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Freed Pirate Hostage Slams Rush Limbaugh for 'Evil' 'Hate Speech'

Posted by Steve Benen, Washington Monthly at 8:52 AM on April 25, 2009.


"The president did the right thing ... It's a war.... It's about good versus evil. And what you said is evil. It's hate speech. I won't tolerate it."

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When the recent hostage standoff with Somali pirates and Captain Richard Phillips was resolved, most Americans were obviously pleased with the results. A small handful weren't, and it appears at least some of the crew of the Maersk Alabama noticed.

Shane Murphy, second-in-command aboard the ship seized by Somali pirates this month, is happy to be home. But he's not happy to be sharing turf with land-lubber Rush Limbaugh, who politicized the pirate affair by referring to the pirates as "black teenagers."

"It feels great to be home," said Murphy in an interview with WCBV in Boston. "It feels like everyone around here has my back, with the exception of Rush Limbaugh, who is trying to make this into a race issue ... that's disgusting."

Limbaugh, questioning the president's leadership and priorities, said Obama "was worried about the order he had given to wipe out three teenagers on the high seas -- black Muslim teenagers."

"You gotta get with us or against us here, Rush," Murphy said. "The president did the right thing ... It's a war.... It's about good versus evil. And what you said is evil. It's hate speech. I won't tolerate it."

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Tagged as: rush limbaugh, hate speech, pirates, hostage

Steve Benen is "blogger in chief" of the popular Washington Monthly online blog, Political Animal. His background includes publishing The Carpetbagger Report, and writing for a variety of publications, including Talking Points Memo, The American Prospect, the Huffington Post, and The Guardian. He has also appeared on NPR's "Talk of the Nation," MSNBC's "Rachel Maddow Show," Air America Radio's "Sam Seder Show," and XM Radio's "POTUS '08."


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Good vs. Evil?
Posted by: Poisonthemonkey on Apr 25, 2009 9:49 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Is this really a matter of good vs. evil? Why won't AlterNet look deeper?

You are being lied to about pirates

Quote:

In 1991, the government of Somalia collapsed. Its nine million people have been teetering on starvation ever since – and the ugliest forces in the Western world have seen this as a great opportunity to steal the country's food supply and dump our nuclear waste in their seas.

Yes: nuclear waste. As soon as the government was gone, mysterious European ships started appearing off the coast of Somalia, dumping vast barrels into the ocean. The coastal population began to sicken. At first they suffered strange rashes, nausea and malformed babies. Then, after the 2005 tsunami, hundreds of the dumped and leaking barrels washed up on shore. People began to suffer from radiation sickness, and more than 300 died.

Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the UN envoy to Somalia, tells me: "Somebody is dumping nuclear material here. There is also lead, and heavy metals such as cadmium and mercury – you name it." Much of it can be traced back to European hospitals and factories, who seem to be passing it on to the Italian mafia to "dispose" of cheaply. When I asked Mr Ould-Abdallah what European governments were doing about it, he said with a sigh: "Nothing. There has been no clean-up, no compensation, and no prevention."

At the same time, other European ships have been looting Somalia's seas of their greatest resource: seafood. We have destroyed our own fish stocks by overexploitation – and now we have moved on to theirs. More than $300m-worth of tuna, shrimp, and lobster are being stolen every year by illegal trawlers. The local fishermen are now starving. Mohammed Hussein, a fisherman in the town of Marka 100km south of Mogadishu, told Reuters: "If nothing is done, there soon won't be much fish left in our coastal waters."

This is the context in which the "pirates" have emerged. Somalian fishermen took speedboats to try to dissuade the dumpers and trawlers, or at least levy a "tax" on them. They call themselves the Volunteer Coastguard of Somalia – and ordinary Somalis agree. The independent Somalian news site WardheerNews found 70 per cent "strongly supported the piracy as a form of national defence".

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Good vs. Evil? Puh-Leez! Posted by: Longdream
» RE: Good vs. Evil? Puh-Leez! Posted by: GerryAttric
» RE: Good vs. Evil? Puh-Leez! Posted by: Longdream
» RE: Good vs. Evil? Puh-Leez! Posted by: hilaryuk
» You look deeper Posted by: godsbreath64
» RE: Good vs. Evil? Posted by: peacefullaim1
Poor Rush.
Posted by: Longdream on Apr 25, 2009 3:07 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
When you're in broadcasting, there's nothing worse than being dissed by the media darling of the day.

I'm sure his elephant hide is so thick by now it doesn't bother him, but maybe it will bother his sponsors and his managers if it happens often enough.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Syphillis
Posted by: lasarte-oria on Apr 25, 2009 7:33 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Rush has it and must have passed it on to all of FOX news...probably can all be traced to some Rupert Murdoch 80's coke party one-night stand...

