Bill Maher Calls Out Rush Limbaugh Boycotters

[DKW 86 7,410]

What happen to the Dixie chicks was that their fan base left them. A real direct boycott by fans meaning lower record sales, cancelled concerts, with sponsors dropping later. If their fans had stayed, the sponsors would have.

What happen to Limbaugh was a organized targeted effort by certain groups to get his national sponsors and local sponsors at local radio station to drop their sponsorship. Several of them did drop out because they feared any negative publicity. Many businesses are afraid of losing a small percentage of sales. His fans really never left him.

Are both efforts free speech, yes, but a small well funded group of political activists went after Limbaugh. The Dixie chicks boycott was grass roots. Limbaugh is still around with old and new sponsors and his fan base, the Dixie Chicks never really recovered their earlier success.

In the terms of the PC crowd:

Dixie Chicks was a grass roots turning away of fans from artists.

Limbaugh Boycott is a highly organized astroturf event organized by political hacks.

[AUDub 11,131]

What happen to the Dixie chicks was that their fan base left them. A real direct boycott by fans meaning lower record sales, cancelled concerts, with sponsors dropping later. If their fans had stayed, the sponsors would have.

What happen to Limbaugh was a organized targeted effort by certain groups to get his national sponsors and local sponsors at local radio station to drop their sponsorship. Several of them did drop out because they feared any negative publicity. Many businesses are afraid of losing a small percentage of sales. His fans really never left him.

Are both efforts free speech, yes, but a small well funded group of political activists went after Limbaugh. The Dixie chicks boycott was grass roots. Limbaugh is still around with old and new sponsors and his fan base, the Dixie Chicks never really recovered their earlier success.

Dixie Chicks boycott was part fan base, part corporate. They couldn't get on country radio anymore due to corporate decisions.

Yep. Clear Channel yanked them after the comments were made public.

[homersapien 11,352]

What happen to the Dixie chicks was that their fan base left them. A real direct boycott by fans meaning lower record sales, cancelled concerts, with sponsors dropping later. If their fans had stayed, the sponsors would have.

What happen to Limbaugh was a organized targeted effort by certain groups to get his national sponsors and local sponsors at local radio station to drop their sponsorship. Several of them did drop out because they feared any negative publicity. Many businesses are afraid of losing a small percentage of sales. His fans really never left him.

Are both efforts free speech, yes, but a small well funded group of political activists went after Limbaugh. The Dixie chicks boycott was grass roots. Limbaugh is still around with old and new sponsors and his fan base, the Dixie Chicks never really recovered their earlier success.

Is there a point in there?

[homersapien 11,352]

What happen to the Dixie chicks was that their fan base left them. A real direct boycott by fans meaning lower record sales, cancelled concerts, with sponsors dropping later. If their fans had stayed, the sponsors would have.

What happen to Limbaugh was a organized targeted effort by certain groups to get his national sponsors and local sponsors at local radio station to drop their sponsorship. Several of them did drop out because they feared any negative publicity. Many businesses are afraid of losing a small percentage of sales. His fans really never left him.

Are both efforts free speech, yes, but a small well funded group of political activists went after Limbaugh. The Dixie chicks boycott was grass roots. Limbaugh is still around with old and new sponsors and his fan base, the Dixie Chicks never really recovered their earlier success.

Dixie Chicks boycott was part fan base, part corporate. They couldn't get on country radio anymore due to corporate decisions.

Yep. Clear Channel yanked them after the comments were made public.

Why, that's a suppression of free speech!

[AUDub 11,131]

I am not the one having the problem defining free speech. Sadly, you are as lost as a goose on this one.

Wear your ignorance of the matter like a badge of honor, then. No skin off my back.

I personally think you're hilarious. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were punking us.

[DKW 86 7,410]

What happen to the Dixie chicks was that their fan base left them. A real direct boycott by fans meaning lower record sales, cancelled concerts, with sponsors dropping later. If their fans had stayed, the sponsors would have.

What happen to Limbaugh was a organized targeted effort by certain groups to get his national sponsors and local sponsors at local radio station to drop their sponsorship. Several of them did drop out because they feared any negative publicity. Many businesses are afraid of losing a small percentage of sales. His fans really never left him.

Are both efforts free speech, yes, but a small well funded group of political activists went after Limbaugh. The Dixie chicks boycott was grass roots. Limbaugh is still around with old and new sponsors and his fan base, the Dixie Chicks never really recovered their earlier success.

and neither were arrested or charged or accused of a crime. Which nullifies the use of "freedom of speech " to describe what happened.

If you actually believe that then:

1) You must be fine with a better financed entity, they could even be an illegal or corrupt entity, being able to silence other Free Speech rights.

