get caught once and you’re out. Limbaugh is some role model for our armed forces. He should be taken off AFN. That’s what we call zero tolerance..."

I wouldn't even mention the political/propaganda angles, which are absolutely spot-on, but I would instead emphasize the drug user/role model/zero tolerance standard of our military in arguing for Limbaugh's removal from the AFN...

Let's Roll!

IMO

rob

I don't think our tax dollars should be going to promote a political agenda. Especially as extreme as limpballs, not to mention he's a hypocritical idiot.

I got to meet him a couple of times. I think I know the answer. But then, his opinions, voiced on AFN, got him pulled once before.

- That about sums it up.

For those who think our soldiers are litlle educated automatons, this should be required reading. Very thoughtful and well-educated.

That kind of intelligence needs to be going after OBL or put to use back home, not sitting ducks in Iraq.

Bring our men and women home. YESTERDAY.

S & S shows more fairness and balance than many other news media these days. Whoda thunk it?!

the armed forces should NOT have a show that promotes one party over another party . The military isn't supposed to be "political".


"The Limbaugh show may be fine in the U.S., where the public can choose between hundreds of English language news programs. That’s freedom of choice. But for servicemembers in different parts of the world, AFN may be all they get. That makes the Limbaugh show forced political propaganda sanctioned by the DOD."

You GO, guys and gals!
Jim Carrethers NAILS it, IMO.

As if they are all Bush robots. Some, many, perhaps the majority, are from Democratic families. They need to get this propagandist off the air totally, but especially Armed Forces Radio...

I had no idea he was on AFN, but maybe it explains some of the brainwashed thinking that some military people have. Those letters are well written and they're true. I hope they make a difference and Limpee gets cut.

I would advise everyone to please do the same!

Hi Rush,

Your days are numbered on Armed Forces Radio.

Have a nice drug free (we hope) new year.