The Best Friend I Never Met

It was a blustery early March day in Utah. I was doing fiberglass repair on several hospital laundry carts when the radio station I was listening to began repeating their playlist. Annoyed I spun the dial around and happened to land on the dulcet voice of some guy named Rush. What stayed my hand that day I have no idea. I wanted to hear some good old fashioned rock and roll but something in that voice caused me to pause. After I listened for awhile I thought to myself, “Who is this guy?”

I was more than slightly amazed at what I was hearing. I had been following politics in depth since the mid seventies and I was, even then, disillusioned by what I came to know as the “drive by media.” This guy Rush was saying things that I thought in ways I hadn’t contemplated. He had the amazing ability to cut through the crap and get right to the essence of an issue. Quickly I realized I had found a kindred spirit. I did everything in my power to never miss a show. For years I would walk around from 10am – 1pm with a portable radio on belt and earphone in my ear. Rush was just to important to miss.

Rush was, to me, more than just a talk show host or, as his detractors would label him, an entertainer. He took the twenty some odd years of my political thoughts and experiences and helped me understand why I felt so passionately the way I did. He took all those puzzle pieces I had floating around and showed me just how they fit together. He helped me learn just how liberals think and operate. He illustrated “absurdity with absurdity” brilliantly. He took the raw steel of my early, self taught political education and ran it through the forge of his wisdom guided by experience. Every day I listened he made me a little better than I was the day before.

I am better beyond words because of him. I am a better conservative. I am a better husband and father. I am a better thinker. Most of all, I am better for just having listened. Ever the teacher he taught me lessons that resonate even now and will probably continue to do so until I join him, hopefully, in the presence of our Lord and Savior.

One of the things I will always be thankful for was his faith in me. Not me specifically but just his faith in everyone’s ability to better themselves. It was because of him I finally found the courage to, after seventeen years of working in a corporate environment, to start my own business. While my success has been slow in coming I have never looked back. It is a lot of hard work and I’m not where I would like to be but yes, I built that. Thank you Rush, thank you.

When I heard his lovely wife start the show on the seventeenth I knew something was dreadfully wrong. I was gripped by a cold uncertainty as she began speaking. She soon confirmed my worst fears. El Rushbo was gone. I fought to contain the tears that threatened to burst forth. There would now be a hole in my day, in my life, that there is simply no possibility of filling.

Having nearly lost a granddaughter to Stevens Johnson Syndrome and another granddaughter to cancer I understand, a little, the painfully empty feeling of loss his wife must be experiencing right now. The loss of such a joyous spirit, such an open and happy patriot, a compassionate teacher of epic proportions and I suspect, a loving husband and joyful partner has to be nearly unbearable. My heart and prayers go out to her.

The Maha Rushie slipped the surly bonds of earth to join his Lord and Savior. I believe the first words Rush heard in heaven were, “Well done good and faithful servant.” While it breaks our hearts here, in heaven his joy will know no bounds. He is reunited with his parents and grandparents in what must have been a most joyous reunion. He is pain free and knows now, in a way that he couldn’t possibly know here on earth, just how deeply he is loved and adored by millions of regular, ordinary Americans.

Slowly, the wound of his passing will heal but the scar left will always be there. In the words of a popular song “scars are souvenirs you never lose.” It’s true. The scar will remain, reminding me every time I see it, of just how amazing America’s real anchorman really was and motivating me to pick up his banner and do my level best to carry on the mission. He deserves no less from me.

God speed Rush.

Tap, Tap, Tap

In the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor rescuers noticed rhythmic tapping coming from the inside of the sunken battleship U.S.S. West Virginia. Despite their best efforts rescuers soon realized there was no way to help the survivors trapped in the forward part of the ship. For 16 days the three men who had managed to survive the attack, in an exercise of hope, banged on the hull to signal they were still alive.

Sadly, when the storeroom they had taken shelter in was finally opened, the three men were dead. In the room along side spent flashlight batteries and empty ration cartons was a calendar where they had marked off 16 days with a red pencil. Ronald Endicott age 18, Clifford Olds age 20 and Louis Costin age 21 bravely held out as long as they could in the face of insurmountable odds. These young men had been below decks when the attack started and its likely they never knew what had happened. Many survivors said that no one wanted to be around the wreck because of the haunting nature of the tapping sounds. They knew nothing could be done for the trapped men.

It’s taken several decades but some Americans have been tapping in vain to try and save the country we love from certain destruction. Like the three young men from the West Virginia, a great many of the rest of us have been so busy raising families, working on careers, playing by the rules, paying our taxes and generally trying hard to be good people that we missed the sickness that set into our country. The New York, California cultural and ideological rot has spread root and branch and only now, as it seeks to actively strangle us, have we began to pay attention. For our efforts we are fed lie after lie after lie under the guise of truth by institutions that are corrupting themselves out of legitimacy. Consider the following:

That the Kilo Supreme Court decision allows the government to give your property to a private company.

Tap.

That Obamacare will solve the healthcare “crisis” in America.

Tap.

That the murders of four Americans in Benghazi was the result of a video.

Tap.

That the Iran Nuclear Deal, giving them billions in cash to fund terrorism, will keep us safe.

Tap.

That the killing of the terrorist master mind Solmanie was a bad thing.

Tap.

That the tax cuts only help the very rich.

Tap.

That the Constitution, Bill of Rights and Ten Commandments are outdated and instruments of oppression.

Tap.

That unemployment benefits are a great way to stimulate the economy.

Tap.

That unlimited financial support of unlimited illegal immigration is good for America.

Tap.

That there was ever any evidence at all for Russia collusion.

Tap.

That the FBI, IRS, CIA and dozens of other agencies were not weaponized against ordinary Americans.

Tap.

That Hillary Clinton, Brennan, Comey, Biden, Clapper, and dozens of others never broke the law.

Tap.

That the media is fair and balanced.

Tap.

That you cannot drill your way to energy independence.

Tap.

That America must foot the world wide bill for global warming by lowing our standard of living.

Tap.

That diversity is more important than competence.

Tap.

That killing a perfectly healthy baby is healthcare.

Tap.

That the wrong color of skin proves you’re racist.

Tap.

That men can change themselves into women and women can change themselves into men.

Tap.

That former Trump administration members are now being monitored to prevent them from ever being employed again.

Tap.

That all cops are racist.

Tap.

That 500 plus bloody riots were peaceful protests.

Tap.

That the 2020 Presidential election was as clean and pure as the wind driven snow.

Tap.

I could go on and on but I suspect you can deduce the pattern.

Like those three brave men trapped in the West Virginia, so many Americans today have no idea just how close to dying America is. Those of us who recognize Americas death spiral, bang on the structures of politics, social media, education, hollywood and corporate and popular culture in the hopes that enough Americans will awaken in time to save the America we love. It may well be that nothing can now be done. I don’t want to believe that. The fact that so many Americans don’t want to go anywhere near the tapping sounds indicates to me we may be at the point of no return. Evil may have finally won.

If that’s the case then only two things remain to be said, my calendar is in my office and may God have mercy on our souls.