Many of you know that my teenager is a recovering drug addict, who went through out-patient treatment, then spent a couple months wandering through the desert and mountains of southern Utah about a year and a half ago, then went through intensive out-patient treatment, and now is involved in AA, attending meetings at least six days a week, working hard on his sobriety and his life, part of which is helping others fight their demons.
A few years ago, I would catch snippets of Rush Limbaugh's radio show from time to time. It was hard to listen to him. Consequently, I haven't listened to that show in a few years. I didn't like his philosophy or his political leanings. William Brennan, former U.S. Supreme Court justice, had a definition for obscenity: "I know it when I see it."
I found Rush Limbaugh's rantings and ravings obscene. I chose to turn him off. That's how I feel about Rush Limbaugh.
And I haven't paid attention to his travails. I know he admitted to having an addiction problem. I have represented a few Oxycontin addicts, not having been arrested for being addicts, but for other things. One guy who had prescription pads that were stolen from a doctor's office and forged, trying to obtain the drug from a dozen pharmacies, was indicted for several dozen offenses. Another altered prescriptions, adding a zero to the number of pills that the physician prescribed. Blue ink and black ink are distinguishable, as are photocopies another person tried to pass off as real. Taking grandma to get pain prescriptions works, but taking each of your kids in with sprained ankles doesn't. I could go on. Addicts go to great lengths, whether or not rational, to feed the monkey. Have they committed crimes? In our present system, you bet. Many get treatment as a part of the legal process; many go to prison, where they have little problem getting drugs.
Stacey turned me on to a couple articles on CNN.com about the D.A. getting search warrants to obtain Rush Limbaugh's medical records to determine whether Limbaugh was breaking the law.
I'm on Rush Limbaugh's side on this one. It seems as if he's getting a dose of his own ultra-conservative philosophy, and I could easily jump on the anti-Rush-Limbaugh bandwagon and say it serves him right.
It doesn't serve Rush Limbaugh, and it doesn't serve many in the same predicament. The answer is not arresting Rush Limbaugh or even spending gobs of cash from the public coffers to investigate, especially after he has admitted that he is an addict and has been through an extensive treatment program. Okay, maybe he broke the law. Maybe he didn't. Should our scarce resources be spent on prosecuting Rush Limbaugh and others like him, whether they be rich, poor, and middle class, or on programs to treat individuals with addictions.
Is prosecution of Rush Limbaugh or any of the others I mentioned the human thing to do? What are we doing with the modern theory of addiction -- disregarding it and seeking to imprison addicts? Where is our compassion?
Posted by Bill at December 20, 2003 11:31 PMYours is a rational and understanding voice from the wilderness.
Posted by: Philip at December 21, 2003 07:23 PMJust one thing to say on this: He said that drug addicts do not deserve help, and then he got caught, that was the only satisfaction I needed.
Posted by: Jeff A at December 21, 2003 11:48 PMyeah. that self-loathing thing. now i'm thinking he's a closet homosexual, a closet liberal, a closet feminist. hmmm.
Posted by: stacey at December 22, 2003 07:33 AMAre you SURE you are an attorney? I mean really, you are giving attorney's a really bad wrap here. Before you know it, people are going to be accusing attorney's of having a heart, being compassionate, and actually looking AT THE BIG PICTURE... do you want that on your hands?
**nods in agreement to everything you said**
-d
I haven't listened to Rush in ages, so I don't know what he's like now. Does *he* have compassion for addicts now? Has *he* changed his opinions of others and become less judgmental? I hope that this situation has changed him for the better.
Posted by: pink lotus at December 22, 2003 04:42 PM