So, at best, Limbaugh is not a racist but simply and very effectively plays one (for lots and lots of money) on the radio while cleverly disguised in the persona of himself.

This is hacking at branches; you have yet to approach the root of the problem.

Racism is, in the final analysis, not about what people think or feel, it is not bad ideas in the heads of human beings. Rather it is an objective social relation between two groups of people, in the United States these two groups are called whites and blacks (contrary to popular opinion this has only the most passing relationship to the actual color anyone’s skin). For the last 300 years or so the white group enjoyed economic and social privileges which they could pass on to their descendants. The black group on the other hand suffered economic and social deprivation and exploitation which benefited the white group. There were formal, legal aspects to this relation but there were also informal and unspoken aspects as well. This social relation has changed and evolved over the years and has been weakening since the end of the Civil War. The election of a black man the presidency was a huge blow to racism but it is far from dead.

Racist ideology is merely a reflection of a racist society, people seeking to justify their position in the racial hierarchy. This was historically and until quite recently called “White Supremacy”. All though the gauche still use this phrase, it still captures the essential element of racism.

Racist attitudes are those that re-enforce existing racial relations. When Al Sharpton talks trash about white people, he may well be being rude and counter-productive but he is not be being a racist because white have not economically exploited and socially oppressed by black people. It is also rarely been a put into action to oppress white people and when it has, there has been swift government reaction to punish the perpetrators. When Rush talks trash about black people, he is indeed re-enforcing and defending White Supremacy, i.e. he is being a racist. Racist talk by white people has historically lead to many acts of racist violence, violence that the government has historically done nothing about.

So it is completely ahistorical to try to portray the speech of Mr. Limbaugh with that
of Mr. Sharpton.

That would make him both a whore and a racist.

Believe me, Rush Limbaugh isn’t my titular leader — I’ve written forcefully and often against his brand of commentary.

Sara, you write, “I have a very hard time seeing how one could actually ‘play on the racism of others … without ever hating people of a different race.’ Why would anyone who wasn’t racist stoke those sentiments if they didn’t at least passively agree with them?” I think the answer, in Mr. Limbaugh’s case, is 1) ratings; 2) a desire to pander to his audience; 3) a victim mentality about being called a racist that has led to an unhealthy desire to bait others about race.

Again, I don’t know what is in Limbaugh’s heart. But his actions are generally best explained by a desire to say whatever it is that raises his ratings, whatever the consequences.