RIP Rush

I realize that I'm a day late with this post. It is not news among my few readers that the "Talent on loan from God" has been returned.

I waited because I wanted to process the news in my mind, and to figure how best to honor Rush. 

Over the past 36 hours since the news broke many of those who were friends, colleagues, contemporaries of Rush have written and spoken millions of words on the impact that Rush had on their lives, and his impact on conservatism. I've read and listened to many of those words. I have reached the conclusion that the spoken and written language is not nearly adequate enough. How does one fully express the impact he has had?

I was introduced to his show back in the early 90's by a former commander of mine. I'll call him JR. Back in the days prior to Rush, JR and I, and a rotating group of others, would sit around, usually at the end of the day, mostly on Fridays, smoking cigars, drinking Guinness Stout, and solving the world's problems. Our ideas were grand, and worthy, of course. But they never went any further than the office, or the backyard. There were no legs. 

At some point, most of us went on to other assignments. JR and I both wound up at the same location, although I no longer worked for him. Even so, we remained friendly, occasionally doing lunch. One day, he swung by my office (we were going to lunch) and told me to follow him. When we got to his car, a BMW, he just turned on the radio and told me to listen. So, for the next 45 minutes, we listened to Rush. And while we couldn't join in on the conversation, it took us both back to the days of cigars and Stout. We both realized that our previous conversations now had legs.

Over the years I guess you could consider me a some times listener. Life and duty prevented me from being able to listen to his program full time. When he did his TV show briefly in the 90's, I watched when I could. But every time I had an opportunity to listen in, I did so. If I had a meeting across the base, I'd tune in during my drive. Every once in a while, it was a scramble to make the meeting on time, so reluctant was I to turn it off. More than once, when coming back from some appointment or another, my troops would see me sitting in my parking spot, in front of the office door, radio turned up. I even got a couple of them hooked by inviting them to sit with me for 10 minutes or so.

After I retired I was able to listen more frequently. This was when Obama was the President. It was awesome listening to Rush, gathering the needed information on how to counter the liberal lies spewing from the media. I drove a truck for about a year, driving mostly at night. But generally, my driving day would just about the time Rush's program would start. What a great way to end the day. Later on, when I started my current job, my listening time once again diminished. Can't have a radio on in the cab of a locomotive. Plus, since I work on call, I don't have a set schedule. But on those days when I'd commute during his timeslot, you can bet your behind that I had his show tuned in. I'd have to change stations about halfway.

Where do we go from here? I don't know. There is nobody that can replace Rush. Over the years, when Rush would take some well deserved time off, there was nearly always a a guest host. Some of them were great, some, so-so, others, not good at all. It was always a disappointment to not hear his voice. Now that voice has been silenced forever. But I will say this. While I did not know him personally, I think I can say with strong confidence that he would not want us to get down, nor give up. He fought a courageous battle with that cancer, living beyond the diagnosis. That battle should set an example for all of us. I think he would want us to carry on. Someone will pick up the flag, maybe a few someone's. But armed with the knowledge that Rush provided, we can carry the battle to liberal establishment.