The Democrats can engage in the most reprehensible

Hear, O children of the ages, the fiery words of Rush Limbaugh: “The Democrats can engage in the most reprehensible, mean-spirited, vile, vicious verbal attacks known in politics, and they get praised for it.” This is no soft utterance, but the roar of a warrior in the arena of words. It is born of the eternal struggle between factions, where each side accuses the other of hypocrisy, and where praise is not always the fruit of virtue, but often the reward of cunning.

In the realm of politics, words are sharper than swords, for they can wound reputations, ignite multitudes, and topple the mighty. Limbaugh’s cry is that one faction’s attacks are lauded as righteous zeal, while the other’s are condemned as cruelty. This paradox is as old as human councils, for men do not weigh speech by its justice, but by whether it serves their cause. Thus, he speaks less of one party alone, and more of the timeless bias of tribes and the blindness of loyalty.

Recall the history of Athens, where Demosthenes hurled bitter words against Philip of Macedon. To his supporters, these speeches were heroic, a shield of liberty. Yet to his foes, they were venomous, reckless, and destructive. The same words, judged by different ears, became either noble or vile. Here lies the meaning of Limbaugh’s lament: in the theater of partisan conflict, the worth of speech is not weighed in truth but in allegiance.

Consider also the Roman Senate, where Cato the Younger rose each day to denounce Caesar. His invective was relentless, harsh, and unforgiving. To some, Cato was the guardian of the Republic, steadfast against tyranny. To others, he was a bitter obstructionist, poisoning the state with division. Thus, history proves that harsh speech, though the same in tone, may be cloaked in either honor or disgrace depending on the ear that hears it.

Therefore, O keepers of wisdom, understand the teaching: verbal attacks in politics are not judged by their cruelty alone, but by the banners under which they march. To the loyal, they are hymns of truth; to the enemy, they are daggers of deceit. Limbaugh’s words remind us that in the contests of men, justice is too often weighed not on the scales of truth, but on the balance of power. Let this serve as a warning to all generations: never mistake praise for righteousness, nor condemnation for falsehood, for both may be the masks of partisanship.