This Pig Needs A Pen

Most dictionaries have the wrong picture next to the word, “pig.”

There are several key political and popular figures I would argue warrant the honor. Rush Limbaugh is near the top of that list. (Quick digression: If you guess correctly who IS at the top of my “pigs” list, I will make you a compilation cd of tunes represented here on FTLOB and send it to you free. My email is jenluvstrad@gmail.com.)

Evidently, the Imus circus wasn’t enough. Rush Limbaugh has released a “parody” on the old Peter, Paul, and Mary tune, “Puff the Magic Dragon” as part of a video by conservative “satirist” Paul Shanklin, who sings “Barack, the Magic Negro.”

Now, I have been one to say all along that I’m not convinced Barack Obama, while a stunning orator and decent policymaker, is ready for the Presidency. That’s a big job, a different job, a gigantic administrative job. He probably could hire the right people and get the job done, but the lack of experience makes me a little antsy.

And evidently he makes ol’ fat-n-happy Rush Limbaugh nervous because otherwise Limbutt wouldn’t expend the energy or the cash necessary for the parody. Let’s face it, that’s quite an investment.

Anyway, the thing is, while this blog is not all that intentionally political, there are times when I just can't take the likes of Rush. There are so many things that bother me about him. Like, "Oh, I think I'll take a folk song that was popular with children and turn it into a vehicle for propelling my fat-assed, fascist racist spew even further forward into the housecat masses that listen to my show."

And those housecats, by the way, number almost 20 million.

That means, not only to lots of people LISTEN to Rut, er, Rust, um, Rush, but they actually LIKE it.

But I think he's just fat, old, and in the way.

And that fabulous 70s band, Old and In the Way, featuring -- are you ready? -- Jerry Garcia (banjo and vocals), David Grisman (mando and vocals), Pete Rowan (guitar and vocals), Vassar Clements (fiddle) and John Kahn (acoustic bass), would almost certainly agree.

This old tune just came rushing to mind this afternoon when I saw the article below (presented in part). OINK.

Pig in a Pen

The article from DiversityInc:
Rush Limbaugh yesterday delivered a jaw-dropping video called "Barack, the Magic Negro." ....

The video (watch it here), entitled "U Da Real Negro Al, Screw Obama," was a parody by Paul Shanklin, a well-known conservative political satirist famous for his voice impersonations, who tries to imitate Sharpton's voice and includes a slideshow of images of Sharpton and Barack pointing out the differences in their "blackness." Toward the middle of the video, Shanklin harmonizes "Barack, the Magic Negro," a twist on the 1963 hit song, "Puff, the Magic Dragon" performed by Peter, Paul and Mary, which seeks to suggest that Barack is somehow a manufactured black man.

This would not be the first time Limbaugh has attacked Sharpton and Obama. According to Media Matters, Limbaugh once said the attendance of Democratic presidential candidates at Sharpton's National Action Network (NAN) convention was similar to Republican presidential candidates attending a hypothetical convention of "The Rev. David Duke's—whatever, whatever organization." Media Matters also has reported on Limbaugh constantly referring to Barack Obama as "Obama Osama." Many are now wondering whether this new video footage will warrant the same criticism Imus received.

Limbaugh, like Imus, is the host of an opinionated talk show popular for its right-wing content. "The Rush Limbaugh Show" is a national radio show distributed by Premiere Radio Networks, a division of Clear Channel, with approximately 20 million listeners per week, according to Premiere Radio Network's web site.

During a recent taping of "Paula Zahn Now," Zahn took note of other on-air personalities like Imus who have made similar derogatory remarks, including Limbaugh.

"And while radio host Don Imus calling the Rutgers University women's basketball team 'nappy-headed hos' is certainly beyond the bounds, it is not the first time offensive comments have been spewed on the radio. Conservative Rush Limbaugh, who has offended just about every minority group, drew special criticism for attacking actor Michael J. Fox," she said, recalling Limbaugh's charges that Fox went off his medicine to show the severity of his Parkinson's symptoms in a plea for federal funding of embryonic-stem-cell research.