Rush's Rant: Just another symptom of our system of hate

Disclaimer: Before you read this article, you should probably understand a few things about me...it will make far more sense that way.

First, I do not debate politics or religion. I have my beliefs and you’re welcome to yours. Besides, debating accomplishes nothing and we’re not going to change each other’s mind. Science backs me up on this, so I won’t be debating that point either.

Second, I’m a true political independent. I’m not one of those who claim to be independent and then constantly demeans Obama with the same old, worn out idealogical dogma that the right-wing media serves up. Nor am I so enamored with the President and his party that I believe that he’s the Messiah and they are immune to mistakes and live a glorified existence propped up by the liberal left. I make my own decisions based on my understanding of the world, politics, all blended with an extra dose of logic.

I’m a huge fan of logic.

And lastly, I’m pro-humanity. Before people get their panties in a twist and claim that I’m anti-military or pro-celebrity, it’s important to understand that I’m a former soldier and very proud of my service. I’m also a disabled veteran. I live with a decent amount of daily pain and discomfort due to active duty injuries and I would not change it for the world. I also have many loved ones still serving on active duty in our armed services. That said, though I’m pro-troops, I am anti-war. I’m anti-war because I’m pro-troops. I don’t want to see one more of my fellow military brothers and sisters injured, maimed, mentally traumatized or killed because of some political ideology.

There are no victors in war, only survivors. And until the politicians are the ones taking the brunt of the mortar fire, we need to find better solutions to issues.

Okay, so on to the meat of the current topic: the system of hate in our society.

There have been two situations recently that have made me angry. I don’t get angry often, but when I do I like to wait a bit before I write about it. It’s been a week, so here you go:

Rush Limbaugh’s rant and dehumanizing rhetoric aimed at a young women who spoke before congress is one of the worse examples of public hate I have seen in a long time. Though Rush is known for his demeaning and sexist views of women in general, this one went far beyond anything he’s spewed before. It wasn’t just the name calling, it was his complete perception of her that degrades all women...young, old and in between.

I’m not surprised as Limbaugh makes his living by being controversial, but that this type of behavior is still so prevalent in our current century shows that we have such a long way to go before human dignity becomes the norm for anyone, especially women. Those media types that came out in support of this sad rhetoric while hiding behind political concerns about how taxes are spent...their behavior is just as disgusting.

The woman they are talking about is a human being, worthy of respect and so undeserving of such verbal brutality. I don’t care what your political views are. No one deserves such abuse.

No one.

Before that we had people demeaning Whitney Houston after her death. Many people called her names based on her past addiction to drugs and alcohol, while others dismissed her passing as insignificant or trivial.

Others spoke up saying that she doesn’t deserve celebrity status, and that military personnel are the ones who deserve to be treated as special because they do things that matter.

Huh? The logic on that one is so convoluted I actually thought it was a joke.

What does celebrity status have to do with the military? Yes, our military deserve the best care available, the best support for both their families and themselves, and they certainly deserve to be treated as more than just cannon fodder risking their lives in some far away country. But what does that have to do with the death of a woman who has impacted an entire generation across the globe? What does acknowledging her influence on society have to do with the military?

Any time a person dies, I don’t care if they are an entertainer, a soldier, a man living under the bridge, or an elementary school teacher....they are worthy of respect. Every death is sad, every loss of human life is tragic. Who are we to assign worth to anyone according to our own perceptions or ideology?

Who are we to demean one person while raising up another? Why is this still so prevalent in our world? You don’t have to agree with someone, or even like them...but it is so hard to respect them? Respect their humanity?

We all want to be treated well. We all want to be seen as important and special, but if you truly want to be respected as an individual with worth and value...try offering that to someone you do not understand.

Try spending 5 minutes outside of your little world and try to see someone else as worthy. Then, maybe, others will treat you the same...and the idea will spread.

Maybe then we’ll outgrow our system of hate. I still believe in humanity...and I think that we truly can over come hate, if we put our hearts AND minds into it.