WATCH TRAILER

Should Rush Limbaugh Be Banned?

Normally, I try not to wade into partisan politics. Spirituality is above and beyond the mundane world of party affiliations. One can be a Democrat or Republican, capitalist or socialist, left-winger or right-winger and still discover bliss and spiritual truth.

Recently, however, Rush Limbaugh has ignited a firestorm of controversy over his ridiculous, disgusting comments that unfortunately have also sparked some equally awful responses. Today's article on CNN by Gloria Steinem (whom I deeply admire) and Jane Fonda calling for Rush to be banned from the airwaves is exactly the wrong way to address Rush's hatred and intolerance.

To be clear: I've disliked Rush Limbaugh since the first time I heard him. I remember it vividly. This was in the early 90's, not long after Rush started his radio show and before he was universally known. I was visiting my very right-wing uncle in Florida, who was driving me somewhere. His car radio was tuned to Rush and my uncle almost giddily implored me to listen closely. He clearly thought Rush was a great truth-teller who would set me straight on any number of issues. Not only was I not persuaded, I was appalled at the mean-spirited and inaccurate portrayals that he continually spews. And the scary thing is, this was when Rush was comparatively mild, in the years before Clinton scandals worked him up to new levels of frothing.

So it gives me no joy whatsoever to declare that Gloria Steinem and Jane Fonda are not only flat-out wrong in their recent quest to ban Rush from the airwaves but what they propose is dangerous and even against the highest forms of spiritual awareness and truth. Even great people like Ms. Steinem, who have done so much good, can sometimes get it very, very wrong.

That in itself is evidence for why her suggestions to ban those with whom we don't agree should be resisted. No one, not even Gloria Steinem or Jane Fonda, has a monopoly on truth. The idea that one person or small group of individuals--all of whom are themselves imperfect--should be given the power to determine who is allowed to say what is against every genuine and lofty spiritual principal to which I adhere.

This connection to spirituality might not seem obvious at first. Allow me to explain.

We each must be given maximum leeway on our own quest to find enduring meaning and truth. Sometimes, we will turn down blind alleys, pursue wrong ideas or practices, but as much as possible, genuine spiritual growth comes from making those mistakes and then being allowed to find our way out of them through our own free-will and understanding, not by having our opinions and actions forced upon us by others, whether by governments or religious organizations.

We can't start banning things that we don't agree with or seem dangerous. I know for a fact that any number of things I believe--especially spiritual beliefs I hold-- are not only outside the mainstream of the power holders but could be considered dangerous to them.

Many great ideas are indeed filled with danger: to the status quo. They can even be twisted into seeming "hateful" because by evincing a clear distaste for the status quo or the current holders of power, they can be frightening and threatening to those whose world views are under siege. For example, I'm sure many white conservatives felt like Martin Luther King, Jr, Malcolm X, and other civil rights leaders "hated" them because they wanted to overthrow their centuries-old social system. Should we give our government the power to declare that Malcolm X be banned just for speaking? His famous and brilliant speech (which I personally consider one of the 10 greatest of the 20th Century), "The Ballot or the Bullet" was absolutely as incendiary in its time--probably much more so--than anything Rush Limbaugh has ever said.

At one time or another, all important minority views were seen as threatening, even hateful to the mainstream power holders. Empowering any government or institution to ban ideas and opinions with which it doesn't agree is a very dangerous and slippery slope, indeed.

The genuine spiritual solution to a problem is never to ban, silence, or suppress ourselves or others but to overcome hatred and intolerance with reason, compassion, and above all, love. The ideal is to win others to our point of view--even if slowly--by creating a positive, uplifting magnetism that inexorably attracts sincere truth seekers. We can't just squash and silence those we don't agree with. We can't meet hatred with hatred or someone else's desire to oppress us with our desire to oppress them.

This doesn't mean that we can't personally boycott Rush Limbaugh--and anyone like him. We can and we should. But there is a profound difference between exercising our individual free choice to boycott Rush and the governmental or institutional prohibition of a person or set of ideas across the board. To use the full force and weight of our government to ban someone for ideological reasons is not only dangerous in the precedent it sets but spiritually immoral.

Instead, we must work to win over those with whom we emphatically disagree. Patiently, if need be. One conversation at a time, one person at a time. This is the hard work of the spirit. To reach for the highest, deepest, and most enduring truth, one that can only be found not through hate but love; not through fear but reason; not through misery but bliss.

Tell us your thoughts on this article. Comment below. Tweet it, post it to Facebook, or socially bookmark it by clicking the links below. Spread the word and join the conversation!

Tags: government, policy, politics, social, spirituality

Favorite

3 members favorited this

Comment

You need to be a member of The Bliss Experiment to add comments!

Join The Bliss Experiment

Comment by Patrick Trainor on April 2, 2013 at 9:06am: You can't be serious about MSNBC. Of course it's liberal. Someone or something has to balance off FOX NEWS, the waste station for Loser Republicans and far right conservatives who have no other place to bitch and moan about the Romney thumping. But let us not stray from the issue proposed by our great leader upon whose blog we are writing. I think that RUSH should just move over to FOX NEWS and that would solve all of his and there problems. FOX NEWS would then be completely insane.

