Limbaugh Fumbles for Response to Accusations of Racial Insensitivity

Today, after conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh responded to critics of his bid to purchase the St.
Louis Rams who have stated that he is "insensitive"
about race by claiming that he is "colorblind" and "treat[s]
everyone equally," Media Matters for
America released research documenting more than two dozen examples
of Limbaugh making racially charged
or race-baiting remarks.

"Rush Limbaugh's claim that he is colorblind is clearly contradicted by his
long history of offensive, racially charged statements," said
Eric Burns, President of Media Matters.
"If he is blind to anything, it's his own record."

BACKGROUND:

Since was reported that Limbaugh was
seeking to buy the NFL's St. Louis Rams, the NFL
Commissioner, the executive
director of the NFL
players' union, and a host of NFL players
and sports journalists
have come forward
to criticize Limbaugh's
bid, citing his history of "divisive comments" and "flat-out
racist" statements.

On
October 12, Limbaugh responded to critics by claiming that he is
"colorblind," "treat[s] everybody equally" and that he
"doesn't see [President Obama] as black," but rather as
"president of the United
States." As Media Matters' research documents, there are at least
28 examples of Limbaugh making racially charged remarks, including:

• "We are being told that we
  have to hope [Obama] succeeds, that we have to bend over, grab the ankles ...
  because his father was black."
• "I do believe" Obama
  is an "angry black guy."
• "[I]n Obama's America,
  the white kids now get beat up with the black kids cheering."
• "Obama's entire economic
  program is reparations."
• Obama is "more African in
  his roots than he is American" and is "behaving like an African
  colonial despot."
• Obama is
  "Halfrican-American."
• "Obama has disowned his
  white half ... he's decided he's got to go all in on the black side."
  
• Sotomayor
  "a reverse racist" appointed by Obama, "the greatest living
  example of a reverse racist."
• Obama "wants
  us to have the same health care and plan that he had in Kenya" and
  "wants to be the black FDR."
• Latching onto LA Times op-ed, Limbaugh sings
  "Barack, The Magic Negro."

• "God does not have a birth certificate.
  Neither does Obama"; Obama "has yet to prove he's a
  citizen."

• Limbaugh on Gates controversy: "Here you have a
  black president trying to destroy a white policeman."

• Limbaugh suggests Obama would not have acted on
  Somali pirates if he'd known they were "actually young, black Muslim
  teenagers."

• Limbaugh suggests Democrats,
  media believe "you can't criticize the little black man-child."
  

• "The government's been taking care of
  [young blacks] their whole lives."

• "The days of [minorities]
  not having any power are over, and they are angry."

• "[M]inorities never do anything for which
  they have to apologize."

• Limbaugh: "The media has been very desirous
  that a black quarterback do well."
• Limbaugh says "NFL all
  too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips."

• Limbaugh declares basketball "the favorite
  sport of gangs."
• Limbaugh invented "racial component"
  to Hackett's decision to withdraw from Ohio primary race.
• Limbaugh on
  Survivor series: "African-American tribe" worst
  swimmers, Hispanics "will do things other people won't do."
• Limbaugh suggested Colin Powell only supported
  Obama because of race.
• Limbaugh: Gates is an "angry racist."
• Limbaugh called illegal immigrants an
  "invasive species."
• Limbaugh repeatedly calls Native Americans
  "Injuns."
• Limbaugh says Democrats' interest in Darfur is
  securing black "voting bloc."
• Limbaugh says that if "feminazis" had
  remembered to oppose "affirmative action for black guys ... they
  wouldn't face the situation they face today."

For more
information, please see: https://mediamatters.org/research/200910130049