Disallowing Rush Limbaugh from buying into the St. Louis Rams is just the latest example of how the conservative is quickly becoming today’s pariah.

In 1950, Senator Joe McCarthy began the anti-communist crusade that would eventually make him a notorious public figure. Along with the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA) (with which he actually had no direct involvement), he took on the task of investigating communists who, in typical Gramscian style, occupied positions of influence in American society.

To call McCarthy “controversial” would be an understatement. He has, in fact, become one of the most maligned men in American history, so much so that the term “McCarthyism” has come to refer to the practice of using scurrilous and unsubstantiated accusations for the purposes of stifling opposition. My view of the Wisconsin senator, however, is a bit more nuanced. While I believe he certainly was guilty of self promotion, there’s also little doubt in my mind that he was correct about communist infiltration into the U.S. — even if he couldn’t always identify the infiltrators.

Whatever the case, today America has done a 180-degree about-face. Avowed communists such as Van Jones can be appointed to presidential administrations; those such as Bill Ayers — who once said that 25 million “capitalists” might have to be killed to facilitate the Marxist program in America — teach our children in academia; and self-proclaimed socialist (under classical Marxism, socialism is merely a transitional step to communism) Bernie Sanders is a senator from Vermont. No, Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore.

And in our modern Oz, there is a new McCarthyism, and the latest example of it was the high-tech lynching of talk show host Rush Limbaugh. As you may know, Limbaugh was part of a consortium that endeavors to buy the NFL team the St. Louis Rams. However, he was recently booted from the group by fellow investors after a vicious, wide scale attack on his character. The main accusation used against him was, surprise, surprise, that he is a “racist” — a favorite pejorative of today’s closet communists. Moreover, stealing a leaf out of the old Soviet Union’s book, the accusation was supported with false quotations and vicious rumors. And the media, oblivious to Truth when not downright contemptuous of it, are continuing the feeding frenzy. For instance, Eugene Robinson writing at The Miami Herald turns Truth on its head, opining:

“This is not about the NFL, it's not about the St. Louis Rams, it's not about me,” he [Limbaugh] bellowed on his show, hours before being sacked. “This is about the ongoing effort by the left in this country, wherever you find them, in the media, the Democrat Party or wherever, to destroy conservatism, to prevent the mainstreaming of anyone who is prominent as a conservative.

Therefore, this is about the future of the United States of America and what kind of country we're going to have.”

. . . No, it's not. It's about making a splash and getting attention. And it's about the free market and individual rights — which I thought conservatives were supposed to worship.

No, Gene baby, Limbaugh is right and you’re wrong. I’ll also add that rightists tend to be more consistent about their beliefs than you and your ilk. Thus, I’ll certainly agree that a private entity such as the NFL has every right to refuse to do business with whomever it pleases. This also isn’t about free speech, as no government entity is directly persecuting Limbaugh for expressing his opinion.

Moreover, given my McCarthy reference, some may think I’m issuing a blanket warning about the perils of scorn and ostracism. But this would be silly. Would we say that embracing Nazism, pedophilia or bestiality shouldn’t be stigmatized? The reality is that all civilizations do and should use social pressure to discourage bad behavior. The problem arises when a civilization cannot distinguish between good and bad.

And that’s the issue today. Limbaugh’s lynching was for certain not just about him, as it’s part of a longstanding and worsening social trend. The reality is that conservatism is becoming the new communism, with those proclaiming the creed suffering increasing persecution for their beliefs.

Just consider how fellow talk show host Michael Savage was recently lumped in with terrorists and other criminals in being banned from travel to Britain. And just consider how Miss USA pageant contestant Carrie Prejean was pilloried and most likely robbed of the pageant crown simply for stating — in a most diplomatic way, mind you — that marriage is the union between a man and woman.

Remember, too, that Prejean was merely expressing a view held by the vast majority of Americans. And a similar thing can be said of Limbaugh and Savage: the majority of their countrymen would agree with a majority of their views. Yet this didn’t save them.

And it doesn’t save the majority of their countrymen, either. The reality is that in many arenas today, conservatives need not apply. I remember, for instance, Bill O’Reilly fielding an email from a viewer who identified himself as a conservative and asked how he might follow in the pugnacious pundit’s journalistic footsteps. Among other things, O’Reilly told the fellow that he should keep his views to himself when trying to break into the field.

