Limbaugh led right-wing coarsening

To the editor:Not too long ago Democrats, Republicans, liberals and conservatives actually respected each other. They may not have agreed on the issues or shared the same values, but they knew that the others were also Americans, and they generally respected them and their views. Politicians working from such an underlying attitude of mutual respect worked to find common ground rather than emphasizing partisanship. To say the least, this has changed.

A big part of the change has been the advent of right-wing talk radio, which began in earnest with Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh coarsened civil discourse on a massive scale as he daily demonized liberals, feminists, environmentalists, intellectuals, unions and anyone else who did not toe his ideological line. Millions, especially disenchanted white males, identified with Limbaugh's anger, arrogance and easy answers. His dubious role model allowed them to forgo thought in favor of ideology, and to hate instead of listening with respect.

Limbaugh led to other purveyors of self-righteous hate, from Hannity to O'Reilly and Coulter. Another Limbaugh, David, took the demonization of fellow Americans to an even lower level -- amazingly, in the name of Christianity. The left responded in kind, with Randi Rhodes, Michael Moore and others. Civility and respect, so central to democracy, was lost.

It is too much to say that Limbaugh was the only factor in the coarsening and rancor that now pervades our society, but he has been a major factor. Proud of being from Rush Limbaugh's hometown? I think not.

ROBERT J. POLACK Jr., Cape Girardeau