The War of the Words (Worlds)

Rush Limbaugh's "slut" and "prostitute" references to describe Georgetown law school student Sandra Fluke as she testified before Congress about her belief that women need birth control coverage helped us to reach a new low point in poisonous national debate about political issues. 

Why did Rush, as one of nation's best beloved Republican commentators feel a need to engage in such low blows [pardon me!] and to attack a student?   I guess he was right:  even though he lost a few advertisers, he gained priceless national news coverage.  

And just like when British up-and-coming [pardon me again] actor Hugh Grant got caught by police engaged in blow job with a Los Angeles prostitute Divine Brown and the details of their sex act were splashed across newspapers all over the world, Hugh Grant's acting career as a sex symbol sky-rocketed after his arrest, and Divine earned more than $1.5 million from media interviews and guest-show appearances afterwards. I guess illegal sex is okay after all - and pornographic language is okay too. 

And then of course there was left-wing commedian Bill Maher who decided to jump into the Rush Limbaugh fray.  Bill Maher defended Rush's characterizations of the young law student.  After all, why crucify the guy?  I guess Bill should  know.  He tweeted gleefully: "Hate to defend #Rush Limbaugh but he apologized, liberals looking bad not accepting. Also hate intimidation by sponsor pullout." [ouch! pardon him!]. 

But then the Republicans had a new whipping boy to pay for all the Democrats' verbal brow-beating of Rush.  So, Bill was now accused of using similar bad language in past episodes of his HBO Show and of being a mysongyist for calling former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin a long list of nasty names involving female parts.  The Democrats responded by saying at least Bill is a comedian as opposed to Rush who is a serious political commentator.  Hmmmm.  As if that were truly an excuse for ANYONE using nasty language! 

So here's the problem with all this:  Using nasty sexual language against women pays.  And here's the worse problem:  We are becoming a nation incapable of having a civil discussion (Ew! Boring!!).  If you have been watching television recently you should have noticed that almost all of our television shows are based on nasty, condescending, hurtful competitions, brutal confrontations, and people yelling obscenties at each other.  It makes for excellent drama. We love it.  The problem is that we no longer feel it is necessary or even VALUABLE to have a decent conversation.  Everyone's a whore, slut, cunt, bitch, bastard, mo-fo, or whatever.  Frankly, it just doesn't pay.  It pays to fight.  And so we do.  Our Democrat and Republican leaders have taken their cue from us.  They can no longer have a civil discussion.  They don't know how to listen.  They get more sound bytes and air-time when they say nasty things. 

Compromise is for suckers.  Right?  Nice guys finish last.  Right?  This nation will have to relearn civility in order to avoid Civil War - which is looking like a viable answer to all our problems right now!