The same is true of Hollywood. While in the 50s you could be blackballed for being a communist, it’s now conservatives who must express their beliefs in whispers. And what of academia? I once read a statistic indicating that 95 percent of college professors are registered Democrats. But do we really need statistics to grasp the obvious? The modern academy, born in Christendom’s womb, is now a great bastion of left-wing unthought. People such as the aforementioned Ayers, counterfeit Indian Ward Churchill and Dr. “Animals Should Sue” Cass Sunstein are at home on college campuses while conservatives are persona non grata. For example, I know an editor who used to be an Ivy League professor who can tell you stories about being shouted down at university meetings.

So you could say that today we live in Opposite World, a time when good really is called bad and bad called good. We’ve gone from the Boy Scouts to Boy George in one generation.

This blanket targeting of conservatives is why we all should stand by Limbaugh, Savage, Prejean and, for that matter, everyone unfairly maligned by the thought police. And it doesn’t matter if you don’t agree with such figures on every issue, as no two people will agree on everything. In fact, I’m sure some reading this will say that Limbaugh remains too far “inside the box” for their tastes. But isn’t that the point? Limbaugh’s views are in fact very mainstream, yet he still was branded a heretic by today’s powers-that-be. So if such a lynching could be visited upon him, what about me? What about you?

We should learn a lesson from the Founding Fathers. Understand that relations among them weren’t always sweetness and light. Heck, one of them, Alexander Hamilton, was slain in a duel by Aaron Burr (not technically a Founding Father, but he did fight in the Revolutionary War). Yet when it counted they heeded some wise words attributed to Ben Franklin: “We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

Selwyn Duke is a columnist and public speaker whose work has been published widely online and in print, on both the local and national levels. He has been featured on the Rush Limbaugh Show, at WorldNetDaily.com, in American Conservative magazine, is a contributor to AmericanThinker.com and appears regularly as a guest on the award-winning, nationally-syndicated Michael Savage Show. Visit his Website.

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DDW said:

When are people going to learn That the "liberal" left and Truth have absolutely nothing in common? As for the reversing of good and bad, that is a sure sign that a nation is on its way out (see Isaiah 5:20). Also, McCarthy was right, and the communists have never forgotten; he hurt them, he was exposing them. Like rats in a barn, they despise the light and run squealing when it shines on them and exposes them.

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October 16, 2009
Votes: +4

capo said:

	Are you kidding me? The insider/entertainer/pied piper Limbaugh can whine well enough on his own. He doesn't need the JBS to help him. Please, let's ask JBS members to do something more worthy than to carry the water for someone that spits on them.
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October 16, 2009 | url
Votes: -2

Lee Gonzales said:

I agree with Capo Mr.Limbaugh can use his millions and call up George H.W and his dufus son "W" to help him fight the nutty collectivists. He's been protecting them for years. This is an insiders squabble between collectivists and serves as a distraction. The fight is for America, Christian civilization and not for a football team. When the dust settles Limbaugh will still not whisper one word about Gramsci, the CFR Insiders, the phony war on terrorism, the phony war on drugs, how the Republican Party under the Bushes has driven America to the brink of financial disaster, and so on. If Limbaugh had had the guts of Joe McCarthy, first of all he wouldn't be the most popular talk show host, but assuming he had held on for a few years telling Americans the truth like Joe McCarthy did or like Dan Smoot did , the freedom movement would have been closer to the victory line. Instead his total lack of leadership in not exposing the rats at the CFR; winking at Republican deficts, war and the attack on our civil liberties and so much more. Has Limbaugh mentioned Antonio Gramsci even once in his 20 + years? If he doesn't want to have The John Birch Society's spokesmen on his show fine. But tell the American people the truth and knock it off with this Dems vs Repubs nonsense.

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October 16, 2009
Votes: +4

Douglas A. Logan said:

Retired I agree with Capo and Gonzales. Also, Joe McCarthy was a great American and to say he was a self promoter is ludicrous. When Mr. Welch saw what was happening to to Joe MacCarthy he realized that it was going to take organized, concerted action to combat waht was happening in America. It was one of the reasons for founding the John Birch Society. Rush Limbaugh and his ilk is a wolf in sheep's clothing just as is all the people that are on FOX. They have nuetralized so many good Americans.

