Hank Grezlak
If you ask me Sandra Fluke, the 30-year-old Georgetown law school student who argued in favor of health care plans covering contraceptives before Congress, has more balls than Rush Limbaugh, the rotund radio host who smeared her.
In case you missed it, Limbaugh started off Women's History Month by calling Fluke "a slut" and "a prostitute" in response to her testimony. Not that I think Limbaugh knows March is Women's History Month, or much about women in general.
Stupidity might explain how Limbaugh managed to sexualize Fluke's testimony, which, from what I've seen and read seemed to focus on the health benefits/preventive nature of contraceptives. Misogyny is the only explanation for the vileness he spewed at her, or the way he zeroed in on her.
Fluke kept her cool and dignity when she testified, after congressional Republicans had first come to the brilliant conclusion that if you're going to hold hearings on birth control, you should have only men testifying. She showed poise and dignity after getting unfairly attacked by Limbaugh, a rich bully with millions of fans and a long line of elected bootlickers eager to get his support.
It's among the ugliest and most unprovoked verbal attacks on a woman I've seen in my lifetime.
It's also the most blatantly sexualized verbal attack I've ever seen in the public sphere. Limbaugh claimed Fluke said that "she's having so much sex she can't afford her own birth control pills" and said Fluke was having so much sex "it's amazing she can still walk."
He then followed up with this charming thought: "If we are going to pay for your contraceptives, and thus pay for you to have sex, we want something for it, and I'll tell you what it is. We want you to post the videos online so we can all watch."
While I would be happy to describe Limbaugh's comments as an aberration, the fact that he said them at all, and the initially tepid repudiation of those comments from Republicans in Congress, sadly suggests there's a boys' bathroom culture that needs to go the way of the Communist Party.
Interestingly enough, the Fluke-Limbaugh flap came the same week the Judicial Conduct Board charged Philadelphia Traffic Court Judge Willie Singletary for allegedly showing two pictures of his "erect penis" to a Philadelphia Parking Authority contractor. Singletary has since resigned.
As with Limbaugh, the Singletary allegations are gross, aggressive and highly sexual. While the allegations are shocking, the fact that Singletary got in trouble isn't. The JCB charged Singletary before when a YouTube video surfaced of Singletary soliciting campaign funds from motorcycle riders while running for judge in 2007. The Court of Judicial Discipline, showing great foresight and character assessment, gave Singletary a reprimand and probation.
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Frederick Mogel
Your article is appalling on many levels not the least of which is your obvious and syrupy thick bias in favor of the ObamaCare health intiative at issue here. This along with your patently obvious disdain for Mr. Limbaugh and the baseless accusations you make about him make any conclusions you reach flawed and hence meritless. I would suggest that if I still got this paper in print form, I would be using your article to start my fire only because I do not have a bird cage to line.
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Limbaugh, lol-
Harsh words about Fluke coming from a junkie!
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kcummings@swartzcampbell.com
Well said, Hank. This and your editiorial on Open Season on PA's Children are what editorial comments should be - intelligent and forthcoming on current issues/topics. Please keep them coming.
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