To the editor:
Rush Limbaugh finally apologized to Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown law student who testified at the hearing in support of birth control funding.
I think it was an apology — perhaps more so to the advertisers on his show, because several had already pulled their ads.
To understand Limbaugh’s three-day diatribe against Sandra Fluke, it is necessary to recognize that he is a spokesman for the Republican Party. And it is necessary to know the role sex plays in defining the Republican Party.
According to Meghan McCain, daughter of 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain, in a May 2009 newspaper, “Daughters of Republican politicians aren’t expected to have sex, let alone enjoy it. God forbid anyone talk realistically about life experiences and natural, sexual instincts. Nope, the answer is always abstinence. Still, the problem with abstinence-only education is that it does not make teenagers and young adults more knowledgeable about all the issues they face if or when they have sex — physically and emotionally.
“We live in a big world, one where you can contact a lifelong (sexually transmitted disease), have an unplanned pregnancy or get date-raped, just to name a few of the dangers associated with sex. We should prepare our kids for it, realistically. A friend of mine, whose father is also a conservative politician, used to joke it would be easier for her to be a lesbian because then there would be no risk of getting pregnant and having a resulting scandal.
“The worst sexual double standard in politics right now is that too many subconsciously believe Republican women are void of sexual desire altogether.”
And men — who hears anything about their sexual responsibilities? Republicans support the use of Viagra but not birth control. What does that say?
Rush Limbaugh, in his apology, said it was “an attempt to be humorous.” Three days of this is humor?
”For over 20 years, I have illustrated the absurd with absurdity,” he said.
If his show continues, it will be because the Republicans will not criticize him. They like and want his support of their party, and pushing their conservative agenda which, in this case, includes denying contraception to girls and women. Are these conservatives interested in reducing pregnancy and abortion or are they simply interested in penalizing those who have sex?
Gene Proctor,
West Bath
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