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October 17, 2009
Votes: +3

Larry Brown said:

	... I agree with all youse guys above. The Republican and Democratic parties are simply two wings of the same bird; Fox news and their commUNtators are simply feathers on the beast. I'm not a conserative but rather an American Constitutionalist.
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October 17, 2009 | url
Votes: +0

Paladin said:

Let's be realistic Here's some food for thought. Did it ever occur to you that maybe Limbaugh actually believes in what he says? I mean, tens of millions of people do. So it wouldn't be unusual. In fact it is the people here who share very rare views, not Limbaugh. This doesn't mean you're wrong. I'm just pointing out the facts. The point is that instead of assuming Limbaugh is some phony who's secretly advancing some conspiracy, maybe you should consider the radical possibility that he just sees things differently. Do you kick everyone who you think is less enlightened than you to the curb? If so, you'll never get anywhere. There is also something more important. It doesn't matter if you like Limbaugh or not. The fact is that when someone is being wronged it's your duty to speak the truth. That's what God wants. It's a sin to do otherwise.

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October 17, 2009
Votes: +3

Lee Gonzales said:

EIB and Rush defenders are wrong in seeing him as some kind of Paladin Paladin quote:"Did it ever occur to you that maybe Limbaugh actually believes in what he says?" "... when someone is being wronged it's your duty to speak the truth." "instead of assuming Limbaugh is some phony who's secretly advancing some conspiracy..." This nation and her people are being wronged and Rushbo speaks not one word of truth in condemnation of these "wrongs." I am not "assuming" anything based on nothing. His own lack of not talking about these obvious "wrongs" gives him away. I'll list a few: 1.The Federal Reserve conspiracy. Limbaugh utters not a sound against this outrage. He does not mention HR 1207 introduced to look into this money grubbing, power seeking conspiracy of international bankers. 2. He never brought the North American Union conspiracy to the attention of his millions of listeners. The NAU seeks to wrong America and her citizens by killing the sovereignty of the USA, Mexico and Canada,yet he still speaks not one word about it. 3. He pushed for the NAFTA treaty after Bush senior invited him to the White House. NAFTA has wronged this nation and her citizens by being responsible for outsourcing our manufacturing base and contributing to our weaking economy. 4. The DHS is a Gestapo-type national police agency and he has yet to get on his microphone and demand it be abolished. 5. The Patriot Act is wronging the Bill of Rights and he has yet to get on the air and demand it be abolished because it is wrong - dead wrong and totally unconstitutional. I believe that the man is a self promoter and I really don't care if he believes his own nonsense. The important thing is for his fans to recognize that he isn't providing the whole picture. I gave you a few examples where his lack of guts or his cooperation with "Insiders" doesn't allow him to be break out of his fraudulent "EIB network" mould.

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October 17, 2009
Votes: +3

Lee Gonzales said:

A "thinking man's" conservative or a bedtime story telling "conservative" talk show icon? Children are put to bed with a bedtime story. It's a mutual understanding between parent and child - the stories are made up out of thin air but they serve their purpose- to put the child to sleep. Talk radio has its fairy tale spinners too. Conservatives have gotten wrapped up in the controversy of Rush Limbaugh and the NFL. http://www.newswithviews.com/Barnewall/marilyn117.htm Radio icon Rush can use the controversy to his advantage. Rush gets to play Errol Flynn against the King's henchmen and gets loads of conservatives to back him up. If Rush wore a cowboy hat tilted back on his head and chewed gum while talking trash into a mic most conservatives would have given this radio icon’s troubles with the race baiting media a pass; shown no concern for bad precedents tied to the firing of a radio icon for political incorrectness. A local conservative radio host used a word that the race baiters didn’t like in connection to a person who crosses a river illegally to enter a country and was fired. He was willing to interview people who really had something important to say. No bedtime stories but topics like the United Nations conspiracy; topics that “El rushbo” has not spoken about or asked an expert like William Jasper to explain to his audience in all the years after Mr. Limbaugh became a mouthpiece for establishment “conservatives.” Rush has stuck pretty close to their talking points. Therefore topics such as the NAU, the UN, the Fed to name a few are “outside the box” that are taboo according to his friends at Establishment center. And it is that “establishment center’ that assures that he will be king of talk so long as he tows the line for them. The ramifications of what bad precedent is set by this latest contrived brouhaha and the stifling of free speech is there in stark black and white letters. But hasn’t Rush voluntarily been stifling the “rest of the story” for years?