Comment by Dan Causeican on March 31, 2013 at 3:55am: I used to think Rush was way out there. Till I turned on MSNBC... Not only do they have the hate mongers going, there stories are twisted and not at all facts most of the time. Talk about a network that should be gone, they are pathetic. I'm not a Rush fan but if it was a choice between madcow woman or Ed Shultz (which is gone now) or the last word with lawrence,,,,, But msnbc is for democrats so its ok...

Comment by George Johnson on March 29, 2013 at 6:57am: I am surprised that you would put Malcolm X speech 'The Ballot or the Bullet" on the level as being negative. He was living in a time where many blacks were being lynched in the United States. What are we to do? Plus, 40-50 years after Russ is no longer here, what would you remember as his contribution to this society? It is painful that you do not know American history of oppression. I understand freedom of speech but in effect the fact that Malcolm X is not taught in his birth town of Omaha NE illustrated that we have censorship in our society. If more blacks understood what Malcolm X teaching, we would not have many of the problems in our racist country.

Comment by N on March 25, 2013 at 5:35am: Simply because you personally despise Rush is no excuse to ban him! Geesh! It is the LEFT that is intolerant and full or rage and hate for him. If you personally know Rush and listen to him, you can't help but love and admire this guy. He's a harmless fuzz ball. Having said this it is so typical of those that disagree with him to fabricate lies and vilify their latest target. Rush is a God fearing conservative guy who transfers that to politics and world events. He has never caused "riots" or anything close to that. I suppose since you can't stop people from liking him the next best thing is to try and boycott him - dry him up financially - I say GO AHEAD - boycott him. Folks that boycott him were never part of his audience so it will have NO EFFECT. If anything Rush will be more empowered by his base. What is sad is that common sense and truth is the enemy of the left. I also wish the left would get over themselves and stop calling commentary "hate speech" simply because the LEFT HATES what they are hearing. It is the LEFT that is EMOTIONALLY driven and HATES all those who disagree with them. Oh, why is it that the LEFT calls everyone else what they are? Such as INTOLERANT full of HATE and wishing to SILENCE those they can not control? Never mind .... whenever the LEFT tries to explain themselves it becomes a XXXXX verbal or violent reply.

Comment by d will on March 24, 2013 at 6:31am: I don't know why Rush should be banned, MLK wasn't banned and he caused riots, burning and looting.

Comment by ditto mama on March 24, 2013 at 4:09am: I listen to Rush generally each day at work. If you listen to him over a period of a week or two you will see that he's not narcissistic or arrogant but sincere and passionate about our societal and political climate. Give him a chance by listening for, at least, two weeks.

Comment by Patrick Trainor on March 20, 2013 at 4:06am: Leave Rush alone and he will eventually put himself out of business. His appeal is to the far right wing nuts whose numbers continue to dwindle. People with common sense have no time for this fruitcake. You cannot survive with an audience in talk radio when all your talk is negative and violent and hateful. Stick with the old addage, "Give the man enough rope and he will hang himself."

Comment by Jonathan Livingston Pigeon Poo on March 20, 2013 at 2:40am: I agree. I have a "STOP THE HATE - TURN OFF FOX TV" running plug in my WintropeMerridetheTheIII.newsvine.com column and have often called for the government to pull Fox's cable license because they are a Right Wing Political Action Committee for the Republican Party and not a News/Entertainment outlet.

Your article clarified for me why that is not a good or productive idea, and, I thank you for it.

The same applies to Miss Rush Limpbag, the Raving Hate Mongering Hag from the great state of Misinformed-Angry-Ugly-White Men!

Thanks, again!

Wini - not the damn bear!Turn Off Rush!

Comment by TD on March 3, 2013 at 12:41am: lol... Gloria Steinem and Jane Fonda... a Shyster and a Traitor...

Comment by kruller ooi on February 5, 2013 at 5:44am: I 'm just amazed at quite a few knee-jerk reactions to Sean's article, a lot of folks just saw the title and immediately concluded Sean is demanding Rush Limbaugh be banned, to those vilifying Sean please read the article. here is an excerpt from the article above if it helps, sheesh!!

"...So it gives me no joy whatsoever to declare that Gloria Steinem and Jane Fonda are not only flat-out wrong in their recent quest to ban Rush from the airwaves but what they propose is dangerous and even against the highest forms of spiritual awareness and truth. Even great people like Ms. Steinem, who have done so much good, can sometimes get it very, very wrong...."

Quite clearly she states while she disagrees with Rush Limbaughs' positions on almost every issue, she absolutely defends his right to voice them, what is wrong with that!!!

‹ Previous
1
2
3
…
8
Next ›

RSS

Welcome to
The Bliss Experiment

Sign Up
or Sign In

Or sign in with:

Welcome

This website is an interactive, community website based on the principles and practices found in the book, The Bliss Experiment. We invite you to actively participate.

Click here to become a member of The Bliss Experiment today.