Female Veterans Demand Rush Limbaugh’s Show Be Pulled From American Forces Network

[ProSense]

Female Veterans Demand Rush Limbaugh’s Show Be Pulled From American Forces Network

By Faiz Shakir

VoteVets, a coalition of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, released a letter today from a group of female veterans calling on the American Forces Network to drop Rush Limbaugh from its programming.

Miranda Norman (who is a VoteVets.org Senior Advisor), Kayla Williams, and Robin Eckstein, all Iraq War Veterans, and Katherine Scheirman, former chief of medical operations in the U.S. Air Forces, released the following statement:

Rush Limbaugh has a freedom of speech and can say what he wants, but in light of his horribly misogynistic comments, American Forces Radio should no longer give him a platform. Our entire military depends on troops respecting each other – women and men. There simply can be no place on military airwaves for sentiments that would undermine that respect. When many of our female troops use birth control, for Limbaugh to say they are “sluts” and “prostitutes” is beyond the pale. It isn’t just disrespectful to our women serving our country, but it’s language that goes against everything that makes our military work. Again, we swore to uphold our Constitution, including the freedom of speech, and would not take that away from anyone – even Limbaugh. But that does not mean AFN should broadcast him. In fact, it shouldn’t.

AFN is owned and operated by the Department of Defense, funded with taxpayer dollars, and accessible to troops serving overseas. Pentagon spokesman George Little says the military’s network will continue to air Rush Limbaugh’s radio program and is “unaware of any plans to review that decision.”

American Forces Network has a Facebook page here. AFN Europe and AFN Afghanistan are on Twitter.

http://thinkprogress.org/media/2012/03/05/437800/female-veterans-demand-rush-limbaughs-show-be-pulled-from-american-forces-network/

Dipshit is done!

[BumRushDaShow]

1. YAY!

K&R!!

[babylonsister]

2. Ruh Roh! Guess the Pentagon will have to rethink this. Yay, Vets! nt

[jillan]

3. Wow - this could have impact on AFN more than any other factor.

Excellent!

[Zalatix]

11. Assuming the military considers WOMEN to be persons.

Military women might in fact have the MOST skin in the game when it comes to Limbaugh's comments.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

4. YES! Raise HELL ladies!

Damn well justified.

[RainDog]

5. I sincerely hope this is the end of his career

and I also hope he drops dead.

[BlueCaliDem]

20. Me, too. On both accounts. eom

[glinda]

6. K & R n/t

[NightOwwl]

7. bout time

[librechik]

8. Now that's some military strength! go (away) Rush! n/t

[Scurrilous]

9. K & R

[lpbk2713]

10. As they should.

Agree wholeheartedly.

[Aerows]

12. I'm waiting for Rush to come out bashing veterans

Oh, wait he already did that. The female ones.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

13. YES! This is what Supporting the Troops really means!

the Pentagon goes and basically says, "go to hell, female troops" ?....

fuck the right wing....I can't speak civilly about them ANY MORE!!!!

[duhneece]

14. I am so proud of these folks. It is time

It is actually way past time for Rush to quit attacking women personally with public air waves.

[spicegal]

15. Go female vets.

It's time to pull his Limbaugh's filth off the air. He's had a good long run. It's time to cut him loose. He's a misogynistic loathsome pig. Any man worth a darn should be condemning him.

[maximusveritas]

16. Sign the petition if you haven't already

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002382135
http://wh.gov/X1O

[shcrane71]

17. Kicked

[wakemewhenitsover]

18. Well-stated.

I don't know what Limbaugh's slanted crap was doing on a state network in the first place.

[Homer03]

19. Lets Remember...

This is pawlitics we do. As much as id like to see RL choke to death on his own gonads, we dont want to give the other side such good ammo as they would get should we really engage in silencing opposing views as they so often claim is done. Right now the right is floundering in excrement enough-maybe we should stand back.

[RainDog]

21. women in the military should not have to hear hate speech directed toward them

by a hillbilly heroin, viagra-popping draft dodger - oh, wait, it was his anal cyst - which, apparently, means his entire being.

Honestly, it is REPULSIVE that AFR plays this racist man who tries to tear down the commander in chief.

Those at the Pentagon who think this is a good thing should be removed from office.