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October 18, 2009
Votes: +3

RP said:

Ye shall know them by their fruits. For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. - Luke 6:43-45 I have noticed a definite lack of good fruit coming from Rush. He is merely a talking head for the Republicrats. Mr. Limbaugh is very good at tickling ears. Limbaugh's current problems are part of an internecine squabble. Constitutional conservatives don't have a dog in that fight.

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October 18, 2009
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RP said:

	EIB Establishment Infomercial Broadcasting
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October 18, 2009
Votes: +0

Lal Wynstrom said:

A concurrence... There's no need for me to argue again or merely echo the very sound and logical points made by Lee Gonzalez, Capo, and others. Suffice to say, Rush Limbaugh, though he may in fact believe in neo-conservatism, is a shill for the Establishment who has often misled real conservatives (be it deliberately or otherwise) away from true constitutionalism and patriotism, toward support of the Establishment agenda, be that agenda "liberal or conservative" at the time. In other words, whatever serves the elite form of globalization and one-worldism in this country, Rush Limpjaw (my name for him) is there promoting and towing the line from the so-called conservative bench. So no, we don't need to stand in knee-jerk defense of a man whose conservatism is shallow as a water drop but with an ego as wide as the Atlantic. However, we do, as Mr. Duke points out, need to draw a VERY FINE line between the proper defense of such individuals and their rights (which includes so-called liberals) and the distinct personalities involved, no matter how much we may disagree with them on particulars. When is this proper? When such characters defend our God-given rights under the Constitution and natural law.

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October 19, 2009
Votes: +1

rjordan said:

... Rush Limbaugh, brought this upon himself. The word Conservative is a bad word and the actions and words of Limbaugh,Dobbs, Beck and O'Reilly resound with the hate and vitrol that the Republican party has allowed. The party was noted for small government, a welcoming place to diverse people of color. That has all changed when the party and those that sit on the fringes of socitey can not accept that they lost the election. I was hard pressed to accept the finding of our Supreme Court, that allowed President Bush to move into the White House, but that was the findings of our society's highest court, there was no appeal. To use the word "lynching" is a abboration and sick, seeing the majority of the people of this country were black, that were "lynched. Use the English language to your advantage and properly, don't use it to besmirch and demean, as Rush, Dobbs,Beck and O'Reilly do.

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October 22, 2009
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The Left Wing Patriot said:

Ouch! The Right Got What It Gives First, as a true American, I defend the right of Rush Limbaugh to say anything he wants to say. Second, I take exception to those that say he should not bear the consequences of his speech. During the McCain/Obama campaign, the right (including Limbaugh) excoriated Obama for even being associated with individuals like Rev. Wright and others. They have also taken up the fight against people like Van Jones, who resigned under pressure. We are all responsible for what we say, and his most recent plea not to take the H1N1 vaccine is irresponsible.

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October 26, 2009 | url
Votes: +0

donald L. Fitzgerald said:

The Curious Obsearver OMG, dob't tell me you're going to criticize Rush For encouraging people to exercise thier rights NOT to take the Vaccine. I don't even like or listen to Rush anymore but I am not taking that vaccine either. Do you even know what's in that or any other vaccine? Rush can say what he wants about not taking vaccines. Every so called expert and or doctor can't even tell me the most basic thing about that vaccine, how it works or to what extent it works. Just wait till next year's epidemic. Anyone speaking against Big Pharma (including Rush) has my vote. "Those people" can't be trusted and "they" will poison thier own citizens just so they and thier Foreign counter parts can profit by supplying the supposed "greatest" country in the world with the "greatest" health care system in the world with enough vaccines because.. because..hmmm oh yeah... because we can't make them ourselves? At least when Muhammad Ali said "I am the greatest" He meant it and could proove it. But what the heck does HE know.. He's (an AMerican) Muslim... right?

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November 15, 2009
Votes: +1