If you think your President Obama will not take this matter seriously you do not have any understanding of his fundamental political philosophy. He will side against Limbaugh or any other 'right wing' radio personality as surely as the sun rises in the east.

Barack Obama: I am not a socialist

Karl Marx: I am not a Marxist

Yea I bet all of you rwnj's would just love for this to happen. Well, don't get your hopes up because it won't. Rush Limbaugh doesn't need any help discrediting himself, he does well all on his own. Anyone with a half operating brain knows what this guy's goal is. But for those who don't, here's a hint, it ain't about you. It's about that green stuff you pack in your wallet. I see the two posters above me still live in Cold War fear.

The Constitution may give you freedom of speech, but it doesn't say that the gov't would or should pay for it.

Why should my tax dollars go to fund this bigoted blowhard?

As much as I disagree with the garbage that hypocritical gas bag spews I don't think he should be removed from AFR.

And I don't think the President will do it.

With freedom of speach comes responsibility. You don't yell "fire" in a pack theater if there is no fire. In the military there are many young soldiers that have not matured politically, especially Southern boys that only join because they knock up their girl friends and can't find a civilian job to support themselves and young family.They buy into the crap Rush feeds them because they don't listen to opposing views. I know because worked with many of these young army soldiers, airman are much smarter, for many years. Rush has no part to play other than preach hate against the president.

This fruit loop is on Armed Forces Radio?!!!!

Our soldiers should not be indoctrinated into Rush's ideas of womanhood and the value of women. Let alone what that drug addled zeppelin with a microphone thinks about gays. Summer is comming replace Rush with baseball.

Freedom of speech is about the government NOT prosecuting you for speaking out against them. It has nothing to do with some A-hole at work running his mouth and getting fired. Pure and simple, Rush is under performance review and could and should be fired from AFR.

And what does your rant have to do with the subject of this thread BobW. Just another opportunity to whine about persecuted christian ethics. Stay on subject.

Bob, how the hell are you being forced to pay for abortions, exactly ?

Show me where in the Constitution does it say the gov't has to provide a radio show to every citizen?

Why not just ask the soldiers if they listen to it? If only 5% are tuning in, then replace it with something more popular. It shouldn't be about politics; it should be about what the customers want.

@AKRandy....taking away free speech, in the same way Bush said "you are either with us or against us" and proceeded (along with the rest of his wing nuts) to vilify, demonize and label as "unpatriotic" anyone who even suggested his policies were wrong??? That kind of taking away? Do we dare mention the Military Commissions Act that virtually threw away Habeas Corpus? Hell, that's just the tip of the iceberg. The Bush Administration did more to limit our rights and freedoms than any administration since WW2! At least we KNOW Rush is a total windbag. Him being gone would be a breath of fresh air.

Rush Limbaugh is a misogynistic fear-monger no doubt, but he cannot be pulled from AFR over this. His speech is protected by the first amendment, and that means more than just that the government can't prosecute you for your speech, it means the government can't treat you different at all. Denying him a spot on AFR for a subjective reason, rather than an objective one, would be a violation of his rights under the First, Fifth and Fourteenth amendments, and quite frankly he's not worth violating that sacred document over.

Rush Limbaugh is simply the Bill Maher of the party of the left. Get rid of one, get rid of both. Be careful, though, you may have to deal with constitutional consequences.

No, not unless we similarly demonize Bill Maher, Louis C.K. Sustersen, and all the folks on the left who have said just as nasty, or nastier things about women on the right.

This is an issue on which it is all too easy to hoist those on the left who wish to demonize Rush, on the same petard.

Nobody supports free speech more than I do. But Rush Limbaugh does not have a right to expect his show to be carried by AFN or any other entity. He doesn't have a right to sue advertisers for dropping their sponsorship of his show. He can say whatever he wants, but AFN also has the right to express its views by not carrying programs that contain racist and bigoted hate speech.

And even if you were right (which you're not), how would that make President Obama a "Communist"?! Do you even know what that word means?

citizen of the world:

This may surprise you but I think Bush did a lot of stupid stuff.

But that doesn't make this right. We have already lost the free press (the press is totally bias for the left)

Now you would take away FREE speach???

Rush says that he is just an "entertainer", but his show is clearly politically purposed with a right wing pro-Republican agenda. Even you on the right have to agree with this - unless of course you want to admit you have let someone who is not serious and doing their show as "entertainment" have so much influence on your party.

So, given this truth, the question is should someone left or right be allowed to use public funding (we the tax payers pay for military radio) for a show clearly meant for political purposes? This is about the principle and should apply to all shows. Should a show that advocates Communism, Nazism, or Sharia Law be payed for by the US tax payer on military radio? Be honest now if you would be OK paying for our troops to hear that. If your response is "no but....." then that is called hypocrisy at its finest.

The president will not remove Rush of course, even though he has every right to do so. It would play into the whole "right wing Christian persecution mentality" and that would only give his critics something to use in an election year. If however, the military does it itself pointing to specific pre-existing criteria and follows the same criteria with every single show in its radio programming (left and right) - then I would be OK with it.

V.I. Ulyanov:

Barack Obama: I am not a socialist

Karl Marx: I am not a Marxist

You forgot Richard Nixon: I am not a crook....

