One of America’s up and coming veteran’s organizations, VoteVets.org, headed up by Iraq War veteran Jon Stoltz, at the urging of female veterans, has requested that the potty mouthed Rush Limbaugh be kicked off of the Armed Forces network for his misogynistic views of women and birth control. Like so many of the advertisers whom have now abandoned the blowhard Limbaugh, it’s the attack on Sandra Fluke that seems to have finally tipped the balance.
Here is the argument that VoteVets made to the AFN: “Rush Limbaugh has a freedom of speech and can say what he wants, but in light of his horribly misogynistic comments, American Forces Network should no longer give him a platform. Our entire military depends on troops respecting each other – women and men. There simply can be no place on military airwaves for sentiments that would undermine that respect. When many of our female troops use birth control, for Limbaugh to say they are “sluts” and “prostitutes” is beyond the pale. It isn’t just disrespectful to our women serving our country, but it’s language that goes against everything that makes our military work. Again, we swore to uphold our Constitution, including the freedom of speech, and would not take that away from anyone – even Limbaugh. But that does not mean AFN should broadcast him. In fact, it shouldn’t.”
Seeing as some of America’s top advertisers, like AOL, have recently dropped Limbaugh we can assume that the Armed Forces Network won’t be far behind. To this end VoteVets has circulated a petition, to be forwarded to the Department of Defense, among its members to hasten the departure of Mr. Limbaugh. After all, unit cohesion is based on mutual trust and respect and that is a core value in our military. The sooner the top brass get wind of VoteVets efforts the sooner Limbaugh will unceremoniously be shown the door. He is clearly outside of the realm of civil society and anyone who has ever been associated with the military knows that good manners and respect are required, not suggested.
Steven J. Gulitti
3/6/12
Sources:
Female Veterans Call For Military Radio Channel To Drop Rush Limbaugh After ‘Slut’ Remark; http://www.votevets.org/news?id=0506
Female Veterans Call for American Forces Network to Drop Rush Limbaugh; http://www.votevets.org/news/releases?id=0486