No shit. This is war - a war Republicans have declared and now that people are paying attention to what total racist, misogynistic wankers they are - lolol - sorry, they don't get to pretend this was unprovoked.

People in the U.S. have employed similar tactics against other hate groups in the U.S. - particular neo-nazi groups, etc. with great success. there's no shame in working to tear down organizations that exist to spew racism and misogyny and pretend there is any value in that for this society.

they have NOTHING WORTHWHILE to contribute to American life. imo, the Republican Party has become a hate group and they deserve every bit of condemnation and, hopefully, legal action against them and their mouthpieces. I hope Fluke sues Limbaugh and ruins him financially - because that's would be the proper level of damages compared to what he has done to this private citizen.

He and the Republicans can die by their own words.

[Homer03]

22. No

No shit--this is not war. Believe me--you'll know war when you see it. (And this country has had civil war before. And civil war came to Spain just because right and left couldnt stand each other anymore.)This is politics and one remains diplomatic unless you want war.

[RainDog]

24. are you aware of the attack on women's health care?

YES.

THIS IS WAR.

When Republicans are trying to overturn established law and FORCE women to accept the religious beliefs of a bunch of hypocrites - 98% of whom don't follow their own teachers - whose teachers shielded pedophiles for decades...

THIS IS WAR.

When Hitler dissolved parliament, it was war against the socialists. The fascists lost then, too.

Maybe you don't think women's reproductive rights are one of THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES OF THE 20TH CENTURY - but they were and they continue to be.

So, don't tell me No. - Just because they are trying to murder and enslave women via legislation, that doesn't mean it's not war. Look at the storm troopers at the Virginia capitol bldg when a 1000 women came out to march against the Republican attempt to pass a law that would have mandated rape for women seeking medical care.

THIS IS WAR.

When you have a govt trying to tell you it wants to pass laws to insert objects into your vagina because of their PERVERTED religious beliefs, then maybe you'll get what I'm saying.

Or, it would be nice if you could have a little compassion... you know... first they came for the Jews...

[Homer03]

23. No

No shit--this is not war. Believe me--you'll know war when you see it. (And this country has had civil war before. And civil war came to Spain just because right and left couldnt stand each other anymore.)This is politics and one remains diplomatic unless you want war.

[Horse with no Name]

25. It is a WAR on women's rights

and someone who thinks otherwise is just not paying attention.

Wars aren't always fought with guns.

They are fought with attempts to control.

IF you haven't been paying attention--and somehow I think you probably have not--but the professions that have historically been "women's" professions--teaching, nursing, etc. have been under non-stop attack by the RW.
The right to control our bodies by way of birth control is one of the latest attacks. Attacks on Planned Parenthood are just one example, attacks on Sandra Fluke are just another.

So..."you" may not think that there is a war underway--but I am guessing that YOU have the luxury of having a name like HOMER...so that you might not understand the nuance of the attacks.

Let me put it as simply as I can. "Male" jobs are going away and they aren't coming back so the eyes are going to the "female" jobs. Now, it would be difficult to just walk in and fire the women and replace them with men....so you just can't do that. No...instead, we are reverting back to a mindset of "barefoot and pregnant" in the kitchen. IF that can be accomplished, then women certainly will be leaving their jobs in troves.

Do you get it now?

[RainDog]

27. fucking incredible to me

what does it take to see that women are being attacked at their most basic level of being - their bodies?

[Horse with no Name]

29. Yep.

They have been fighting to control our uteruses for a very long time.

Now it is a full blown assault.

[RainDog]

26. Or, as Primo Levi said: "If Not Now, When?"

in response to fighting Nazis as part of the resistance and REFUSING to accept second-class citizenship - to fight to the death rather than allow fascists to control a continent.

[Homer03]

28. what do you know?

You I am sure have not been in a war. Keep being as big a jackass as the right is and you will get to experience it. This issue has produced more hyperbole that anything in our present day strife. Dont be like them.

[Horse with no Name]

30. The only one that is "like them" seems to be you

You are just asking women to lay back and enjoy it...

You are asking women to not make a big deal out of this, he didn't really mean to do it...

You are fucking kidding me? Tell you what.

You worry about YOUR dick and we will worry about OUR uteruses.

We wouldn't want you to worry your pretty little head over things that don't concern you.

[Quantess]

32. I'll second what the above DUer wrote:

Are you fucking kidding me?