2) Do you realize that you now have forfeited the right to criticize Citizens United?

CU actually says that those with money can buy all the Free Speech they want, but they cannot silence/take away the Free Speech Rights of others.

[homersapien 11,352]

What happen to the Dixie chicks was that their fan base left them. A real direct boycott by fans meaning lower record sales, cancelled concerts, with sponsors dropping later. If their fans had stayed, the sponsors would have.

What happen to Limbaugh was a organized targeted effort by certain groups to get his national sponsors and local sponsors at local radio station to drop their sponsorship. Several of them did drop out because they feared any negative publicity. Many businesses are afraid of losing a small percentage of sales. His fans really never left him.

Are both efforts free speech, yes, but a small well funded group of political activists went after Limbaugh. The Dixie chicks boycott was grass roots. Limbaugh is still around with old and new sponsors and his fan base, the Dixie Chicks never really recovered their earlier success.

and neither were arrested or charged or accused of a crime. Which nullifies the use of "freedom of speech " to describe what happened.

If you actually believe that then:

1) You must be fine with a better financed entity, they could even be an illegal or corrupt entity, being able to silence other Free Speech rights.

2) Do you realize that you now have forfeited the right to criticize Citizens United?

CU actually says that those with money can buy all the Free Speech they want, but they cannot silence/take away the Free Speech Rights of others.

Man you are confused.

The only way a private entity could be guilty of infringing Limbaugh's freedom of speech is if they did something illegal, like extortion. Simply putting advertisers on notice there is a contingency that disagree with Limbaugh's statements does not infringe any rights. Neither would protesting outside of the advertiser's business.

Now, threatening to bomb businesses that support Limbaugh (for example) could clearly be argued as a case of illegal suppression of speech.

[DKW 86 7,410]

Calling them as i see them...

[cptau 169]

What happen to the Dixie chicks was that their fan base left them. A real direct boycott by fans meaning lower record sales, cancelled concerts, with sponsors dropping later. If their fans had stayed, the sponsors would have.

What happen to Limbaugh was a organized targeted effort by certain groups to get his national sponsors and local sponsors at local radio station to drop their sponsorship. Several of them did drop out because they feared any negative publicity. Many businesses are afraid of losing a small percentage of sales. His fans really never left him.

Are both efforts free speech, yes, but a small well funded group of political activists went after Limbaugh. The Dixie chicks boycott was grass roots. Limbaugh is still around with old and new sponsors and his fan base, the Dixie Chicks never really recovered their earlier success.

Is there a point in there?

One is grass roots boycott, the other a political attack.

[cptau 169]

What happen to the Dixie chicks was that their fan base left them. A real direct boycott by fans meaning lower record sales, cancelled concerts, with sponsors dropping later. If their fans had stayed, the sponsors would have.

What happen to Limbaugh was a organized targeted effort by certain groups to get his national sponsors and local sponsors at local radio station to drop their sponsorship. Several of them did drop out because they feared any negative publicity. Many businesses are afraid of losing a small percentage of sales. His fans really never left him.

Are both efforts free speech, yes, but a small well funded group of political activists went after Limbaugh. The Dixie chicks boycott was grass roots. Limbaugh is still around with old and new sponsors and his fan base, the Dixie Chicks never really recovered their earlier success.

Dixie Chicks boycott was part fan base, part corporate. They couldn't get on country radio anymore due to corporate decisions.

Yep. Clear Channel yanked them after the comments were made public.

Actually Limbaugh dumped Cumulus Media stations over failed contract negotiations and moved his show to use more Clear Channel stations. Clear Channel owns the company that syndicates the show. Using Cumulus affiliates was helping a competitor.

[TexasTiger 12,800]

Calling them as i see them...

Get some help.

[homersapien 11,352]

What happen to the Dixie chicks was that their fan base left them. A real direct boycott by fans meaning lower record sales, cancelled concerts, with sponsors dropping later. If their fans had stayed, the sponsors would have.

What happen to Limbaugh was a organized targeted effort by certain groups to get his national sponsors and local sponsors at local radio station to drop their sponsorship. Several of them did drop out because they feared any negative publicity. Many businesses are afraid of losing a small percentage of sales. His fans really never left him.

Are both efforts free speech, yes, but a small well funded group of political activists went after Limbaugh. The Dixie chicks boycott was grass roots. Limbaugh is still around with old and new sponsors and his fan base, the Dixie Chicks never really recovered their earlier success.

Is there a point in there?

One is grass roots boycott, the other a political attack.

Oh puleeze. :-\ That's a distinction without a difference.

I remember the Dixie Chicks incident very clearly. Talk radio and conservative cable TV were hyping it like crazy.

