Do Rush Limbaugh's Words Incite Violence?

Radio show host Rush Limbaugh responded harshly to critics who have accused him of being seditious with his words. In other words, Limbaugh has been accused of causing acts of rebellion and disrespect for authority by those who are unhappy with the recent actions of the federal government. Limbaugh responded directly to the accusations, saying that:

"Like the millions of citizens who've peacefully risen up and attended thousands of rallies in protest, I seek nothing more than the preservation of the social contract that undergirds our society," Limbaugh wrote. "I do not hate the government, as the left does when it is not running it. I love this country. And because I do, I insist that the temporary inhabitants of high political office comply with the Constitution, honor our God-given unalienable rights and respect our hard-earned private property. For this I am called seditious, among other things, by some of the very people who've condemned this society?"

Limbaugh has quite a few critics, including former President Bill Clinton, who compared the Right Wing climate today to that which existed right before the Oklahoma City bombing committed by Timothy McVeigh in 1995. Limbaugh responded by stating that Clinton had opened the door to additional violence in America with his words:

"Bill Clinton ... just gave the kooks out there an excuse to be violent," Limbaugh told his audience. "He just offered them an opportunity to be violent."

Limbaugh also stated that those in the Tea Party movement love their country more than either Bill Clinton or Barack Obama. "A clear majority of the American people want no part of this. They instinctively know that the Obama way is not how things get done in this country," said Limbaugh. "They are motivated by love. Not hate, not sedition. They love their country and want to save it from those who do not."

Here's the deal with Limbaugh's words, as well as others on the right wing who agree with him, yes, his words are quite seditious, as he and FOX News do a very good job of bringing out the worst in America. There is no better way to get a thousand angry, violent and threatening e-mails in your inbox than by appearing on FOX News. That's why I stopped appearing on the network three years ago.

On the other hand, Limbaugh has a right to express his discontent with the federal government. I protect his right, because I would like to have the same right when I am not happy with the actions of the government. The idea that we can shut down the Tea Party movement just because it has become a threat to our power is incredibly undemocratic and one of the reasons that democracies like our own do not maintain their freedoms for very long. We must be strong enough to earn and protect the liberties we claim to deserve.

But the interesting "double game" of American politics is that we all understand what I am saying here. The Democrats who attempt to argue that right-wing attacks are illegitimate fully realize that they'd be doing the same thing if they were Republicans themselves. The Republicans who obstruct Democratic activity and act as though the world is falling apart also know that if they were in power, they'd be running the government in nearly the same way as the Democrats: pushing their own legislation through and not giving a damn about who disagrees with it. So, part of the game is to pretend that the other side is playing the game unfairly.

Let's be clear: The right is not going to stop protesting, holding tea parties and fighting the Democrats for power. The best thing that liberals can do is fight back, mobilize and learn some organizational techniques from the political geniuses on the conservative side of the ball. Limbaugh, unfortunately, must be identified as one of those geniuses. (The man doesn't make $50 million per year for nothing.) He has found his niche, and he's going to drill it. And if you were in his shoes, you'd probably do the exact same thing.

Welcome to the world of politics.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and the author of the new book, 'Black American Money.'To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here.