An elegy for fake piety
By 
To reaffirm what has been a longstanding dictum of this blog in both theory and practice, when it comes to powerful public figures de mortuis nihil nisi bonum is not a defensible or workable principle. But it’s particularly ridiculous coming from this guy:
Apparently, the Hillbilly Elegy Code of Social Graces holds that you should not speak ill of cruel, highly influential fascists when they pass away. Instead, you should, er, relentlessly attack your own family members for your own profit and fame, while cashing a huge paycheck doing work of negative social value for a libertarian vampire. Yeah, sure.
Anyway, it’s particularly amazing that anyone would try to pull this routine with Rush Limbaugh, a true pioneer in the “the cruelty is the point” school of wingnuttery. There are far more examples than even Erik could get to:
Rush Limbaugh had a segment called “AIDS update” set to music where he mocked dying gay people so I don’t really want hear about ‘speaking ill of the dead’ today— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) February 17, 2021
https://t.co/Igk8T6UhR4— Joseph Lyttleton (@10cities10years) February 17, 2021
That second thread goes on for a while.
Anyway, what people owe Rush Limbaugh’s memory is the truth, and if it’s horrible that’s not the fault of the truth-teller.