It goes both ways

So Rush Limbaugh died. There's much rejoicing among a lot of my friends and much wailing among others. Rush was from Cape Girardeau, which is where I went to high school. In fact, one of his nephews was in the class behind me. But I only lived in Cape for four years so any connection to either the city or the Limbaughs is long gone.

Those I know from high school who are upset and angry that others rejoice in this loss call it unfair and mean and cruel. They think it's awful that people are celebrating this death.

I rejoice in no death but I am not sorry he's gone. 

Do you recall in the mid-90s when he celebrated the death of gay men from AIDS?  It was a segment called AIDS Update and was set to music as he celebrated those deaths. That's hate right there, pure and simple. And yes, he later said it was the "single most regrettable thing" he did. Points for some remorse, I guess, but I haven't found anything that says he tried to make it right. So zero points for repentance.

Which takes me to this. These same high school friends who are so angry about the nastiness being said about Limbaugh's death? I know of at least a couple who said very similar things when Ruth Bader Ginsberg died last year. And they all definitely knew my first boyfriend, Mark, who was born and grew up there in Cape. Mark was also gay and he died of AIDS in 1999. I doubt they would think it was OK to celebrate Mark's death from AIDS. 

I'm not going to post examples of the other nasty, hate-filled things Limbaugh said. I'm sure if you're really interested, you can do a quick Google search yourself and find plenty of examples. I know I did. And the point is, he was not a nice man. He did not make things better in our world.

So I'm not sad he's gone. I hope we don't get a bigger source of hate in his place. And I hope those who followed that hate will repent and turn away from that path.

Bonus shitten post to cleanse your palate (and mine).

Annie in one of her
normal pretzel positions