Notes From D. R.

Man Of Courage

Oliver Hill, an attorney who played a crucial role in the fight against American public-school segregation in the 1950s, passes away at 100. More from the Washington Post.

Weekend Box Office: Bourne Out

The Bourne Ultimatum tops the charts. More from Leonard Klady.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

I still think it's crazy to have these debates so damn early... More from the New York Times, Human Events and Washington Post.

UPDATE: More from Human Events and the Washington Times.

Something New

The AP asks: Is interracial dating increasing among black women?

Man Of Honor

Francis O'Connor, who served as one of the few conservative-leaning justices on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 1981 to 1997, passes away at 79. More from the Boston Globe.

The Blue Note

Iconic jazz musician Art Davis passes away at 73.

"Federal Agents, Mad 'Cause I'm Flagrant..." Part II

A bizarre ruling benefits a corrupt Congressman. More from the New York Times and Matt Margolis.

I Spy

The Senate backs the Bush Administration's antiterrorism initiatives. More from the Washington Post and Washington Times.

Houses Of The Holy

It’s often been said that Christianity in America is under assault by the left. However, a case could be made that in so many subtle ways, Christianity in America has been under assault—by Christians.

There is no greater poison affecting American politics and culture than the poison caused by hypocritical, dishonest Christianity. When Christians act counter to their creed—when they behave as though they are still wallowing in sin—it can have a pernicious effect upon their fellow Americans, an effect that can last for decades.

Years ago, I read a Shelby Steele essay in which he argued that one of the reasons why the baby-boomer generation was so secular and nihilistic in its worldview is that baby-boomers were disgusted by the hypocrisy of their parents. Steele noted that those who grew up in the 1950s and early-1960s were horrified that their parents were both religiously devout and racially prejudiced. They could not understand how their parents could be holy and hateful at the same time, and thus felt compelled to radically remake society; every institution, including Christianity, that seemed to empower those who held racially prejudiced views had to be destroyed. In other words, as a direct result of hypocritical Christianity, an entire generation felt compelled to push American society in a secular direction.

What if the parents of the baby-boomer generation had been honest in their faith, had looked upon those who were different the way Jesus looked upon those who were different? Their children would not have been lost, and America’s relationship with the Savior would have been maintained.

Baby-boomers have been fairly “successful” in waging war against the faith of their fathers—but what if they had not been compelled to take up arms in the first place? What if the generation that gave birth to the baby-boomers had been more honest, more sincere in their faith, instead of confusing their children by espousing discrimination from one side of their mouths and devotion from another?

Parents set the moral parameters for their children; that’s why parenting is such an important job. When parents don’t do the job properly, their children will suffer—and ultimately bring about a negative influence on the larger society.

The baby-boomer generation is secular, self-absorbed, consumed with material things—but that didn’t happen by accident. If you can’t put your faith in faith, because that faith has been poisoned by those who presented a flawed vision of that faith to you, of course you’re going to make something else your religion.

Modern anti-Christianity did not just spring up out of thin air. There was a specific spark, a specific trigger—and for so many baby-boomers, that trigger was the hypocrisy they saw from their parents growing up.

A popular political cliché a decade ago was the phrase “No one wants to turn the clock back.” In fact, one wishes we could go back in time, and show the parents of the baby-boomer generation the results of their children’s anger over their hypocrisy—the drug abuse, the failed relationships, the depression, the sexual irresponsibility, the hatred of God, the hatred of life. If there was some way we could show that generation that their incomplete faith would end up playing havoc with history, and creating a country divorced from the Deity.

Pulp Fact

A tragedy with possible legal consequences for actor Ving Rhames.

When Irish Eyes Are Crying

Singer Tommy Makem passes away at 74.

Cashing In

Could a state as blue as Massachusetts actually get rid of the state income tax?

Radio Ga-Ga

Another strange turn of events in the already-weird legal odyssey of Boston talk-radio legend Howie Carr. More from the Boston Globe.

UPDATE: More from the Globe.

Teach Your Children Well

Norma Gabler, a conservative Christian activist who gained fame and controversy for challenging liberal bias in American textbooks, passes away at 84. More from the Washington Post.

King Of Pain

Nearly four years later, it’s still hard for some people to believe that Rush Limbaugh was able to keep most of his fanbase after acknowledging that he was addicted to prescription painkillers.

