‘Childish things’

“We remain a young nation but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things.”
There have been myriad reactions to President Obama’s inaugural words, from George Will’s claim that President Obama is chiding Americans for their past irresponsible ways, to Bush-bashers seeing the frat-boy Bush as the target of Obama’s remark.

Actually everyone is right. We are all to blame, but Obama is beyond recriminations and finger-pointing. That, he suggested, is in the past. What remains is a new constructive future, for “we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.”

We all know the people that promoted the latter. They were voted out. So the petty grievances, the recriminations and the worn-out dogma are behind us.

It is crystal clear that President Obama is telling us all that we need to grow up and face our responsibility as American citizens. The world is depending upon us to do so, for the stricken are Americans and world citizens alike – young, old and unborn.

Most Americans are eager to contribute to Obama’s success, because his success is the world’s.

A few don’t see it that way.

They would rather see Obama’s failure because it doesn’t fit into their narrow view of life or, in fact, fit into their livelihood.

Rush Limbaugh is such a narcissistic critic. He is a shining example of the negatives that Mr. Obama is citing in his inaugural. And Rush is proud of it.

He has made a career out of character assassination, hate-mongering, distortions, and lies – destroying Clinton was his onerous project. And Rush still has a forum.

Yes, the cigar-chomping, chubby, hypocritical hate monger was rewarded last summer with 400 million dollars to continue spewing his venom across the air waves of America. He was given a new contract that will pay him $38 million per year. That means we will have at least ten more years of his hate-mongering.

That is why he fervently hopes that Obama fails. Right, he actually said that.

He boastfully – and he obviously thinks, heroically -- calls himself “the last man standing.”

Sadly, radio networks couldn’t afford to pay Rush Limbaugh some $40 million a year, if millions didn’t listen to his lies and distortions. During the presidential campaign, the song, “Barack, the Magic Negro,” was one of Limbaugh’s favorites during the presidential campaign.

Rush and his minions go beyond “childish things.”

Millions listen to him, so-called “ditto heads.” They do harm to a critical common cause.

Limbaugh’s discordant shouts and the hateful scorn he begets seem to echo across centuries, always the scourge of peace and unity.

Are Limbaugh and his followers just conscientious dissenters or was Obama addressing them with these words?

“To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”

But how would the neo-conservative, Manichean world characterize this: a struggle of good versus evil?

That certainly makes it clean, self-serving, judgmental, and simple, but does nothing to solve the problem.

Jim Hoover

Huntington Beach