The Washington Post picks up on Rush Limbaugh’s attack on Michael J. Fox which I posted on yesterday. The Washington Post reports:
Possibly worse than making fun of someone’s disability is saying that it’s imaginary. That is not to mock someone’s body, but to challenge a person’s guts, integrity, sanity.
To Rush Limbaugh on Monday, Michael J. Fox looked like a faker. The actor, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, has done a series of political ads supporting candidates who favor stem cell research, including Maryland Democrat Ben Cardin, who is running against Republican Michael Steele for the Senate seat being vacated by Paul Sarbanes.
“He is exaggerating the effects of the disease,” Limbaugh told listeners. “He’s moving all around and shaking and it’s purely an act. . . . This is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn’t take his medication or he’s acting.”
As I said previously, I don’t know if Limbaugh has ever seen anyone with Parkinson’s, but I have many times. There’s no need for them to act or exaggerate symptoms. Parkinson’s Disease is a nasty disorder. We should be doing everything possible to cure it, not playing politics as the Republicans are.
Attacking Michael J. Fox does not provide any justification for the Republican opposition to embryonic stem cell research. Considering Fox’s popularity, this may also backfire against them.
Sadly, I’ve run across some attacks on Michael on other, less well-known blogs. The ads are running here in Missouri, as MJF offers his support for Claire McCaskill’s Senate run and her position on stem cell research.
“Ain’t no valley low enough”
The lengths some ‘wingers will go to slime a person, just to further their own agenda, continues to be beyond comprehension.