Just sayin'

Slanderous Hate Speech is Not Free Speech

the testimony of the young woman who testified before congress was about the alternate use of birth control pills for other medical issues....

for the uneducated: the birth control pill was formulated by a devout Catholic to regulate women's cycles and stop abnormal bleeding .... the contraceptive result was an unintended consequence ....

she was testifying that this use of the prescription was also not covered by the Catholic businesses which are operating in the PUBLIC SECTOR for PROFIT ...

and for this - he saw fit to call her a prostitute and a slut - and asks her to make tapes of herself having sex in order to get free birth control....

these are libelous and slanderous statements ....

Mr Limbaugh has a very long history of using the airwaves to disseminate absolute lies - which his followers take as gospel....

hiding behind the guise of "Free Speech" is just as bad as calling anyone who disagreed with the previous administration as "unpatriotic"

ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES - and I truly believe this quote from history applies to Mr Limbaugh....

You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?

You keep saying this "freedom of speech." I do not think it means what you think it means.

Would you be ok if a host of a show on AFN said that he supported the Taliban and he hopes American troops are killed? He has the right to say it. Freedom of speech right?

Freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom from responsibility. I thought you guys were big on that. Rush is a big boy. He knew what he was doing. This was a calculated personal attack over 3 days. Now he needs to step up and acknowledge the consequences.

Personal responsibility. I know it's a new concept, but it's a good one.

rush limbaugh is (along with, of course, his fellow right wing hate radio talk show hosts, fox et al) to the first amendment what murder is to the second amendment. of course, deliberately lying and misinforming people is not a crime. something him and the people in the right wing media do unrepentantly time and time again.

so save your alligator tears about freedom of speech. while telling a lie may not cause the same tangible harm as murdering someone with a gun, it certainly causes an immense amount of damage to our political dialog, and it will take years to repair it.

Why should my tax dollars go to abortions, contraceptives, and the fight for gay marrriage. I do not belive any of it is right but I am being FORCED to pay for it. Do what you want, I don't care but you pay for it.

Why should my tax dollars go towards the military industrial complex, oil subsidies, corn subsidies and saving irresponsible banks?

JoannaS The free speech amendment protects you to say these lies. You have not reviewed her testimony. She clearly stated that she would have to spend all the money she earned in her summer job for birth control. That is a lie.

Read the laws on slander and libel. Fluke made herself a public figure by going before congress and declaring she is a reproductive activist. She made herself a public figure and the supreme court has already dealt with this matter. That is why public figures such as the president, congressmen, actors, religious leaders anyone who deliberately put themselves in the public spotlight cannot be sued for slander or libel. Go back and read up on the laws, before you make more of a fool of yourself.

Where is the decency of Fluke to lie to congress. There is already an investigation underway concerning her testimony and her lying to congress. She is going to need a good lawyer to get a plea agreement. You just can't go into congress and lie to them. There are many, many laws she broke. And she will almost certainly, if convicted of the most trivial offense, not be allowed to become a lawyer. She forgot that when she went in and lied.

Read the above comments and call up Planned Parenthood, which does amazing work and I support 100%. If I did not have such a close relationship with them and know their policies and charges, Fluke would have gotten away with the B.S. she tried to feed the congresspeople. As it stands now all members of congress will get the transcript of her testimony and documentation from PLanned Parenthood, pointing out every lie she uttered.

There is already an investigation underway concerning her testimony and her lying to congress.

Names. Who's leading this supposed investigation?

Or do are you just . . . making this up?

What is this 'Freedom of speech' crap?

How about freedom to actually air something that isn't some a-hole talking?

Please get this faux conservative Limbaugh off the public radiowaves and onto Howard Stern's Sirius radio channel! Because you lie if you don't think its the same person, just pandering to different sucker listeners!

lolfattynerdswhoknew The military industrial complex, oil subsidies, corn subsidies and saving irresponsible banks protect your way of life.

What would you have done after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, the Russians tried to put ICBMs in Cuba, Russia and China wanted to take over the world and the Arabs bombed the World Trade Center? You had the miliary industrial complex in position, power and in place to protect your way of life. There was no mass mobilization, taking you out of your job to train you to meet the threats as what occurred during wwII. You were allowed to live, with worry, all through these threats.

Oil subsidies reduce the amount of money you have to put in your gas tank. Argentina, Australia, France and Brazil all give their farmers subsidies. If the U.s. did not give similar subsidies to the corn producers, then the corn could not be sold and millions of acres of farm land would go barren and the trade gap would widen immensely. Banks have to be proven to be irresponsible and if there is criminal or negligent activity the managers and owners are fined or put in jail. You can prejudge all banks before the irresponsibility happens. You couldn't figure or know all that before you posed the question? Its on msnbc.com almost every day and you can be proactive and do investigations on the net.

The military industrial complex, oil subsidies, corn subsidies and saving irresponsible banks protect your way of life.

What would you have done after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, the Russians tried to put ICBMs in Cuba, Russia and China wanted to take over the world and the Arabs bombed the World Trade Center?

Oil subsidies reduce the amount of money you have to put in your gas tank. Argentina, Australia, France and Brazil all give their farmers subsidies. If the U.s. did not give similar subsidies to the corn producers, then the corn could not be sold and millions of acres of farm land would go barren and the trade gap would widen immensely. Banks have to be proven to be irresponsible and if there is criminal or negligent activity the managers and owners are fined or put in jail. You can prejudge all banks before the irresponsibility happens. You couldn't figure or know all that before you posed the question? Its on msnbc.com almost every day and you can be proactive and do investigations on the net.

