Rush Limbaugh Accuses Michael J Fox of exaggerating his disease!

[bugatti]

Here is the MJF commercial:

 

 

That is a pretty powerful commercial...

 

 

 

I can see both side of the spectrum on this. I somewhat agree with the sediments of those NOT opposed to Michael J. Fox deliberately not taking his medication so people can see the effects of his disease and what stem-cell research could possibly cure. However, after reading articles on this, Fox was misleading in that the ad makes it sound like Talent is against stem-cell research... that is not the case at all. The issue comes down to embryonic research (which I presume Talent is against), which I do not understand all the scientific stuff, I am not going to pretend to.

 

 

 

To add to this post; in a nutshell, Fox was misleading in the commercial, Rush is still crazy but makes some legitimate points. The comments made bother me a lot more than Fox's "acting" (as Rush would say), which I do not have a problem with.

[Frances Bavier]

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/10/25/D8KVP3RO1.html

 

This article addresses some of the points raised in this thread.

 

 

Frances

[HHSDad]

But that lack of funding and blocking of further cell lines is making the research illegal by indirect means. I know W. is in favor of stem cell research. But the religious right is preventing him from supporting the kind of research that needs to be done. Cures will be a lot further away if the scientists' hands are tied. And we will never know exactly how much promise embryonic stem cells hold, until they're able to be fully studied in a meaningful way.

What kind of research isn't being done? What research is being blocked? How are the scientists hands being tied? The scientists admit that best case, stem cell research might give some results in 10-20 years. Why can't embryonic stem cells be researched? Because no one will fund them besides the government?

[Frances Bavier]

What kind of research isn't being done? What research is being blocked? How are the scientists hands being tied? The scientists admit that best case, stem cell research might give some results in 10-20 years. Why can't embryonic stem cells be researched? Because no one will fund them besides the government?

 

I'd like to know what percentage of research (in all fields, as well as medical) is funded by the federal government.

 

I'm just guessing, but I would tend to think that the vast bulk of research is federally funded - either directly (funneled through the private sector) or indirectly (grants to universities).

 

 

Frances

 

PS - just read the following in an article: "University of Chicago neurologist Dr. Thomas Kelly says Limbaugh doesn't have his facts straight. Fox's disease has progressed where he no longer only gets tremors, which can be controlled with medication, but has more erratic movements which are caused directly by his medicine.

 

"Chaotic, maybe writhing, dance-like movements, or dyskinesia, the movements I've seen in Mr. Fox, are due to his medications," said Dr. Kelly.

[Fastbreak]

...the politicians don't mind giving false hope to the ill, in order to be reelected.

This handily sums up the entire debate.

 

I have great empathy for Mr. Fox, but for those with the power to do so, it is entirely unethical IMO to politicize a disease and/or its possible cure.

 

The fact that M.J. Fox chose to make this a political issue is what has opened him to a response from those who may agree or disagree.

 

The notion that a public figure should not be criticized for their words and ideas just because they suffer a debilitating disease, or served proudly in the military, or had a loved one perish on 9/11 is absurd when that personality CHOOSES to forward their opinion and agenda in the public forum.

 

This is and should not be a republican or democrat issue. The fact that some are attempting to make it so is the crux of the dispute.

[ladiesbballcoach]

Good post LABS. I'd just like to add this quote from Fox's book, Lucky Man: A Memoir

 

Snippets of my testimony were featured on several of the nightly news broadcasts. One line in particular from my prepared statement got a lot of play: "In my forties, I can expect challenges most people wouldn't face until their seventies and eighties, if ever. But with your help, if we all do everything we can to eradicate this disease, when I'm in my fifties I'll be dancing at my children's weddings." I had made a deliberate choice to appear before the subcommittee without medication. It seemed to me that this occasion demanded that my testimony about the effects of the disease, and the urgency we as a community were feeling, be seen as well as heard. For people who had never observed me in this kind of shape, the transformation must have been startling.

 

I believe that you will find that in Chapter 8: Unwrapping the Gift

Wow. It seems he has a history of playing up the effects of his unfortunate illness when it benefits the cause.

[letabrotherspeak]

So, no new discoveries (in any scientific field) should be pursued until we know exactly what it is we're going to discover? That's like Columbus being forced to draw a map of the new world before he could sail out of port.

Has any evidence ever been found through this research?

If it were so good, why havent more private companies dumped more money into it?

[westsider]

Let me ask this question - what would the reaction have been, had Bill Maher offered the possibility that Reagan was exagerating the effects of Parkinson's disease for political gain?

Here, the thread would never end ...

 

Elsewhere, the Right would be at Defcon 5.

[westsider]

PS - just read the following in an article: "University of Chicago neurologist Dr. Thomas Kelly says Limbaugh doesn't have his facts straight. Fox's disease has progressed where he no longer only gets tremors, which can be controlled with medication, but has more erratic movements which are caused directly by his medicine.

 

"Chaotic, maybe writhing, dance-like movements, or dyskinesia, the movements I've seen in Mr. Fox, are due to his medications," said Dr. Kelly.

You mean it's possible that Limbaugh just rushed to judgment on someone, just because he disagrees with his position on an issue?

 

Surely not.

[westsider]

Wow. It seems he has a history of playing up the effects of his unfortunate illness when it benefits the cause.

I don't know that Fox is "playing up" the effects as much as he's removing the cloak that hides them.

 

I've been around people with Parkinson's, and Fox's movements in the commercial are entirely consistent with the effects of the disease. Fox may be an actor, but no amount of acting can overcome the affects of such a debilitating disease.

[HHSDad]

You mean it's possible that Limbaugh just rushed to judgment on someone, just because he disagrees with his position on an issue?

 

Surely not.

I'd say Rush rushed to judgement because he was backing Democrats.

[westsider]

I'd say Rush rushed to judgement because he was backing Democrats.

Whatever the reason, it's typical Limbaugh ...

[Birdsfan]

Has any evidence ever been found through this research?

If it were so good, why havent more private companies dumped more money into it?

They can't.

[Birdsfan]

The notion that a public figure should not be criticized for their words and ideas just because they suffer a debilitating disease, or served proudly in the military, or had a loved one perish on 9/11 is absurd when that personality CHOOSES to forward their opinion and agenda in the public forum.

I don't see why he should be criticized at all. I don't think he sees what he's doing as a pro-democrat action. I think he sees it as a necessary evil to promote progress.

[HHSDad]

I don't see why he should be criticized at all. I don't think he sees what he's doing as a pro-democrat action. I think he sees it as a necessary evil to promote progress.

I know of at least 3 democrats that he is stumping for.