Rush Rightly Loses Rams Bid For Racist Comments

Conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh, who recently attempted a bid to buy the St. Louis Rams. Got the ax Wednesday, when Dave Checketts, the businessman behind the $750 million deal, dumped Limbaugh from the running for controversial and racist comments Limbaugh made in the past on his radio show.

Rush’s most widely circulated quotes regarding African-American players and the NFL in general, courtesy of Crooks and Liars http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/nfl-players-blast-rush-limbaugh-over-hi:

“Indeed, as CNN reported at the time, ESPN fired Limbaugh from Sunday NFL Countdown for “his statement that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed.” But, of course, Limbaugh has a long sordid history with making racist remarks. Some of his more recent lowlights:

– “Look, 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.”
– “We need segregated buses. … This is Obama’s America.”
– “President Obama is black. And I think he’s got a chip on his shoulder.”
– Democrats are interested in Darfur to secure black “voting bloc.”
– “Minorities never do anything for which they have to apologize.”
– Obama’s nomination for president “goes back to the fact that nobody had the guts to stand up and say no to a black guy.”
– Obama is a “halfrican-American.”

Checketts issued a statement Wednesday explaining the decision to terminate Limbaugh’s relationship. “It has become clear that his involvement in our group has become a complication and a distraction to our intentions; endangering our bid to keep the team in St. Louis,” he said. “As such, we have decided to move forward without him.” Checketts move prompted a flurry of complaints that Rush has been held to too high a standard.

Some complain that Rush got “presidential bid” level scrutiny. Others questioned whether there should be a “character test for sports owners.” Indeed, there should be. Given the state of the economy, a character test for all business owners could be warranted. At a minimum, the racist views of a potential owner of a business that employs mostly minorities, and which gets government funding for its buildings, etc., should be held to a very high ethical and moral standard. Such a standard would go a long way to uphold the rights and privileges enumerated in our Constitution and various amendments, particularly for those who have historically been disenfranchised. Moreover, such a standard would once and for all signal to Americans that racism is no longer be tolerated, not even among the uber rich.

No related posts.