I don't approve of wars of aggression, would never volunteer to serve, don't have a car and object to the pervasive nature of corn in everything.

But seeing as my point completely flew over your head, the fact that we personally object to something isn't a good enough reason to quit spending money on it. Taxes have to be spent on things we don't like so we can get the things we do like, otherwise this whole 'society' thing doesn't work.

lolfattynerdswhoknew try calling all the congresspeople who she lied to and the other congressmen who didn't want to hear her spiel. Don't be so lazy, look up their names and telephone numbers and explain what you want. Leave your name and telephone number and ask them to contact you after the matter is investigated. Geezzze everything has to be explained to liberals.

Don't be so lazy, look up their names and telephone numbers and explain what you want. Leave your name and telephone number and ask them to contact you after the matter is investigated. Geezzze everything has to be explained to liberals.

In other words you're making it up.

rush needs to be off armed forces radio his HATE and GOP ARE SICK

Just for the record, Voltaire never said that he would fight to the death for anyone's right to say anything. He said, "Think for yourselves and let others the privilege of doing so." Which is quite contrary to what Limbaugh believes in. Limbaugh doesn't want you to think for yourself--he wants you to follow his every command. And he sure as hell doesn't think you should let others the privilege of thinking for themselves: he wants you to look down upon any "socialist," "communist," "feminazi," "sheep," "terrorist," "slut, prostitute, or whatever" that dares disagree with him. He wants you to hate them and consider them to be anti-American. In fact, if anyone disagrees with him, he wants them to fail. He's said it. So let's stop quoting Voltaire (or, rather, misquoting him) because if anyone believes in censure and division and hatred, it's the fruit loop himself.

Also, this has got little to do with free speech, as many people here have pointed out. No one's telling Limbaugh to shut up (although the world would be better off if he did, indeed, shut up). No one's even telling him not to speak to the soldiers. Hell, no one's even telling people in the armed forces they can't listen to his poor excuse of a show. But if they do so, it shouldn't be on a government-funded basis. This is, after all, a democracy, and if the people don't want to pay for a buffoon to indoctrinate our armed forces against their commander in chief, well, that shouldn't be the case.

And I do tend to agree with the counter-petition to treat liberal hosts equally, if they happen or have happened to say equally inflammatory things. But hey, due process where it's due. Each case should be treated on an individual basis. Right now what concerns us is Limbaugh. So take him off the AF radio and then we can deal with others.

lol

Remember the GOP motto, "his remark was not intended to be a factual statement".

lolfattynerdswhoknew You sure are confused about life. WWII was not an act of aggression. The cold war was carried on to protect our way of life. You forget Kruschev slamming his shoe in the U.N. yelling that the USSR will bury the U.S.? The world trade center bombing was not a war of aggression. The Korean war was a U.N. effort to stop aggression by North Korea, Russia and China.

Corn has to be used to feed cattle, pigs, chicken, fish and many other animals. Even if you are a vegetarian you eat corn. You don't want the U.S. to use the farm land to produce corn and decrease the foreign debt then you are a fool.

When you assume something the first three letters describe you. I understand you perfectly and my comment was not for your personal consumption. It is for the people who read and want a balanced reply and not allow you to believe that you can use the media to brainwash people to your point of view. I know that you are beyond redemption. I ignore you and only put out what is reasonable and facts for level headed people to think about.

U.S. citizens and legal residents can complain and should complain when they see tax payer and money that the U.S. borrows thrown down the toilet, such as the $500,000,000 to the Finnish car company that Obama gave money to to compete with G.M. Did you know the U.S. has 13 aircraft carriers? Why? 5-6 is more than enough. France, England and I believe Australia all have at least one. Cut the number in half and discharge the 30,000 military people who run run at least 5 of them.

Obama has hidden in the budget about 3 billion dollars in pay offs to the Unions, get that money out of the budget. A good 20-30% of the federal budget can be cut. The money can be used to retire debt and put back confidence into the U.S. Obama cut 90% of hydrogen fuel research. China, Japan, England and Norway are spending billions. Hydrogen is cheap, inexhaustible, non poluting, and can be used today in every internal combustion engine. Norway with 5 million people is building hydrogen vehicles, has hydrogen service stations and even renamed (English translation) a highway Hydrogen Alley.

Hydrogen can immediately replace gasoline, coal, natural gas and nuclear power. Obummer cuts research 90%.

@lolfatty. You are wasting your time arguing with someone who obviously does not have a grasp of the facts. Sanka has been told what to think and you are never going to convince him or his ilk. It goes back to the phrase" I refuse to engage in a battle of witts with an unarmed man".

terry lewis-1834948 Who appointed you to rewrite the constitution and tell all the American Public what they can listen to and watch?

You are not allowed to by law interfere what anyone says or does that is allowed by the constitution. You can be put in jail for advocating against free speech.

When you assume something the first three letters describe you. I understand you perfectly and my comment was not for your personal consumption. It is for the people who read and want a balanced reply and not allow you to believe that you can use the media to brainwash people to your point of view. I know that you are beyond redemption. I ignore you and only put out what is reasonable and facts for level headed people to think about.

