04/15/2009 9:25 am
POV
Limbaugh Attacks Obama Over Somali Pirate Shooting
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National and military leaders have praised President Obama’s steadiness in handling the Somali pirate standoff last week, a standoff that ended with Navy snipers shooting three of American Capt. Richard Phillips’ teenaged captors.
While most people celebrated Obama’s authorization of the shooting, radio host Rush Limbaugh yesterday used the showdown to smear Mr. Obama’s name. Via Limbaugh’s website:
They were kids. The story is out, I don’t know if it’s true or not, but apparently the hijackers, these kids, the merchant marine organizers, Muslim kids, were upset, they wanted to just give the captain back and head home because they were running out of food, they were running out of fuel, they were surrounded by all these U.S. Navy ships, big ships, and they just wanted out of there. That’s the story, but then when one of them put a gun to the back of the captain, Mr. Phillips, then bam, bam, bam. There you have it, and three teenagers shot on the high seas at the order of President Obama.
Limbaugh went on to say he believes Obama wouldn’t have given the order had he known the boys were Muslim: "If only President Obama had known that the three Somali community organizers were actually young black Muslim teenagers, I’m sure he wouldn’t have given the order to shoot. That’s the correct way to look at it. If only Obama had known."
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Ok please tell me that no one on this site will defend what Rush said? Imagine if that was your hubby, father or brother, uncle, grand dad and he was being held hostage…how would you have wanted the outcome to be, him or them?
If they were running out of food and wanted to give up, why didnt they? All they had to do was throw the guns in the water and things would have turned out much different, they proceeded to put a gun to the head of a US American…sorry they got what they deserved.
The age of someone who is about to shoot you means nothing.
And remember that our own military has a lot of teenagers in it, too, from age 17; but I have heard with my own ears many of my own fellow citizens express the rather repulsive sentiment that it’s OK for them to get sent into harm’s way and be killed or maimed, because "They’re volunteeers and knew what they signed up for."
You can’t have it both ways.
Lila, I agree absolutely. I’ve only heard one other instance when the age of the would-be killers was given as a reason for the would-be victims to sit there and die, and that is in regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where the age of teenage Palestinian would-be murderers is always used to somehow vilify Israelis for defending their own lives. In Rush’s case, I think it’s fair to say that this was an unreasonable criticism based solely on his dislike of the president; in the case of the Israelis, it’s generally the frothing haters of Israel who think Jews are stepping out of "their place" to actually have the audacity to defend their own lives.
The simple fact of the matter is, though, that a teenage killer can still take someone’s life; and, whether it’s commanded by President Obama or it’s an Israeli soldier who shoots the perp, it’s laudable, not deplorable, to protect your fellow human beings against a murderer, whatever his or her age. I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone make an argument otherwise, unless they had some ulterior motive (dissing the president, hating Jews, etc.)
Best way to shut Rush up and out of my life…..reach over, click radio station to off! Smile, lean back, sigh and say what a good girl am I.
Dear Staff at wowowow
I happen to be traveling the day Rush was speaking about the Somali pirates and flipping stations and actually heard him speak about this issue. The quote you took was out of context. PLEASE do no fan the flames! There is enough division in our great country now. We need to work together not fight each other over political differences. We have a right to different opinions but it has become so vicious lately - on both sides. Since this is a site for women by women - shouldn’t this be the site of reason? Only by working together - not against - can the difficulties be solved. As daughters, mothers, grandmothers - our should be the voice of reason against all the hype. Personally I think EVERYONE needs a time-out!