Following his October 2003 confession, a number of media observers assumed that Limbaugh had irreparably damaged his reputation among conservatives; even I believed that the self-inflicted injury to his image would never fully heal, and that Sean Hannity would quickly replace Limbaugh as America’s most listened-to radio host. However, it’s clear that, throughout his rehab and the lengthy criminal investigation into his behavior (Limbaugh pleaded not guilty to a doctor-shopping charge in April 2006; the charge is to be dropped as part of a later settlement), the majority of Limbaugh’s listeners have stayed loyal.

I wasn’t alone in underestimating how deeply devoted Limbaugh’s audience is. So many folks conveniently ignored the reality that for millions of listeners, Limbaugh is not just their favorite host, but an icon on the level of any acclaimed sports or entertainment figure.

Because of Limbaugh’s past and present annoying quirks (remember when he wouldn’t stop talking about his weekend golf trips?), we often lose sight of just how powerful the man still is, just how much love he still receives from his fanbase. Many of the folks who thought Limbaugh would collapse in the wake of the 2003 scandal still have difficulty coming to terms with the reality that he’s a radio legend. Even now, it’s still hard for them to grasp that concept.

Even if you think Limbaugh has lost his fastball, you can’t deny that he formed an incredible bond with his audience in the late-1980s and early-1990s—a bond that the 2003 scandal was simply too weak to break. Limbaugh kept the spirit of the Reagan Revolution going for years; it’s rather ironic that an “unelected” talk-radio host has shown more fidelity to the Reagan vision than any of the three Presidents who followed the Gipper.

Limbaugh successfully tapped into the same sense of American optimism and greatness that Reagan reached in 1980. While I haven’t always agreed with Limbaugh, his longevity—and his ability to survive and thrive in the wake of a scandal widely assumed to be a deathblow for his career—is a testament to the strength of the connection between the host and his audience.

Even with the rise of the new conservative media, Limbaugh is still seen by many Americans as the only powerful voice challenging the left. Those who admired Limbaugh for raising questions about progressive orthodoxy still feel that he’s just as important a contributor to the national dialogue as he was when he first started his nationally syndicated show. So long as Limbaugh’s voice is still regarded as the most powerful one on the right, he’ll continue to be successful.

It must be pointed out that one reason why Limbaugh maintained his fanbase is that he admitted to abusing painkillers, not the sort of “hard drugs” he once condemned Kurt Cobain and Jerry Garcia for abusing. Had he used those drugs, he would have been regarded as a clear hypocrite, and his stock would have dropped considerably. Because he was addicted to painkillers and not “recreational” narcotics, he really couldn’t be accused of two-facedness.

Limbaugh’s fans will always appreciate him for defending the views of fiscal and social conservatives, for reinvigorating talk radio, for continuing the work William F. Buckley started in convincing skeptical Americans that right-of-center views were not “extreme,” but mainstream. Despite his flaws, Limbaugh has been as central a figure in maintaining the prominence of conservatism as Billy Graham has been in maintaining the prominence of Christianity. Limbaugh’s fans were surely disappointed by his acknowledgement of his addiction, but they concluded that he was only human, and that his weaknesses didn’t justifying abandoning someone who has been the source of so much strength.

Like a musician who can still sell out arenas decades after he first gained popularity, Limbaugh has inspired a level of loyalty that is undeniably impressive. Even if you dislike his opinions, you can’t deny that he’s become stronger, not weaker, in the aftermath of the 2003 scandal. Of course, it’s hard to imagine Limbaugh doubting that his fans would stick by him. Such loyalty, he’d surely argue, is just The Way Things Ought To Be.

Under New Management

Rupert Murdoch will purchase the Wall Street Journal. More from the New York Times.

UPDATE: From the Washington Times and the Wall Street Journal.

The Artist

Legendary Italian filmmaker Michelangelo Antonioni passes away at 94. More from Roger Ebert.

It's Bush's Fault

A health scare for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. More from the Washington Post and Power Line.

UPDATE: More from the Washington Post and New York Times.

"Federal Agents, Mad 'Cause I'm Flagrant..."

The FBI raids the home of Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens. More from the New York Times and Redstate.com.

Football Hero

Legendary coach Bill Walsh passes away at 75. More from the New York Times, Weekly Standard and the Wall Street Journal.

Was It Something He Said?

Popular talk show host Tom Snyder passes away at 71. More from Tom Shales.

The Last Reel

Acclaimed filmmaker Ingmar Bergman passes away at 89. More from Roger Ebert.

Baby-Mama Drama

The pro-life movement's apparent dissatisfaction with the current roster of GOP Presidential candidates.