What a Rush
It seems that conservative talk-show blowhard Rush Limbaugh may have a bigger problem than the toxic combination of basic ignorance of sports and foolish attitudes toward race that got him bounced from his commentator job at ESPN. If reports are true, Limbaugh also has a nasty drug habit involving illegally-obtained prescription painkillers.
I'm sure there will be much rejoicing among Limbaugh's enemies about the poetic justice of this. But really, it's not something to be happy about. Even though it is certain that Rush himself lacks the basic human decency to show compassion to a political adversary who has had setbacks in their personal life, he is due a measure of sympathy for his problem. Pain pills are strong medicine. Unlike marijuana, hallucinogens or cocaine, opiates and their synthetic derivatives are physically addictive in a primal, neurochemical way. Getting free of them is a physically and psychologically painful process.
Interestingly, I have heard two defenses offered in Limbaugh’s case. First is the point I just made: that he has primarily a medical problem right now and people shouldn’t pile on with calls for his arrest or dismissal. The second, related issue is one I just heard from Bill Press on MSNBC a few minutes ago: that whatever Rush was doing on his own time didn’t seem to affect his professional life or on-air performance. These are both true and excellent points, even if they tend to exonerate Limbaugh from a situation that is manifestly of his own making, and whose consequences he should face in full.
But here’s the rub. If Rush Limbaugh is due our sympathy and compassion, so too is every other unfortunate American with the same set of problems – many of whom have been treated utterly without mercy by our criminal justice system. Non-violent drug offenders who are not lucky enough to enjoy the success and popularity of Limbaugh have legal problems with drugs, not just medical problems. And it is the drug-use per se that is punishable, regardless of how it is or is not affecting other parts of the individual’s life.
I’m not sure where Limbaugh stands on drug policy. I have my suspicions, but there are actually a few enlightened conservatives with the courage of their libertarian principles on this issue, and for all I know, Rush might be one of them. Let’s hope that if he isn’t now, he will be soon. There’s an old saying that a conservative is a liberal who’s been mugged, and a liberal is a conservative who’s been arrested. Time will tell.
Limbaugh deserves the chance to get clean and get on with his life, just like every other non-violent addict. But he also needs to learn from his situation and bring that insight to a group of listeners who could really stand to face the truth about drug policy in this country.
12:51:16 PM 
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