Clear Channel Removes Rush Limbaugh 'Straight Shooter' Billboard
In a statement to Talking Points Memo, Clear Channel wrote:
"Starting several weeks before the recent tragic incident in Tucson, Clear Channel Outdoor had been displaying an ad campaign created by a local Tucson talk radio station to promote its broadcasts of Rush Limbaugh's nationally syndicated radio program. This particular ad - which used the common expression 'straight shooter' to describe Mr. Limbaugh's candid and direct style -- was designed and contracted for by the local station's promotion department - not by Mr. Limbaugh's program. In the wake of the tragedy, Clear Channel Outdoor management in Tucson quickly elected to take down this ad - believing that discussion of its interpretation would not contribute to the desire for healing in the Tucson community."
Previously...
Photo: Rush Limbaugh 'Straight Shooter' Billboard [tr]
About time. But Limbaugh won't change his show.
Posted by: Matt26 | Jan 14, 2011 8:46:06 AM
Thank heaven. Now can we get rid of those disgusting signs they also have up for Beck and Hannity?
I've flipped those signs off on the way to work I don't know how many times. It's like advertising water or electricity ... if you want to listen, you know you can find them by dialing up and down the radio till you hear the hate.
I don't need to be reminded of their hate every morning on the way to work.
Yes, I live in Tucson.
Posted by: craig | Jan 14, 2011 8:55:22 AM
Maybe they were afraid some right-wing wacko would get the idea that El'Rushbo wanted him to shoot straights. These people are domestic terrorists, plain and simple.
Posted by: Dave | Jan 14, 2011 8:55:22 AM
I guess they decided to retreat rather than reload after all.
Posted by: christopher | Jan 14, 2011 8:59:34 AM
To a British ear such as mine there is usually a real delight in the fresh, powerful and direct way in which Americans use our shared language - it is why most of the great post war english language writers have been American.
However sometimes your use of language can betray signs that go beyond vitality and instead become suggestive of violence and oppression.
The language of Wall Street has long become quite nasty and even, dare one say, a litle facist in tone.
Over the last few years the language of your political debate has shown signs of going the same way. This is a shame and a great loss not just for the US but for all English speaking democracies.
At its best American English has a clarity, potentcy and simple power that is unmatched. There was real beauty to the President's speech at the memorial.
The childish gun talk of adverts such as this and the crude language of Mrs Palin has been put to shame by a reminder from your president of how American English can shine and speak to all types of people.
Cherish that speech; it will live on and hopefully its magic will put to flight the other baser language.
Posted by: arch | Jan 14, 2011 9:19:54 AM
I pray that you are correct Arch...
Posted by: Dave | Jan 14, 2011 9:43:41 AM
Arch, I agree. The contrast between Palin and Obama, the far right and the rest of us, couldn't have been clearer than following this incident and the day of the memorial.
Posted by: Wes | Jan 14, 2011 10:02:58 AM
Kind words, Arch. If it's any consolation, British accents are incredibly sexy, while many Americans speak with regional quirks that can greatly mar the beauty of US English!
Not to mention, the British education system puts far more emphasis on grammar and proper use of language, so most Brits (even ignoring the accents) don't go around talking like morons and even taking pride in their mangled English.
Posted by: Paul R | Jan 14, 2011 10:43:46 AM
Told you. :D
Posted by: ophu | Jan 14, 2011 12:16:50 PM
Clear Channel should be embarrassed that they continue to promote this lunatic (and give him millions of dollars a year).
They censored various songs after 9/11, but they promote hatred consistently on these shows.
Shame on Clear Channel!
Posted by: TonyJ | Jan 14, 2011 12:58:05 PM
The hasty retreat of the guilty.
Posted by: Randy | Jan 14, 2011 1:50:33 PM
This sign is so interesting on several levels. It is even better that it wasn't Rush that made it and put it up. That someone else interpreted what their own perception of Rush and his views are in this way absolutely proves the exact point being made about how speech influences others. Rush tried to distance himself and denied any culpability, but here is concrete evidence that his words inspire violence tinged images in the mind of others. Further, that the ad people and billboard people thought it would be ok shows that they believe their community would respond well to this type of imagery and that the community would 'get the message' it was sending. This is all too perfect, and should be kept on file for future use.
And, the phrase "straight-shooter" means exactly that - the message is loud and clear "We are armed, straight white men who will blast you away for tearing down our god-fearing way of life."
Posted by: Mark | Jan 14, 2011 2:51:46 PM
How about: "Listen to Rush. He never misses."
Maybe I can work for that ad company.
Posted by: Guns R Cool | Jan 14, 2011 5:44:50 PM
As said on TYT the other day, if that billboard is anything to go by, Rush can't shoot straight at all
Posted by: ravewulf | Jan 14, 2011 11:15:23 PM
First, what does Rush think about this? You can bet that news of this has reached his ears...
Second, you make a beautiful point Arch, and I fully agree with your sentiments. Unfortunately we are seeing a change in society where extremism thrives, where people are demanding that others fall into step with their philosophies, not just in terms of how they think but also in how they live. Anyone who falls outside of this narrow way of thinking is immediately branded "the enemy," and that's when the hateful rhetoric starts to get thrown about.
I haven't seen a truly civil discourse in the past 12 years among political pundits and the talking heads that support them. Instead we not only see hate speech become the talk of the day, but we also hear them use God and misinterpreted religious text as a means to justify their toxic hate.
I'll be the first one to stand up and say that I believe in free speech. As much as it distresses me to hear and read these terrible comments from the extremist conservative movement, I maintain that they have the legal right to say those very things. What we need to do is to try to find a way to "turn down the volume" on the hateful rhetoric that is poisoning our airwaves instead of trying to shout over it and drown it out.
Posted by: Ben Ragunton | Aug 31, 2011 9:35:16 AM