Oh, Fox News drone then? Nevermind, I thought I was dealing with a person.

You are not allowed to by law interfere what anyone says or does that is allowed by the constitution. You can be put in jail for advocating against free speech.

I don't think you understand how free speech works.

sanka44

I HAVE THOROUGHLY READ HER TESTIMONY ..... several times

she clearly DID NOT SAY that she would have spent all her summer salary on birth control for herself...

you said - "That is why public figures such as the president, congressmen, actors, religious leaders anyone who deliberately put themselves in the public spotlight cannot be sued for slander or libel."

I believe you could use a rudimentary course in business law yourself ....

you certainly have every right to say the lies - you can say anything you want .....but if they are proved to be lies - and slanderous ... there is in fact a legal remedy -

Mr Limbaugh said that she was having so much sex that she could not afford birth control.... I clearly fail to see anything closely resembling that in her testimony .... and her attack on her character was not just one statement - it was a tirade that lasted for three shows ....

you need to REREAD her testimony - if you really read it at all ....

Do you in any way know for a fact what students on public interest scholarships make? - (as both our offspring were on TA scholarships while in grad school - I believe we have a fairly good idea as to what that means as far as a stipend is concerned)

what EXACTLY are her lies???? - you are in no way specific ....

The Planned Parenthood center in Pottstown Pa - charges a going rate for their services ... unless you have researched their charges across the nation - you can in no way speak to the facts across the board ...

There is an investigation underway concerning her testimony????? BY Whom???? WHERE ARE YOUR FACTS?????

WHAT SPECIFIC LAWS DID SHE BREAK?????

no generalities - please give the specifics and references ....

and please inform all of us of your legal background....

you seem to have a pattern of personally attacking people you care to disagree with - I daresay I do not believe I have in any way made a fool of myself ....

as for the so called 'freedom of religion' when religious entities engage in for profit businesses in the public sector - the argument would be much more credible if the religious men were all screaming about insurance coverage for vasectomies .....

As much as I despise Limbaugh personally, I agree with Jay, up to a point, and it was wrong to collapse his comment. Limbaugh has a right to say what he says, and those who want to hear have the right to, whether I agree with it or not. Besides, in my experience there's no shortage of conservatives in the military, and if listening to that fool helps them endure the hardships their service imposes on them then by golly let them!

However, there is another issue to consider, and that's the feelings of women in the military - and NOT women in general; I'm only interested in what those actually wearing the uniform think. If a majority of THOSE fine ladies are offended by Limbaugh, then I think the commanders (up to and including the Commander-in-Chief) have a decision to make.

Well lets see here. Ed Schultz is on Armed Forces Radio. He called a woman a 'sl*t' where is the call to have him taken off the Armed Forces Radio?? Can you say DOUBLE STANDARD??

Rush's political stripes don't matter. The government is under no constitutional obligation to broadcast his show for him.

Ed Schultz isn't on Armed Forces Radio,his show is now on AFN power talk, a political talk radio ran by AFN and you need a decoder to get and that just began.

Has anyone bothered to poll the SERVICEMEN/WOMEN to see if THEY want Rush removed from AFN? They are, after all, AFN's "customers". Does anyone care what THEY want?

This is not a free speech issue. No one is suggesting that we take away Rush Limbaugh's right to express himself, but there is no obligation to provide him a forum for his lies, his divisive speech or his insults.

If Rush were kicked off AFN it is in no way an attack on or denial of his free speech rights. He has the right to go speak anywhere he wants to. He can do a blog on the net and rant to his hearts content. He can go on Fox News along with all the rest of the right wing blowhards. He can join Glen Beck or whatever idiotic radio show he is doing these days. Nothing in the constitution guarantees Rush the right to be paid by our Armed Forced Network to spill his vile filth over the airwaves. Thomas Paine would be turning over in his grave at the idea he should be afforded that right.

@sanka44

I am a conservative and I think you have more B.S than brains. As a veteran I want to insure all of you that the people in our military support the constitution. Which includes freedom of speech, even this blowhard. I can also tell you that the members of the military pay way less attention to idiots like Limbaugh, than they do to the job that their Commander-in-Chief actually does. So, I don't think it matters if they pull Limbaugh from AFN or not. Our troops are smart enough to decide for themselves who to vote for. I would also like to believe that any intelligent person can see Limbaugh for what he is " A bigoted hate monger"!

in response to sanka44 whose understanding of libel/slander needs a bit of remediation....

There is absolutely NO QUESTION that Limbaugh's statements about Ms. Fluke were slanderous.

Under the Restatement (Second) of Torts, which is drafted by the American Law Institute and has been influential among state courts, a plaintiff must prove four elements.

First, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant made a false and defamatory statement concerning the plaintiff.
Second, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant made an unprivileged publication to a third party.
Third, the plaintiff must prove that the publisher acted at least negligently in publishing the communication.
Fourth, in some cases, the plaintiff must prove special damages.
Defamatory Statements

One essential element in any defamation action is that the defendant published something defamatory about the plaintiff. The Restatement defines a communication as defamatory "if it tends so to harm the reputation of another as to lower him in the estimation of the community or to deter third persons from associating with him." Examples of defamatory statements are virtually limitless and may include any of the following:
A communication that imputes a serious crime involving moral turpitude or a felony
A communication that exposes a plaintiff to hatred
A communication that reflects negatively on the plaintiff's character, morality, or integrity
A communication that impairs the plaintiff's financial well-being
A communication that suggests that the plaintiff suffers from a physical or mental defect that would cause others to refrain from associating with the plaintiff

Limbaugh engaged is a special form or slander known to lawyers as slander (or libel) per se. As a result Ms. Fluke doesn't have to prove "special damages."

