Rush Limbaugh made some fine points about Redskins name change

When one of the most polarizing men in the country takes on one of the most polarizing issues in sports, you’d think it’d be all fireworks. But Rush Limbaugh’s defense of the Redskins team name is relatively tame and quite reasonable, focusing more on the role of the federal government than the merits of the team’s nickname. (I say “relatively tame” because this is still Rush Limbaugh and it wouldn’t make for good radio if he couldn’t shoehorn phrases like “jackbooted thugs” and “PC jerks” into a segment.)

Limbaugh was discussing the government’s role in student loan rates when he quickly transitioned into the Redskins debate. It’s what First Take would sound like in a bizarro world.

 In the case of the Redskins’ name, who is everybody advocating changing it looking at to make it happen?  The federal government.

It’s a massive overstatement to say “everybody” advocating change is looking for government intervention. Yes, trying to convince Dan “NEVER” Snyder to change the name will prove fruitless, but I get the sense people still believe Roger Goodell, Robert Griffin III or other prominent NFL figures can affect change. Still, Limbaugh has a point buried under the hyperbole. Ten members of Congress have sent a letter to Goodell pushing for a change and there have been calls for the government to do something, anything.

“Okay, so the Redskins may not be a popular name with some people. Let the NFL figure this out. Why does the government have to get involved?  Why does Obama or Congress or anyone need to get involved?”

It didn’t take long for the first Obama and Congress diss, but lest you think this is a left vs. right thing, Limbaugh also dropped the name of the Senate’s most respected Republican (one that Limbaugh doesn’t like, but still).

“We don’t need McCain and the boys involved in this.  Why should they be?”

There’s still plenty of room to disagree with Limbaugh, but it’d be because of differences on the role of government, not because of the racist connotations of the word “redskins.” It’s a new wrinkle to the debate. Shouldn’t this be something the NFL handles in house?

(AP)

“You know, if it were really that upsetting to the fans, nobody’d be going to FedExField. But FedExField is sold out every week. They’re obviously not offending too many people, and yet you want the federal government to come in here with their jackbooted thugs or iron-fisted people and do what?”

I made a similar point last week, minus the references to fascism, of course. A poll showed that a vast majority of people — football fans or not — don’t care about the name change. But even if you do, Limbaugh isn’t criticizing you. The hostility is for the government, not the people who want “Redskins” gone.

“So the advocates, the people who don’t like the Redskins name are just a bunch of PC jerks. They’re politically correct little liberals who want the federal government to come in (crying) ‘We don’t like Redskins, and we don’t want have to see it!’”

Oh well. It’s not like it was going to remain a nuanced discussion about the dangers of government overreach for long before devolving into name calling and taunts — this is talk radio, after all. But it was a good run while it lasted.