Memo to Limbaugh: Rush Ain’t Right Wing

To: Rush Limbaugh
From: Rush Vault
Subject: The genesis of individualism is classic liberalism, not conservatism.

Rush Limbaugh, I just learned you play Rush’s music on your show. I never knew that because I’ve never listened to your show. But the band and its management have asked you to stop*, and I hope you do.

You should know that Rush’s music is rooted in classic liberalism, not conservatism, so when you play their music on your show, you’re actually paying homage to classic liberalism, and there’s some irony in that, wouldn’t you say?

It’s true that the band has libertarian strains running through its music, particularly in the earlier pieces. But libertarianism is rooted in liberalism, not conservatism. The only reason libertarianism is connected to conservatism is because the two political philosophies share a disdain for redistributionist public policies—that is, distributing public money to some people rather than just using it for common purposes like defense.

Libertarianism is an outgrowth of individualism, which is rooted in classic liberalism: people are sovereigns in and among themselves and possess inalienable rights. So, as long as their actions don’t infringe on the inalienable rights of others, they’re free to do what they want.

Unless conservatives are happy to stay out of people’s private lives and let people do what they want, while respecting the sovereignty of others, then conservatism has nothing in common with the music of Rush and has no place on your show.

So, when you demand that Sandra Fluke post online tapes of her having sex, you’re making it clear you know nothing about individualism. You say she she should post these tapes because she supports church-affiiliated hospitals covering contraception in accordance with U.S. policy.

There’s nothing libertarian or individualistic about insulting and defaming someone for taking a position different from yours. The activities that take place between consenting adults is not the business of anyone, and if conservatives had anything to do with libertarianism or individualism, they would be on the forefront of protecting people’s sovereign rights, not insulting people who exercise them.

––Rob Freedman, Rush Vault

Thanks to Rush is a Band for its post on Bob Cesta’s Huffington Post story about Rush’s cease and desist letter.

* Rush Limbaugh was playing Rush’s “The Spirit of Radio” in the background when he made his comment about requiring Sandra Fluke to post a video online of her having sex in exchange for church-affiliated hospitals making contraception part of the required coverage for health insurance.

“Ms. Fluke and the rest of you feminazis, here’s the deal,” Limbaugh said. “If we are going to pay for your contraception, and thus pay for you to have sex, we want something for it, and I’ll tell you what it is. We want you to post the videos online so we can all watch.”

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