Rush Limbaugh's sustained slander was nothing short of outrageous. Anything short of nationwide outrage is inappropriate in this situation.
What the hell is this "don't be like them" about? We've let neanderthal pigs like Rush Limbaugh get away with "slut shaming" for far too long already. We've been too nice. Women are angry now, and for good reason.

[Homer03]

34. sure

Women are angry, so lets get as fascist as the right.

[Quantess]

35. But where's the fascism? I don't understand.

I think it's a perfectly understandable, perfectly reasonable response.

[RainDog]

38. kinder küche kirche

it's the Republican platform for women.

[Quantess]

39. Okay, but I was asking Homer03 where is this "fascism" from the left / from women...

I am wondering, what is "fascist" in the slightest, in regards to female veterans wanting Rush pulled from the airwaves?

[RainDog]

45. looks like he's no longer here to scold us

and create false equivalencies.

[Quantess]

46. I was waiting for his response. Crickets. I thought he was stumped...

Oh well, he wouldn't have had much substance to his assertion anyway. He seemed like one of those "dittohead" sycophants always rushing to defend their master, Rush.

There's just no excuse for a liberal, progressive, democrat, etc. to defend Rush Limbaugh in this case. Really none, whatsoever.

It's so egregious, this is one of those litmus tests for being a liberal. You could even say it's a litmus test for being a reasonable human being.

[RainDog]

37. Wow. You really DO. NOT. GET. IT.

Let me propose a bill to shove a metal object up your ass by order of the state and then you can get back to me on this.

[Horse with no Name]

42. Amen Sister

It is my RIGHT to allow or disallow ANY penetration of my body by any object, not the governments and for all of the MEN who think it is OKAY to allow the government to RAPE me then I propose we line them up and stick a metal rod up their ass and let them UNDERSTAND why we object.

[Lost-in-FL]

43. Female Vets have it bad as it in the military...

We don't need the Pentagon force feeding men, women and their families garbage that encourage blatant sexism in the military. Male soldier rape their female (sometimes male) comrades and they get away with it. If we allow Rush to get away with this attack and his show continues to be broadcasted in military stations for service members and their families to hear, how would we expect soldiers to respect other nations citizens if we encourage them (through this kind of programing) to disrespect their own?

I had my roommate raped by an officer at a party and when she reported him, he was switched to another unit while she was demoted for "fraternizing with an officer". We have to stop a culture in the military in which women can be insulted while the offender gets away with it.

[RainDog]

47. exactly. It has always stunned me that AFN was so willing to put this scum on the airwaves

The sort of vitriol that Rush engages in is promotes a rape culture mentality - and not just in the military.

if you heard him talk about this, I swear he sounds he's stroking his titties like Fat Bastard. grotesque.

[Lost-in-FL]

48. Ewwww...

I'm going to have nightmares tonight!

But seriously. He should've been fired from military airwaves during his Guantanamo Resort stunt. Imagine just for a second that those serving at that base were forced to listen to Rush for lack of other choices. Ironically, this was around the time torture become attractive to the military unfortunately.

[RainDog]

36. False equivalence from you

To FIGHT BACK is not wrong - but you are saying it is.

You are obviously not a female and don't know what it's like to see a bunch of withered limp dick men trying to tell you what health care decisions you can make.

You would do well to back away on this because you, obviously, have NO IDEA what this situation is like for women who have had to fight for centuries for rights that males took as their god-given privilege.

You're fighting the wrong fight here.

[Frances]

40. Zero tolerance for verbal sexual harassment!

I think that is what the Armed Forces Radio would be showing if they pull Rush Limbaugh off the air.

[GoldenOldie]

41. More loud voices should be heard from the male veterans

My grandson, has recently returned from his 2nd tour the last being in Afghanistan. He has finished his service and is in the process of reaquainting himself with his 3-yr old daughter, whom he adores and his wife who is completing law school. He is livid, and that is putting it nicely, about the vile comments that Rush Limbaugh has made about women. He and many of his male friends have taken it as attacks against all women they have known and the women their daughters will become.

[RainDog]

44. agree!

and glad to hear your grandson is safe - and that he recognizes why Limbaugh needs to be gone from AFN

[Politicub]

49. Yes! It's time for Rush to go

Beyond time, actually.