During his State of the Union address on Tuesday, President Trump shocked millions across America by awarding conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh with the country's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Limbaugh, who has rabidly supported Trump since before his presidency, was described by the president as a "special man" who has shown "tireless devotion to our country" over his nearly 50-year radio career.
Limbaugh may have shown this devotion to Trump, but he has made it abundantly clear that his loyalty extends only to a select few. During his career, he has made demeaning comments toward African Americans, women, the LGBTQ community, immigrants, Native Americans, and the impoverished, just to name a few. Limbaugh has made a career of bringing people down and by no means represents any significant portion of Americans. His receipt of the Medal of Freedom is nothing short of an insult to previous recipients who actually earned the award through honorable acts.
To this end, here are 23 of Limbaugh's comments that should have instantly disqualified him from receiving the highest civilian honor in the land.
”Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream of society.”
“I think it’s time to get rid of this whole National Basketball Association. Call it the TBA, the Thug Basketball Association, and stop calling them teams. Call ‘em gangs.”
“Women still live longer than men because their lives are easier.”
“Look it, let me put it to you this way. The NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There, I said it.”
“Everything in Africa’s called AIDS. The reason is they get aid money for it. AIDS is the biggest pile of-the biggest pot they throw money into.”
“Liberals should not be allowed to buy guns, nor should they be allowed to use computer keyboards or typewriters, word processors or e-mails, and they should have their speech controlled."
"I love the women’s movement, especially when walking behind it.”
“What does it say about the college co-ed [Sandra] Fluke who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she must be paid to have sex — what does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute.”
“When a gay person turns his back on you, it is anything but an insult — it’s an invitation.”
"I’m not saying we should bring [slavery] back, I’m just saying it had its merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark.”
“[African-Americans are] 12 percent of the population. Who the hell cares?”
“Enraging liberals is simply one of the more enjoyable side effects of my wisdom.”
“How many of you guys, in your own experience with women, have learned that no means yes if you know how to spot it?”
“When women got the right to vote is when it all went downhill. Because that’s when votes started being cast with emotion and uh, maternal instincts that government ought to reflect...”
“I think this reason why girls don't do well on multiple-choice tests goes all the way back to the Bible, all the way back to Genesis, Adam and Eve. God said, 'All right, Eve, multiple choice or multiple orgasms, what's it going to be?' We all know what was chosen.”
“Have you ever noticed how all composite pictures of wanted criminals resemble Jesse Jackson?”
“Ladies, if you want a happy marriage, then do whatever your husband tells you without questioning his authority.”
"We need segregated buses."
"So, Miss Fluke, and the rest of you feminazis, here's the deal. If we are going to pay for your contraceptives and thus pay for you to have sex, we want something. We want you to post the videos online so we can all watch."
"If you feed them, if you feed the children, three square meals a day during the school year, how can you expect them to feed themselves in the summer? Wanton little waifs and serfs dependent on the State."
"There is a language of the ghetto. There is a language of the barrio. And it's not good."
"[Senator Hillary Clinton] sounds like a screeching ex-wife."
"She's smart enough to know she can't feed herself. She's actually a very smart cat. She gets loved. She gets adoration. She gets petted. She gets fed. And she doesn't have to do anything for it, which is why I say this cat's taught me more about women, than anything my whole life."
