The push by cultish conservatives in Missouri to designate January 12th each year as “Rush Limbaugh Day” to honor the inflammatory now-dead AM radio show host was quietly pulled from a bill honoring natives of the state Tuesday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
The radio host, a native of Cape Girardeau, created a nationally-syndicated AM show that regularly featured racist, sexist and homophobic commentary. An oxycontin addict, Limbaugh lost his hearing likely because of his drug abuse. He was also arrested multiple times for illegally obtaining prescription drugs. Limbaugh died in February at the age of 70.
While pulling the Limbaugh honor from the bill, the legislature kept recognition of people and events that would have infuriated Limbaugh: “Hazel Erby Day,” in honor of former Black female St. Louis County Councilwoman Hazel Erby; “Pioneering Black Women’s Day” to honor former state Sen. Gwen Giles, the first Black woman state senator in Missouri; and “Walthall Moore Day,” for the first Black member of the Missouri General Assembly.
The bill, however, removed a provision to honor legendary journalist Walter Cronkite, a native of St. Joseph, Missouri.