Now, if you want to argue that there are lots more "common conservative folk" that can be easily riled up over such an "issue" compared to the number of liberals that are going to actively respond to a Rush Limbaugh advertiser boycott, then I would agree.

[AUDub 11,131]

For snubbing me in your cute little macro, DKW:

[homersapien 11,352]

Calling them as i see them...

You don't have to tell us that. You lost our benefit of doubt long ago.

[alexava 6,973]

What happen to the Dixie chicks was that their fan base left them. A real direct boycott by fans meaning lower record sales, cancelled concerts, with sponsors dropping later. If their fans had stayed, the sponsors would have.

What happen to Limbaugh was a organized targeted effort by certain groups to get his national sponsors and local sponsors at local radio station to drop their sponsorship. Several of them did drop out because they feared any negative publicity. Many businesses are afraid of losing a small percentage of sales. His fans really never left him.

Are both efforts free speech, yes, but a small well funded group of political activists went after Limbaugh. The Dixie chicks boycott was grass roots. Limbaugh is still around with old and new sponsors and his fan base, the Dixie Chicks never really recovered their earlier success.

and neither were arrested or charged or accused of a crime. Which nullifies the use of "freedom of speech " to describe what happened.

If you actually believe that then:

1) You must be fine with a better financed entity, they could even be an illegal or corrupt entity, being able to silence other Free Speech rights.

2) Do you realize that you now have forfeited the right to criticize Citizens United?

CU actually says that those with money can buy all the Free Speech they want, but they cannot silence/take away the Free Speech Rights of others.

rush is still free to say wtf he wants. He still does until it hurts his advertisement deals. That is his choice. Nobody silenced him. Just made people aware of what companies support his hate.

[TitanTiger 20,468]

What happen to the Dixie chicks was that their fan base left them. A real direct boycott by fans meaning lower record sales, cancelled concerts, with sponsors dropping later. If their fans had stayed, the sponsors would have.

What happen to Limbaugh was a organized targeted effort by certain groups to get his national sponsors and local sponsors at local radio station to drop their sponsorship. Several of them did drop out because they feared any negative publicity. Many businesses are afraid of losing a small percentage of sales. His fans really never left him.

Are both efforts free speech, yes, but a small well funded group of political activists went after Limbaugh. The Dixie chicks boycott was grass roots. Limbaugh is still around with old and new sponsors and his fan base, the Dixie Chicks never really recovered their earlier success.

Dixie Chicks boycott was part fan base, part corporate. They couldn't get on country radio anymore due to corporate decisions.

Exactly true. It went far beyond fans not buying music or going to concerts. It became an organized call for tour sponsors and radio stations not to sponsor or play their music.

[WarTim 3,456]

Calling them as i see them...

Very well played sir...and hilarious!!!

Calling them as i see them...

Very well played sir...and hilarious!!!

[AURaptor 1,121]

[R]ush is still free to say wtf he wants. He still does until it hurts his advertisement deals. That is his choice. Nobody silenced him. Just made people aware of what companies support his hate.

Nobody silenced him, but not for lack of trying.

Thinking of a list of sponsors who advertise on Rush's show, I can't think of a one which I am a patron. Somethings I agree with, not so much on others. His humor is at times left wanting, but I still listen.

He doesn't 'hate'. That's such a empty , simplistic word tossed around by the Left when they can't or are incapable of debating someone or something.

it really is tiresome when that's all they can come up with to bash Rush.

[WarTim 3,456]

Not a "regular listener" of his program. Can anyone give examples of "hate speech" on his part? Anyone? A n y o n e ???

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

What happen to the Dixie chicks was that their fan base left them. A real direct boycott by fans meaning lower record sales, cancelled concerts, with sponsors dropping later. If their fans had stayed, the sponsors would have.

What happen to Limbaugh was a organized targeted effort by certain groups to get his national sponsors and local sponsors at local radio station to drop their sponsorship. Several of them did drop out because they feared any negative publicity. Many businesses are afraid of losing a small percentage of sales. His fans really never left him.

Are both efforts free speech, yes, but a small well funded group of political activists went after Limbaugh. The Dixie chicks boycott was grass roots. Limbaugh is still around with old and new sponsors and his fan base, the Dixie Chicks never really recovered their earlier success.

Dixie Chicks boycott was part fan base, part corporate. They couldn't get on country radio anymore due to corporate decisions.

Exactly true. It went far beyond fans not buying music or going to concerts. It became an organized call for tour sponsors and radio stations not to sponsor or play their music.