Slander and Slander Per Se

Where the defamation is characterized as slander, the plaintiff generally must meet the substantial burden of pleading and proving special damages.

Since early common law, however, certain slanderous statements were deemed so horrible that reputational injury to plaintiffs could be presumed even without any proof of special damages. The four traditional slander per se categories that permit presumed reputational damages absent special damage are:

(1) communications that directly call into question the plaintiff's competence to perform adequately in her trade or profession;

(2) statements claiming the plaintiff has a current, loathsome disease;

(3) allegations of serious criminal misbehavior by the plaintiff;

(4) and, suggestions of a lack of chastity in a woman.

anyone wishing for the links to confirm this - feel free to contact....

Why? Bill Maher is a comedian and hosts his show on a cable channel that doesn't answer to sponsors. That is the difference. If you don't like him, cancel your subscription to HBO.

What Maher said about sister Sarah is not even comparable to what bully coward Rush did to a college student.

Sarah has a show on Faux Noise? What media outlet does Fluke have a show on.

Rush is a bully and a coward.

Or for that matter, our Vice President! Didn't he call our Marines a bunch of murderers and rapists who strike in the middle of the night?

Buy the way, 25,000 signatures out of 300,000,000 people is hardly a mandate. That is less than 0.00833%! Many, many more people than that are opposed to Obamacare. Does that mean the government wiould consider rescinding Obamacare if we could generate only 25,000 electronic (i.e. not even real signatures) signatures? Yeah, bet on it.

Riiiiight Disappointed, I'm sure Biden TOTALLY said that! But hey, aren't most child molesters Republicans??? Stupid logic isn't it ?

Dis appointed:

Would you like to tell us where Biden said that? Thought so.

You're either a liar or just plain dumb.

AK Randy, I could verbally rip you to shreds and leave your carcass rotting in the sun like a zebra on the Serengeti. But why bother. I just spent a week's suspension because of it, so I'll pass. Just a word of advice, if you're going to troll, you need to use better grammar.

Maher is a comedian. Limp-paw is a hatemonger and should be banned from ALL radio stations

I don't have a problem with Rush being on Armed Forces radio if Bill Maher or other liberal talkingheads are given equal time, but they aren't, so he should go.

Well, there's a big difference between Limbaugh and Maher. Old Rush just plain makes up a bunch of crap, that he figures will get a bunch of rednecks riled up, and Bill throws in a bunch of truth that riles the rednecks up. They are both abrasive, but truth has a lot more weight to it than just a bunch of name calling. I don't have a problem with Rush being on AFR as long as someone equally extreme the other way is on also, otherwise it's too one sided.

Of course he should be taken off the Armed Forces radio.

The man is not a news commentator or even an entertainer

What he is, is a propagandist that would make Joseph Gobels proud

And the left continues to try and stop free speech only when it suits their needs. Nothing new here.

Hey lanikai ron

You want to listen to this 3 time divored drug vickodin drug addict that's you business. This propagandist has NO business being on armed services radio.

Making political analysis part of AFN programming should be MANDATED but any program that exists only to expouse a single viewpoint should be removed. Any commentator that takes pride in being the voice of extremism is not apropriate for sponsorship by the military or government. Being impartial is a big order but they could create a program like the "Rush and Bill" show. I'm sure the ratings would be through the roof.

dragonmaster...Any commentator that takes pride in being the voice of extremism is not apropriate for sponsorship by the military or government.

since when has the military or the gov been a sponsor? also we have to see and listen to the one sided media 24/7 so don't worry about what rush has to say if you don't like it. i don't listen to the lady that annoys me on tv and don't disrespect you for watching her.

I have kind of mixed views on this whole thing. 1st and foremost, I don't listen to Rush Limbaugh, nor do I listen to Bill Mauer. Having said that, I personally could care less if they are on the radio or not. However, there are those that want Rush punished for his Opinion. Now think about that for a minute. IF your opinion was found to be offensive to anyone would you want to be punished? There isn't ANYONE on this planet that doesn't have a derrogatory opinion about something or someone.

I can also understand the femmenists. Even if this gal was handing out the cooch like halloween candy, isn't it a double standard for it to be socially acceptable for men, but not for women? IF we are going to keep things in perspective, all human beings have some sort of sex drive that quite frankly is either acted upon with reckless abandon, or is supressed, or is expressed in a more discreet way. It is human nature.

