Today in a Norwegian Court a smug faced Anders Breivik was sentenced to 21 years in jail for killing 77 people and injuring more than 240. Declared sane this extreme right, hate filled man is a sad indictment of the 21st  Century. We should all look on such a man and this massacre with shock and horror. We should all bear in mind that hate spreads like a lethal venom, quickly and decisively. Yet in America the election campaign continues to incite hate in an attempt to gain political leverage.

A shooter in New York killed a person, said to be his boss. At least ten people were injured, by police at the scene it seems. The shooter was also killed. Rather than hold their heads in their hands and weep at yet more senseless deaths in the US people twist and turn words trying to seek political advantage.

The Big Man with a Big Mouth, Rush Limbaugh, has weighed in. In the UK he is only known for his offensive words when a student, Sandra Fluke, voiced her opinion on contraception funding. At the time some sponsors pulled their support for Limbaugh but it seems this was reinstated.

Today, so soon after the New York deaths were announced he decided to voice on air that he blamed Obama. Perhaps he thought he was being satirical but he was simply being small minded. He tried to use his words to show that in the past the President and his supporters have acted in an absurd way. All he did was look very foolish and ignorant.

He used examples such as the terrible shootings, which included Senator Gabby Giffords amongst the injured, to make his point. This seemed to be that the Tea Party was being blamed for previous shootings and so as this one was an attack on a boss it was the President's fault for raising the issue of class warfare.

How stupid is that? If a person promotes gun ownership and gun use they could be viewed as inciting such action. If a person, such as Sarah Palin, creates a map with images and noises of gun shots, it could easily be misconstrued by a fanatic.

President Obama attempting to help those who are less affluent could also cause such problems? What a misguided opinion.

Of course as all these people try to gain political leverage with regard to the New York shootings the victims are forgotten. The fact that a person can easily buy a gun in America is forgotten also.  The fact that hate breeds hate is swept under the carpet.

The same day Mitt Romney in Michigan pointed his finger at President Obama's birthplace. He may not have openly questioned where he was born but there was no missing his meaning. It always strikes this Brit as odd how many Americans seem obsessed with where a person was born when only native Americans can truly trace their roots to the USA.

Romney did not have the courage of his convictions though once his words were out.. He squirmed and tried to wriggle his way off the hook. If he truly believes his words he should at least have the courage of his convictions.

As some Americans play the blame game it does not help the victims of the many gun crimes in the USA, in recent times. It does fuel ectremists with extreme views.

The War of Words does not help the American voter decide which candidate is the best choice for them. All it does is act like hateful words do to a bunch of schoolchildren arguing in the schoolyard. Often the Bully wins although he or she is wrong. For the rest it is disappointment and tears.

So called US entertainer Rush Limbaugh certainly opened a can of worms when he remarked on  Sandra Fluke's possible promiscuity. Whether Ms Fluke's appearance before US Congress regarding contraception was a put up job is debatable. If it was a ploy by the US Democratic Party it was fell for hook, line and sinker.  However that is by the by. Most people have been appalled by Limbaugh's sexist and disrespectful remarks.

Whilst this blogger was appalled she could perhaps see  where he was coming from, albeit the wrong direction entirely. In the past some people have said that women and girls who only date and sleep with men of a certain standard of income are like prostitutes. That speaks for itself. It smacks of selling yourself to the highest bidder. The issue of Ms Fluke is very different.

"Fluke said her fellow students at Georgetown, a Jesuit university, pay as much as $1,000 a year for birth control because campus health plans do not include coverage of contraceptives for women." As TEKJournalism reported last week, here is what Limbaugh said about Sandra:"What does it say about the college co-ed Susan Fluke [sic] who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she must be paid to have sex -- what does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute. She wants to be paid to have sex. She's having so much sex she can't afford the contraception. She wants you and me and the taxpayers to pay her to have sex." Limbaugh then said, "ok, so she's not a slut. She's round-heeled." "Round-heeled" is an old-fashioned term for promiscuity.

Mr Limbaugh claimed that Fluke effectively wanted the government to subsidize her sexual activity and demanded, "We want you to post the (sex) videos online so we can all watch."  Hmm

Plainly all of that went a step too far. Rightly the media has responded quickly in order to distance themselves from Mr Limbaugh. Today, March 6, 2012, there are reports that Rush has been dropped by advertisers. The plug has been pulled on many advertisers who offered commercials during the breaks of Limbaugh's shows. This will hit him and the show's producers hard and where it hurts, that is in the pocket. Sources online claim that AOL and various Radio Stations are also dropping Rush. It seems that this dog has had his day.However whilst not wanting to defend this right wing man one has to wonder about the US media.  

