I first heard Rush Limbaugh in 1988 on KFI AM radio as I drove through SoCal traffic from Moreno Valley to Anaheim and back every week, Monday through Friday. Those of you who’ve lived in Southern California know how that commute along the 91 freeway provides plenty of slowdown time where there isn’t much else to do but listen to the radio.
I was 28 years-old, married with two little boys and a little girl on the way and just living life day to day, working to provide for my small but growing family. I had no real political identity at the time other than I voted for Ronald Reagan twice.
To be honest I can’t remember how I discovered Limbaugh. Whether someone recommended tuning in or if I just stumbled onto him one day, but I remember how his words resonated with the principles and values I had always held and believed in and I was hooked. It was his understanding of the founding principles of our nation, the founders themselves through their writings, and the documents they crafted to create the greatest and freest nation on earth, that ultimately won my admiration. Not all of his opinions aligned perfectly with mine. Sometimes we even disagreed, though usually such disagreements were on his chosen delivery or the stinging way in which he sometimes made his point. I understand why he delivered his daily monolog and opinions the way he did and it could come across as rude, belittling, or sarcastic, (for those listening in Loma Linda) but it got your attention and if you could get past the showmanship and not be offended, you’d learn something.
It was Rush Limbaugh who helped me solidify my identity as a political conservative.
I know his sarcasm and criticism coupled with his staunch unrelenting conservative positions rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. His detractors and haters are many, but what human being throughout recorded history who wasn’t afraid to stand on their convictions, on principle, and what he or she believed was right and true to their last dying breath, didn’t have haters? I’ve always maintained the real haters, those who sickeningly and despicably celebrated today, never listened to his shows. Never listened long enough to understand the context in his opinions or the depth of his analysis, which always circled back (Jen are you listening?) to the profound conservative principles he so thoroughly understood and taught. I’m confident they only listened to the carefully chosen sound bites fed to them by their chosen like-minded media and the pundits who interpreted Limbaugh’s words for them.
Their loss.
Needless to say he was a lightening rod.
The announcement of his passing today by his wife Kathryn, who took the microphone in his place was, sadly, not unexpected. It was just too soon. He hadn’t been on-air for a full week at time in a while and then, during what would be his final on-air appearance, the weakness from the illness that was slowly eating away at his lungs could be heard in his voice. He apologized to his audience for his periodic coughs or need to clear his throat, but he pushed through and gave his fans 3 solid hours of pure Rush.
Back in December Rush said this to his listeners, “The day’s gonna come folks when I’m not gonna be able to do this. I don’t know when that is. I want to be able to do it for as long as I want to do it and I want you to understand that, even when that day comes, I’d like to be here. ‘Cause I have this sense of needing to constantly show my appreciation for all that you have done and meant to me.” Rush genuinely loved his audience.
Rush Limbaugh single handedly changed radio. He created and grew a medium while providing the personality, charisma, and style necessary to catapult conservatism into the mainstream and help millions come to know and understand those principles in their purest unapologetic form. He is solely responsible for bringing millions of Americans into the conservative movement and for schooling millions of Liberals on who and what we really are.
I am proud to be counted in his audience and among his fans. He was not a perfect man. He admitted and reflected on his flaws but he never dwelt on them and he never let them define him. He was unabashedly optimistic and confident. He fought through his trials and came away better for them and he encouraged his listeners to do the same in our own lives.
Today God decided it was time to take the talent back, but He couldn’t do it without taking the man.
Heaven is better for it.
Thank you Mr. Limbaugh. God rest your soul.