Despite numerous clarifications and apologies from Natalie Maines and the Dixie Chicks, a full on boycott of their music was called for by pro-Bush, pro-war, and pro-American groups. Their single “Landslide” went from #10 on the Billboard charts, to #44 in 1 week, and the next week fell off the charts completely. Radio stations who played any Dixie Chicks songs were immediately bombarded with phone calls and emails blasting the station and threats of boycotts if they continued. Even radio DJ’s and programmers who sympathized with the Dixie Chicks were forced to stop playing them from the simple logistics nightmare the boycott created. Some DJ’s who played the Dixie Chicks were fired.

Dixie Chicks CD’s were rounded up, and in one famous incident were run over by a bulldozer. Concerts were canceled in the US as the Dixie Chicks couldn’t sell tickets, and rival concerts were set up that would take Dixie Chicks tickets in exchange. The Dixie Chicks lost their sponsor Lipton, and The Red Cross denied a million dollar endorsement from the band, fearing it would draw the ire of the boycott. The Dixie Chicks also received hundreds of death threats from the incident.

http://www.savingcountrymusic.com/destroying-the-dixie-chicks-ten-years-after

[AURaptor 1,121]

Not a "regular listener" of his program. Can anyone give examples of "hate speech" on his part? Anyone? A n y o n e ???

It's an empty claim, and Rush's detractors know it. Had he been so full of " hate ", his show wouldn't have lasted some 25 years.

[cole256 17,039]

OK, if you want to be picky, none of them have anything to do with suppression of free speech, PERIOD.

And if you want to make outrageous assertions like the above, you need to include an example or reference to back your claim.

(And please define "They" while you are at it.)

You're wrong, they all do. PERIOD.

I gave you examples. I'm sorry if you can't follow the discussion.

"THEY" = those very folks I made examples of when, I posted the said examples.

Well, like that's just your opinion man. An opinion you can't even support with examples or references.

I've already supported it, many times over, in this thread.

Do YOU defend every opinion you have ? Wheat or Rye bread ? DEFEND IT !

What the....

[WarTim 3,456]

Hmmm...STILL WAITING. The silence is deafening and very telling. Anyone?

[AUDub 11,131]

Sure thing, Tim.

1. He called children on assisted lunches “wanton little waifs and serfs.” Source
   
2. He called Sandra Fluke a “slut” and “prostitute” when she advocated for birth control.
   
   
3. He called undocumented immigrants “invasive species,” “mollusks,” and “spermatozoa.” Source
   
4. He compared gay marriage to pedophilia. Source
   
5. He denies guns play any role in domestic violence fatalities. Source
   
6. He joked about “pressure cookers” a day after Boston Bombs.
   
   
7. He linked lesbians with obesity and alcoholism. Source
   
8. He mocked the Chinese president and the Chinese language, inciting racial threats. Source
   
9. He mocked the cries of children afraid to die, as did those in the Sandy Hook massacre. Source
   
10. He mocked and accused Michael J. Fox of faking his Parkinson Disease.
    
    
11. He never served, yet called soldiers who supported Iraqi withdrawal “phony soldiers.” Source
    
12. He promoted the myth that abortions cause cancer. Source
    
13. He asked who was black lawmaker, Sheila Jackson Lee’s slave owner? Source
    
14. He referred to a transgender as “Add-A-Dick-To-Me-Babe.” Source
    
15. He referred to U.S. guards torturing Iraqis as “having a good time.” Source
    
16. He said AIDS was caused by promiscuity and would not spread to heterosexuals. Source
    
17. He said all composite pictures of wanted criminals resemble Jesse Jackson. Source Source
    
18. He said an abortion could be stopped if it occurred with a gun. Source
    
19. He said deep down women actually hope for sexual harassment. Source
    
20. He said feminism was created to allow ugly women a place in society. Source
    
21. He said he hoped President Obama would fail in his presidency. Source
    
22. He said illegal drug users should be ‘sent up.’. He never served time for his drug arrest. Source
    
23. He said Mexican undocumented immigrants are unwilling to work. Source
    
24. He said Obama’s “regime” is “tribalizing” America. (Racism meets Nazism.) Source
    
25. He inferred pro-choice advocates want abortions to happen. Source
    
26. He said same-sex marriage could lead to sex with a child. Source
    
27. He said said he learned about women from his cat (gag alert). Source
    
28. He said, “We need to call Guantanamo a Muslim resort.” (Sociopath) Source
    
29. He sang “Barack The Magic Negro” to “Puff The Magic Dragon.” (very racist audio) Source
    
30. He showed photos comparing Chelsea Clinton to a dog when she was 13-years-old. Source
    
31. He suggested Hilary Clinton had Vince Foster murdered. Source
    
32. He told Sandra Fluke he wanted her to videotape/post her sex online so he could watch.
    
    
33. He told a black female to take the bone out of her nose and call him back. Source
    

[AURaptor 1,121]

Rush did none of those things

But nice try.