Is Limbaugh's the only case of speaking out of turn?  Is the US media policed and controlled fairly or are others stepping out of line? If in the past it has been an almost anything goes mentality then singling out one silly man who has a big mouth seems wrong. 

Kirsten Powers has come up with the same thoughts it seems. This week she has asked how come those on the other side of the fence do not attract bad press? After all sexism is sexism is sexism. Disrespectful humour and commentary is just that, no matter what the political leaning of the speaker is.

As a woman I know that it is often hard for men to know when they have overstepped the mark. After all there will always be some men who can get away with a statement whilst another man may make you cringe. Calling a woman a slut or prostitute is not humour though. Fact. 

This means that when the other side of the political spectrum wade in, such as Bill Maher regarding Sarah Palin, the same outcry should follow. Hypocrisy these days is far too evident in all walks of life. Whatever happened to fair play? Precedents should not be set. Neither should there be excuses made for some, but not others.  

Such abuse is either just that abusive and to be deplored or it is not and it is acceptable. It cannot however be both depending on who the target is and perhaps more importantly who the commentator is.

Some people become famous for utilising their natural talents. Others acquire skills which they then use to their best advantage. Then of course there are the big mouths. People who become famous for airing their, often off the wall, views. Enter Rush Limbaugh.

Ignorance can be bliss and that was the case for this blogger until Limbaugh came on her radar. Then it is a whole different ball game. Other forms of ignorance are far from blissful and perhaps this is the category Limbaugh belongs in  After all unless his comments are just headline grabbing ways to make money he does seem to be far from intelligently informed.

As part of the extreme right of America, GOP hopefuls must be wincing every time he opens his mouth to speak. Extremists will love his off the wall words but they are in the minority surely?  Limbaugh's comments must so often alienate less extreme voters and damage the GOP race. Good news of course for the Obama camp and their election campaign. Perhaps Limbaugh is in the pay of Democrats wanting to ensure an Obama win in November 2012. If so way to go Rush.

So what's all the fuss about?

Sandra Fluke, a Law School student, testified before US Congress regarding contraception. According to the Washington Post she did this in "support of women’s access to birth control" to protest at right wing attacks aimed at limiting this access. WP claim, "Fluke said her fellow students at Georgetown, a Jesuit university, pay as much as $1,000 a year for birth control because campus health plans do not include coverage of contraceptives for women."

Here is what Limbaugh said about Sandra:"What does it say about the college co-ed Susan Fluke [sic] who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she must be paid to have sex -- what does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute. She wants to be paid to have sex. She's having so much sex she can't afford the contraception. She wants you and me and the taxpayers to pay her to have sex."

Limbaugh then said, "ok, so she's not a slut. She's round-heeled." "Round-heeled" is an old-fashioned term for promiscuity.
 
I wonder what Sandra's parents felt about this. It does however show a great deal of ignorance on the part of Limbaugh. It is such a stupid statement that it needs no explaining why. Of course it might to Mr Limbaugh.

As a blogger viewing from across the Pond my other conclusion is that Limbaugh is simply a well known celebrity. Someone a little like Jeremy Kyle or Jerry Springer, no offence intended to you guys. What I mean is that he is simply an entertainer not a person to be viewed with any political credibility. 

Those American viewers who do take his words seriously should perhaps consider his thoughts on "Dumb" people. Speaking about people who he has deemed dumb Limbaugh said, "The first clue that a dumb person doesn't know they're dumb is they open their mouth. The way they dress. The political party that they join. There's all kinds of evidence. "Similarly, unfunny people don't have a good enough sense of humour to tell" they're not funny. Have you ever been around somebody who thinks they're funny as hell and they're not? It's 'cause they're too dumb to know that they're too dumb. This is why banning the ugly, making it voluntary, never worked. The ugly are too dumb to know it, and it's a blessing"

So I guess Limbaugh fits right in there along with many of the GOP bible belt?  He obviously feels that he is very funny, whilst he is not, and the bible belt evangelists keep opening their mouths. Perhaps Rush is simply an unfunny comedian who loves publicity and making money at other people's expense. One thing is for sure, some of his extreme views appear to break many rights and code's of conduct. 

Finally on "dumb people Rush said""The first clue that a dumb person doesn't know they're dumb is they open their mouth." Yes it would appear that you do Mr Limbaugh!