Republicans don't care about suffering of victims of Parkinson's disease

[bigtree]

Heartlessness
Michael J. Fox is an example of how we should all be living our lives. Rush Limbaugh’s nasty stem-cell-ad response is not.

By Patti Davis
Newsweek
Updated: 1 hour, 22 minutes ago

Oct. 25, 2006 - When I was a kid, I was once being teased relentlessly by a bully at school, and I faked being sick to stay home and avoid him. My parents knew I was faking (the thermometer under hot water trick didn’t work) but they also knew something was wrong. My father came into my room to talk to me, and I willingly confessed. He patiently explained to me that the best way to deal with a bully was to totally ignore him—treat him as if he is invisible. Because all bullies really want is attention.

I got it right back then. I returned to school, ignored the persistent bully, and he backed off. I seem less able to do that now when a bully by the name of Rush Limbaugh has accused Michael J. Fox of faking the symptoms of Parkinson’s (OK, he actually said “acting”) for political purposes. Fox, who could easily be held blameless if he reacted with rage and vitriol, has exhibited grace and dignity, ignoring the blathering accusations of the radio host and expressing appreciation that, just two weeks before the midterm elections, we are discussing stem-cell research. We could all learn from the way the actor has responded to cruelty; certainly I can.

Fox, stricken with Parkinson’s disease while still in his 30s, has not shied away from public view or expressed any self-pity or anger at the hand fate has dealt him. In fact, he has called himself “lucky”—for the unwavering love of his family, a career he can be proud of and the opportunity to use his fame to bring attention to the miracles that stem-cell treatment holds for people afflicted with many diseases, including Parkinson’s. He has demonstrated courage, generosity and compassion.

Limbaugh, on the other hand, flagrantly broke the law by procuring large amounts of drugs and then escaped the punishment that someone who is not white, wealthy and famous would have gotten. He spends his time insulting people and gets paid handsomely to do so; now we have seen that even those with serious diseases don’t get a reprieve from his cruel bluster. And his apology doesn’t cancel out the nastiness of his original comment.

While I am obviously not ignoring Limbaugh, I am determined to focus more of my attention on Fox, because he is an example of how all of us should live our lives. There will always be cruelty in the world, there will always be bullies. How we respond is what matters. There are loftier goals than mudslinging. The people we will remember years from now are those who kept walking calmly and kindly through the worst mudslinging, who kept their attention on the changes they wished to make in the world and who treated others with compassion even when they were being abused.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15417821/site/newsweek/


http://journals.democraticunderground.com/bigtree

[Lex]

1. Here is an example of what a right-winger said

on the youtube site underneath the Rightwing Hollywood (No Talent) Response ad:

"Too bad for twitchy Fox, we aren't going to kill babies to feed his hellish appetite. He shouldn't have snorted so much coke if he didn't want the parkinson boogie."

[unpossibles]

4. OMG their ignorance astounds me sometimes n/t

[Chipper Chat]

2. Republicans are bullies.

No finer example than this cruel dissing of Michael J Fox from their unofficial White House spokesman. Christopher Reeve's outspoken rhetoric was frowned upon by the right. Hell, even Yul Brynner's "please dont smoke" commercial back in the 60s was probably looked at with contempt by Jesse Helms.

[mcscajun]

3. That's a beautiful piece of writing. Patti Davis "gets it" in a way

that Rush Limbaugh never will.

As Ms. Davis put it later in the article "There are no stem cells, though, that can cure heartlessness."

And that is precisely the disorder with which he and others of his ilk (not all Republicans but many, unfortunately) are afflicted. They know who they are, and so do we.

[bloom]

5. If everyone ignored the bullies - that would be something.

Unfortunately Limbaugh gets plenty of attention and money for his hate and nonsense.


I won't listen to his show, myself. As a matter of principle.