If the issue is contraception, let me pose this anecdote. If you buy a car, borrow money from the bank for said car, do you expect the bank to also provide you money for the gas, oil, tires, and maintainance for that car? Or isn't that stuff YOUR OWN responsibility? I kind of look at contraceptives in the same light. IF you are going to have sex (the car), and you have medical insurance (the bank), why should they pay for your birth control pill (oil) or your rubbers (tires). You have the car. You are responsible for how you operate and maintain that car. You can choose to drive that car and pay for all the things associated with driving it (having sex) or you can walk (abstainance). To put it another way, your health insurance does not cover condoms. You can get FREE condoms at planned parenthood, or at the doctor's office, or you might just forego that McDonalds Happy Meal and buy a box at the pharmacy. The pill doesn't stop the spread of STD's, isn't a guarentee against getting pregnant, and certainly isn't the "sex" version of Motrin. The act of intimacy should be an individual's responsibility. EVERYTHING you do comes with consequences. You shouldn't try to pawn those consequences off on someone else. And that is what is wrong with society. NO ONE wants to be "responsible".

Now the basic attempts to "censor" the opinions, as they are verbalized, is a fundamental violation of that person's 1st amendment right. We have TOO MANY people with the "tree huggery" mentality of "oh my feelings got hurt" garbage. Grow up, toughen up. The world is not Romper Room with the furnature coated in Bubble Wrap. Nor is the world all smiles and kumbaya verses. The world is a dangerous, evil place, where the boogey man lives. Winnie the Pooh, Bambi, and all the other cuddly, touchy feely critters have been eaten by the big bad wolf. If you don't toughen up, well you are going to find your walk through this forest we call life, a hell of a lot more scary. Until those words, cause you physical wounds, remember the old addages our Mommies and Daddies tried to teach us. There are 2 in particular "Sticks and stones" and "No Blood, No Foul". Words to live by from a generation that had something our current generation lacks....

disregard my comments on this post. i misunderstood this article. what ever you want on afn is absolutely you the militarys business

Will The Watcher,

It is called preventative care. Just like many car dealerships will offer you free oil changes so they can reduce the number of ruined engines in their used car fleet later in life, contraception reduces the amount of money that healthcare providers have to pay in prenatal care, childbirth, and child care for an unprepared mother. You will spend less money on contraception that you will on social services down the road. The right wants to reduce social services, why not start by having fewer kids. It is much less expensivee to do.

Personally, Unless ALL of the names on that petition are active service military they have absolutely NO RIGHT whatsoever to say what the military can or cannot listen to.

If you don't like Rush. Don't listen to him. Simple as that.

he should be banned from any public airwaves.

NO he should not. He is afforded the same constitutional rights as you and I. Look, I hate the guy and just the sound of his hate filled voice sends waves of anger through my body. But banning him is worse than letting him talk. And anyway, he's doing a good job of hanging himself. His only real audience left is the angry white males and there are hardly enough of them to carry any national election.

Dems do it everyday and get away with it. MSNBC even gave Al Sharpton a job. He's almost as disgusting as Big Ed.

Timmysue, I agree, especially since Rush went on record 4 days before the 2009 inauguration, stating that he hopes Obama fails. This has been the rallying cry of most everyone who didn't vote for Obama/Biden. Why should our tax dollar supported AFR continue to broadcast hate speech, directed at the government that our troops have sworn to serve?

TampaDink63, I believe you hit the nail on the head. Freedom of speech is a right and on public airwaves a privilege. Limbaugh is a prominent GOP figure who attacked a college student. Privilege comes with responsibility and he should be held accountable for his remarks. His apology and subsequent comments show and represent a lack of genuiness. Politics aside there comes a point when the actions of some are so low they represent the area below one's feet. Mr. Limbaugh's sponsors, and the networks that carry him share responsiblity and should be held responsible.

He also degrades our President who is the Commander in Chief to our Armed Forces, he should be banned from any public airwaves.

Did you say the same thing about Olbermann, the lefts equal to the idiot Rush?

Grow the @!$%# up.

Timmy, I agree completely, but disagree slightly. He can be on any public airwaves he wants. AFR is not public by any means. It is paid for by taxpayer money. OUR money. That is why the public gets a choice on this network. Freedom of speech does not guarantee you free speech. The key is free speech, as in paid for with public money.

Be careful in advocating a ban on anyone speaking out who doesn't agree with your limited point of view . Forget about Maher. The next targets will be MSNBC and their advertisers who support the marxist socialist K*ke & D*ke duo of Ed Shultz and Rachel Maddow.

hate is not something I would want being broadcast to our troops.... Rush can hate all he wants its his right ... but to broadcast hate to troops that need to rely on each other .. just spreads distrust and intolerance toward the person in the fox hole with you.. if you hate and distrust another soldier wearing the same uniform you wear .. get out of the service

It's called freedom of speech folks. For the past 3-1/2yrs we've been hearing about how all of Obozo's failures are Bush's fault. So why can't the other side speak out?

Independent Jim, are you active service Military? As the wife and mother of servicemen I say let them listen to whatever they want to listen to. Just like in the "real world" there will always be servicemen in your unit that you don't like or don't trust. If you don't like your co-worker, do you quit the job you've been dedicated to for years? Of course not. You just ignore them as much as you can get away with. If you work with a goof-off you can't depend on, do you trust him to have your back? Of course not. You find someone else who can.

My husband had a very good friend who went through bootcamp and flight school with him. They were extremely close. But when the chips were down, that "Friend" showed his true colors. He betrayed my husband.

As for Rush, I don't always agree with him on things, but until that petition is full of Active service mililtary it should have no bearing whatsoever. But of course the liberals will do their best to shut him up. They don't like hearing any "facts" but their own.

does anyone remember Tokyo Rose?????

