Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh slammed President Barack Obama on Sunday, calling him “immature,” "narcissistic," and "inexperienced," in a interview on Fox News.
“He’s a child. I think he’s got a five minute career,” Limbaugh said.
Obviously Limbaugh has a bad concept of what constitutes a short career. A man who was the President of the Harvard Law Review (the first black president), a United States Senator, President of the United States of America (the first black president), AND a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot be compared to a one-hit wonder on the Billboard charts, no matter whether or not you agree with his policies.
But never mind about that.
The "child" comment bothers me tremendously.
Limbaugh seems to be inferring that despite all of his accolades, Obama is inferior; that he would never measure up to be "a man."
His tone hearkens back to when African-American men, no matter how old or no matter how hard working, were publicly disrespected by being referred to as someone who needs supervision from "their betters."
Limbaugh said "child" but I wonder if he meant "boy."
No doubt Limbaugh and his defenders will accuse anyone who bring up the racial connotations of his comments of playing the "race card."
But we all know Limbaugh's history of interjections of racism into situations that didn't even call for them.
If not, maybe someone should ask Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.
And that's the ugly subtlety of some forms of racism. One doesn't have to use the "n-word," or burn crosses but just imply inferiority like Limbaugh did here.
There is an element who just can't wrap their heads around the fact that a black man worked hard, played by the rules, and attained the heights of success.
The black man will continue to be inferior to them, no matter what he says or does.
And the sad thing is that this element isn't the so-called stereotypical racists with the supposed low intellect and colloquial accent.
This element is on Main Street, hiding their ugliness behind code words, talking points, think tank groups, and bad information freely spread by people in need of a therapist more than they need cameras thrust in their faces by "fair and balanced" media figures playing up their fears and hate.
Through his comments, Limbaugh is giving a "wink and a nod" to this element.