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Rush spiraling to the Left- Unsuccessfully
Posted by: Purple Girl on Apr 26, 2009 4:24 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Rush couldn't fit this situation into his Preconceived mindset so he tries attacking Obama from his misconcieved 'Left'.
This may be Rush's new Schtick, since the far left seems to be handing him a new script almost daily.
Rush and his ilk have always CLAIMED they 'Supported' the Troops, but to do so during this hostage crisis would have undermined their entire credo, 'Hate anything & Everything Dems do'
Where Rush led himself to was to Diss the Navy Seals and devalue an innocent American Life- heckova Job,Rushie. Even a Lefty wouldn't have taken it that far! Sounds like Rush would have preferred that Captain be executed by those 'Teenagers'. FYI Rush 'Teenager' is an industrial concept of a pahse moving towards developmental maturation. Not a third world concept or reality- their Rites of passage into adulthood occurs when they hit puberty- around 13. So in their culture to call them 'mere' teenagers- Kids- is an insult to their manhood. If a male is old enough to hunt, carry a weapon and ejaculate, they're a Man. there society not only stops 'babying' them, they insist they become contributing members.
Worse Yet is Rush's revelation he has NO Regard for the Armed Services- Much like his Overlord Cheney. Use them as a Rallying Cry, Until it become more advatageous to use them as scapegoats. Rush wasn't only persecuting Obama for 'killing a Teenager', he was Blaming the Navy Seals who had to pull the Triggers.Apparently the meaning to the slogan 'Support the Troops, end the War' eludes Rush's small mind. The left acknowledges the Fact these service people have been Required to put themselves in harms way, and survive by any means possible, under the guise of 'Freedom'. The illegal invasion into Iraq ws nothing more than an excuse to begin another Blood for Oil Quest.
Rush no matter how fast you spin your fat ass around in that chair towards the Left, Or Deep Throat that Golden Mic - you will never be enlightened enough to Con the Liberals.
As for those on the Fringe of the 'left'- How's your greivances sound when they are reverberated back at you by Rush Limbaugh?Starting to reconsider those Protests at Military Funerals?
As in the fine Art of Logic, In Life 'Absolutes' (all/nothing, Always/never) invalidate an arguement/Doctrine. Nothing is Black or White, but merely varying shades of grey.The only thing 'absolutes' do is paint you into an intellectual corner.'Absolutes' indicate you do not have a full grasp of the Facts or situation...Reality.

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Fat Addict
Posted by: frank69 on Apr 27, 2009 10:36 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Limbaugh is just a fat drug addict.

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» RE: Fat Addict Posted by: Vik
Rush is Really Rabid
Posted by: godsbreath64 on Apr 27, 2009 10:43 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Goebells would be proud. The scum.

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» RE: ush is Really Rabid Posted by: Ianni_Stragopulis
» RE: ush is Really Rabid Posted by: luzmejor
» RE: ush is Really Rabid Posted by: LTBROWN
» RE: Rush is Really Rabid Posted by: Longdream
» RE: Rush is Really Rabid Posted by: Longdream
Truelass
Posted by: Truelass on Apr 27, 2009 12:24 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
By this time surely most Americans listen to Rush's idiotic rantings for entertainment just like the courageous British people listened to Lord Haw Haw during the Second World War. Like Rush this Nazi loving clown predicted gloom and doom. On Pirates, Rush Lamenrain wouldn't recognise one if he fell over him but he would be quick to blame Obama for leaving him to fall over. Rush Dimwit is not even a good comedian which is the nicest thing I can say to him.

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» RE: Truelass Posted by: LTBROWN
RUSH LIMBAUGH
Posted by: LTBROWN on Apr 27, 2009 2:26 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
A Brain on drugs. My parents would never allow me to listen to dope heads back in the day. Not going to start now! He just looks and sounds NASTY. Like he sits there and makes racing stripes for 3 hours. lol

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Black Hawk Down
Posted by: Pegaleg on Apr 27, 2009 3:18 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I remember watching Black Hawk Down and being so enraged by what I saw happening to soldiers who had gone in to capture two high ranking lieutenants (thugs) working with the warlords who were preventing/controlling shipments of food that had been brought in as part of a humanitarian effort to feed starving Somalians and demanding money for it. Whether on land or on the sea this lawlessness has been going on since back in the 1990's. I don't think the dumping of radioactive waste in water off the coast of Somalia is why these thugs became pirates. No doubt what's happening with this dumping, if indeed it is occuring, is criminal and those responsible should be hung by their short hairs but I think placing blame on why these young men have become pirates on what is happening off their coast is suspect. If they want help is it a good idea to take over passing ships by force and demand ransom for its cargo and passengers?

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