I'm amazed any hate radio is sponsored by public funds.

"Rush Limbaugh just called every man's daughter in the USA who uses the pill a "slut" and a "prostitute"."
No he didn't. But don't let reality get in the way of your over-the-top hysteria.

Really? What would you call it? He implied that Ms. Fluke wanted contraception because she is a "slut" and "prostitute". By implication, that would mean EVERY woman who is unmarried, and yes that includes EVERY man's unmarried daughter who uses contraception is also a "slut" and prostitute".

Not only that, but it was obvious that Mr. Limbaugh not only had not read her statement before the members of Congress who actually were intelligent to want to hear it (and obviously Dan Issa does not fit that description, no surprise there), after his comments it was obvious that he STILL had not read it.

Rush implied that every woman who needs birth control is a slut or a prostitute. Most of the comments I see repeating that total bull@!$%# are MEN who obviously don't understand how things work. I'm getting tired of the repeated misinformation and this issue. All women deserve the right to obtain full comprehensive preventative health insurance. Many woman use The Pill for hormonal regulation and other things. Stop trying to control and limit a woman's health choices.

Plus the FACT that Ms. Fluke's testimony centered around a woman who needed them for a MEDICAL condition, was not able to get them, and ended up losing an ovary and going in menopause at 32. NO mention of sex. So, every woman, including ME who needed the pill to address a medical condition that could not be addressed in any other way - and believe me I tried - was in FACT called a slut and prostitute by RL. I have no choice but to take that personally.

Lib 50 - you are stretching what Limbaugh said wayyyyyyyyyy tooooooooooooo faaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

lib50 is right on point! That's all that needs to be said!

Lib50, No, he did not. He was talking about one liberal wanabe female lawyer.

RAS - you might want to actually read her testimony. The actual thing. Not what RL said she said, but what she actually said. Or you may choose to not let FACTS get in the way of your opinion.

llib50--Rush implied that every woman who needs birth control is a slut or a prostitute ..All women deserve the right to obtain full comprehensive preventative health insurance

obviously you were not listening to rush that day and have no clue what his message was. all women can obtain health ins. just don't try to bully someone else into paying...a student isn't the same as an employee anyway.

mtwa... a woman who needed them for a MEDICAL condition, was not able to get them....including ME who needed the pill to address a medical condition that could not be addressed in any other way.

do not tell me if you need the pill for a medical condition that you do not have any access to them. did you not get bc needed for your condition?

all the remarks and name calling about rush on here is as bad or worse. and no it's not difffernt if you are a comedian or a plain citizen. cry baby bullies.

Fred, as a woman in the US,,NO HE DID NOT. If you give money to a woman for sex, THAT makes her a prostitute, a slut. That's the point he was making. Why should anyone pay for someone elses birthcontrol? That is a matter a RESPONSIBLE person takes care of themselves.

If she's not mature enough to accept the responsibilities for her actions, before and after sex, then maybe she's not mature enough to be an adult relationship.

Janine, did you actually listen to Sandra Fluke's testimony, or read it? If you did, you KNOW sex isn't even mentioned! Here is the written transcript, please show me were she asks for money for sex!

http://www.whatthefolly.com/2012/02/23/transcript-sandra-fluke-testifies-on-why-women-should-be-allowed-access-to-contraception-and-reproductive-health-care/

Janine, yes he did. You are being too superficial. Rush clearly and of his own accord tied this payment issue to the category of sexual activity, not me. Rush made the distinction that not being married and unable to afford the cost of birth control women had the choice to stop having sex, not me Janine.

He didn't say much about medical conditions being "a choice". You mentioned the irresponsibility of risk free sex in your reply, you obviously heard exactly what Rush was implying. But you didn't call them sluts outright, Rush does.

Rush defenders, please learn about this issue before you come here spewing total bull. You don't even know what Fluke was there to testify about. You can NOT justify an employer being able to limit the coverage women can get. And you don't know jack about women's reproductive health. And why the HELL should women be forced to settle for less than the full coverage men are able to get? Name one restriction on men.

Janine - this is a total fallacy of logic ..... as long as health insurance covers vasectomies - as they are done for ONE REASON - and ONE REASON ONLY! BIRTH CONTROL!!!!!!

where is the clergy clamoring that they are forced to pay for vasectomies when they operate for profit businesses in the public sector????? ..... and that this is against their conscience??????....

I'm hearing crickets....

Total health care coverage should be afforded to all - if you need a prescription for a drug ... what you are doing is NO EMPLOYER"S BUSINESS .... and their beliefs should not be forced on ANY employee .... they have enough trouble keeping their parishioners with the program...

lib50...

are we talking about an employer and eployee or a student along with the whole university?

from my understanding of her testimony - it would be employer/employee ..... as most grad students (I do not believe she was referring to undergrads at any time) are 'employed' by a college/university as TA's and such - they receive a small stipend to live on - usually in the form of a scholarship and also included under this arrangement is health coverage .... it is the norm in the university graduate system ....

Math, I think I know where you're comming from, but as a retired career soldier, politics and religion have no place on AFN. Simply report the news (not like Fox) and play great soothing music to dream by.

Good point, I want my radio show right now, thank you. I want my show to directly follow the coward's

The women in the military despise him and despise his hate talk against women. Don't kid yourself about the "military" liking that slob.

