"Rush-ing" to judgement

The US Capitol Building Photo courtesy of the DC SHPO

 A healthy democracy requires a decent society; it requires that we are honorable, generous, tolerant and respectful.

Charles W. Pickering

     I have lived long enough to know that discussing politics with people I don't know well is a bad idea. I tend to assume that anyone I know and like must agree with my political opinions-- and am usually so surprised to find out they don't... how can someone so nice be so wrong????

     But sometimes something happens that generates a discussion that goes way beyond simple politics and I find I simply cannot keep quiet. Such is the recent controversy surrounding Rush Limbaugh.

     For anyone who is unaware of this controversy, there was a young woman, a law student at Georgetown University, who testified before a US congressional committee on the subject of whether the government ought to compel all employers who provide health insurance to their employees to include birth control in that coverage. Georgetown University is a Catholic school, and does not include birth control medications or procedures in their health care plans offered to employees. The young woman who testified was speaking about a friend of hers who had Georgetown health care, and who could not afford to pay for birth control pills on her own. This woman needed the prescription medication to treat severe ovarian cysts, but it was denied anyway and ultimately, without treatment, she ended up having to have emergency surgery and was left unable to bear children. The young woman who testified was making the point that birth control was a woman's health issue, and to deny coverage of birth control related medications and procedures was in fact gender discrimination.

     The position of Georgetown University is that the teachings of the Catholic church say that birth control (other than "natural" methods) is a sin. Providing birth control medication or procedures to anyone-- the patients who come to their hospital or the employees who work at their university-- violates the teachings of their faith.  Forcing them to include birth control medication and procedures in their health care plan would violate the First Amendment of our Constitution.

     Politically, liberals believe that any discrimination against women related to their health, including birth control issues, is wrong and that the federal government should make such practices illegal-- essentially forcing Georgetown to include birth control in their health care  plan.  Conservatives believe that the government should not interfere in such issues, especially when there is a moral or religious objection.

     Looking at the two sides of this issue provides us with an excellent chance to hear both the conservative and the liberal opinions and to debate what the role of government is in moral or religious issues, if any. Is there a line that can be crossed that would allow the government to intervene when there is the possibility of discrimination? If so, where is that line and who gets to define it? These are all questions that should be discussed if the issue is to be settled, and the discussion must be rational, factual, and not emotional. Both sides have a strong argument and respect for the opinion of those on "the other side" is critical to figuring out what our government's role will be. That is what democracy requires!

     Unfortunately, Rush Limbaugh decided that this discussion was fodder for his radio talk show. He is touted as having the most listened to talk radio program in the country, and he holds great power over the conservative political movements. I have heard political analysts say he dominates the Republican party. His reaction to this woman testifying was a diatribe that was so hateful, so outlandish it defies explanation. He told his listeners that this woman was asking "taxpayers" to pay for her birth control, and said that was essentially asking taxpayers to pay her to have sex, which made her a "slut and a prostitute". (In fact, this woman never mentioned her own health care-- she was using her friend's problems as an example... and she wasn't asking for taxpayers to pay for it, she was asking that it be included in the health care plan provided by Georgetown.) Limbaugh went on, unbelievably, to accuse this young woman of having so much sex "it is surprising she can still walk" and then he went on to say that if he as a taxpayer was going to pay for her birth control he wanted to get something in return, so she should be asked to provide video of her sexual encounters for him to view.

     The first time I listened to a recording of this diatribe I was almost physically ill. Imagine this young woman, who thought she was doing her civic duty by testifying before the congressional committee, hearing this about herself!  Of course there was an outcry from all manner of people and groups. Some were conservative, some liberal, some extremists, and some were advertisers on Rush Limbaugh's show. The outcry has been continuous. There have been organizations like the National Organization of Women who have called for cancellation of Limbaugh's show. There have been individuals on the conservative right who have come to his defense, quoting the First Amendment again on free speech. Rush Limbaugh himself has apologized, but has also enjoyed higher listener ratings because of the controversy. There has been name calling on both sides.

     And the original issue, very worthy of thoughtful debate, has been totally lost in all the clanging and shouting and uproar.

     Politics has been very divided recently. Congress has been unable to agree on even simple procedural things. Both sides accuse the other of being the impediment to progress. Moderate  Republican and Democrat members of the House and Senate have decided to not seek re-election because they are suddenly seen as outside their own parties and are ignored for important committee assignments and chairmanships. Calls for compromise by our President have been ignored and criticized as a sign of being weak or waffling on his position. Both sides have hurled terrible accusations at the other, and at the President.

     Meanwhile, there are so many important issues that need to be debated and discussed and solutions to problems found. But nothing can be done because neither side will budge.

     My hope is that the hue and cry that has come from Rush Limbaugh's diatribe will open everyone's eyes to the real foe here-- the refusal to listen to the opinions expressed on the other side and to agree that solutions will require thoughtful discussion and compromise. As one of those "American people" that has been so often quoted, I am asking each member of our government-- both liberal and conservative, Republican and Democrat and independent and Tea Party and Libertarian and everyone in between, to stop shouting your own opinions and begin the process of fact-finding and thoughtful debate and compromise. It is how our founding fathers came up with ideas like the Constitution and all the amendments in the Bill of Rights-- including the First Amendment which has been quoted so often these days. We must stay true to our democratic ideals and realize that everyone has a voice and an opinion, and finding our way through issues and problems requires more than hurling insults and sound bites-- it requires respect for the other side, an assumption that those who disagree with us are not evil, but they see issues from a different perspective. And that perspective may have the key to a solution.

     If we can't agree to at least listen to and respect the opinions of others, we risk losing our democracy all together. It really is that important.