Why should our tax dollars go toward that misogynist? Take him off. There is much better programming out there.

desert

They love Rush!!!

Maybe that why the suicide is up in the military?

...rape is up too.

Desert, By golly that's what people like GW Bush do during time of war, they either desert like Bush did or apply 6 times for deferrments as did " Don't ask me to go hunting with you again Dick!" Cheney!

Limpballs is a scumbag who lives off of those Americans like you, who have no respect for others, including our president. His only accomplishment in life has been to amass a hate group who listens to him on over 500 radio stations. Wow, the Religious Right probably have ten times that many phoney stations!

I know the answer is yes "Desert", but have you ever served your country?

I don't believe your lame a//ed president Obamy served either.

Neither was President Obama subject to the draft, RAS. Apples and oranges.

RAS928

I don't believe your lame a//ed president Obamy served either.

So...who is Obamy?

Brad, Here is the reall problem. The men and women in our armed forces are unable to "Turn off Limbaugh", as in some circumstances the stations are piped into their rooms and can not just be turned off.

Why should anyone promoting discontent among our peoples be allowed to be on our Armed Forces Network?

V.I., You've hit the nail on the head! As an American soldier, in Berlin Germany shortly after WWII, I also listened to AFN, Voice of America and Radio Moscow. Radio Moscow was much smoother than Limbough but they had the same goal, to gain the siding of their opposition through lies and deception. Thanks!

progressive

Are those others on AFR/AFN? NO! So what's your point? Rush shouldn't be either.

Then by that definition, anybody not on armed forces radio is having their right to free speech impeded. I don't buy it. The government isn't constitutionally obligated to broadcast his show to our troops. They are only constitutionally obligated to let him speak freely. He is allowed to do so and will not be imprisoned, hence no right is trampled on.

@An American, My friend, this is not about the 1st Amendment, but it is about what a hate-monger can say on our military air waves about women, minorities and our president.

This un-American man can do his thing on 10 million radio stations across the world, and spew his vehement comments galore, as long as he pays for it and I don't. And as long as those listners are allowed to turn him off, and many can't.

On many U.S. military bases, including hospitals, Limpballs is a must listen to and not an option. If you don't want to listen to his hateful remarks buy ear plugs. It's like Faux News in our military hospitals!

I can't stand him, anything he stands for, or what he said...but he shouldn't be removed.

The quickest way for him to be gone is to stop listening.

You lack critical thinking skills if you think the most listened to radio show host should be silenced because you and your left wing pals simply do not like what he has to say.

Shouldn't members of the armed forces have a say in what they want to listen to? Probably not if they pick the way you don't agree with....

Jerkins, Again you sound like a typical Republiclone with visors and an inability to see beyond his own forrest.

"Should members of the armed forces have a say...", absolutely, but there are many that don't and must listen to Limpbuns at the dictate of their commanders. These members, some of which lie in hospital beds, must listen to his hate-driven remarks about women, minorities and our president can't turn him off as it is a public system, and only ear plugs might help, but in the case of Faux News, you can only close your eyes as it's there in the wards and waiting rooms and will be until someone stops it!

Limbaugh is a form of treason. The guy tells his minions what to think because of their lack of critical thinking and they in-turn feel like they are "in the know." I feel sorry for military personnel and the public in general that believes what this guy argues as truth. I'm looking for a bucket to barf in.

It has everything to do with First Amendment Rights. As much as I would like to stiffle some of the left wing rethoric, your freedom of speech is a benefit of being an American citizen. I would like to think that with freedom comes responsibility. Both sides are irresponsible beyond belief. It is OK for Bill Mayer to make deplorable use of the English language while addressing the subjects of Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton. It is OK for David Letterman to address "Down's Syndrome" as if it were the plalgue. It should be OK for Rush Limbaugh to pull the same dirty language out of his "goody" bag. If it is good for one, it has to be good for all. The resonable resolution to this dilema would be for the new media to start acting like responsible adults. Stick to the facts, you know reporting what really happens, and leave the opinions up to the listeners.

Yea, good point, the question is should taxpayer dollars support him?

Best idea yet. Take ALL the stupid people off the airwaves. That would leave a lot of time for people to do their own thinking.

You can leave this site. You are not forced to read. You are only making a fool of yourself. Have you noticed no one agrees with you. Go watch FOX with your ignorant friends.

John_

What and miss all the HATERS here at MSNBC?????

I'm just sitting back smiling as stations all over the country decide there are better programs for their stations. Rush has gotten so expensive it is now more cost effective to do local programming. I can't wait til his last airplay. The best part is, he is doing it to himself.

If you have self-esteem you find the manipulative drivel spewed by Limbaugh and his ilk to be offensive, sanctimonious and asinine. He is paid hansomely to fill your head with crapola, hoping you will take your orders when Corp/Church tyrants remove your rights and liberties. Try listening to facts for a change, don't be a useful idiot for those who would have you in financial and spiritual chains.

God bless our president.

Exactly!! Since AFRTS is often the only English-speaking station that the troops and their families have access too, it's disgusting that they would use precious hours of airtime for a man who thinks it's okay to call a young woman brave enough to stand up for what she believes in a slut...repeatedly. It's really sad that Adrian Cronauer was fired for not being family friendly enough in a time when there were no families on base, but Rush can fight the war on women right on the front lines.