Voices

Vermont teddy bears and Rush don’t mix

NEWFANE — Would I be the only person taken aback by the news that Vermont Teddy Bear Company supports Rush Limbaugh by choosing his radio show as part of its marketing plan?

The company confirmed that it advertises on Rush's show, adding, “We truly appreciate your thoughts and have forwarded your comments to our marketing team for further review.”

Why would any responsible company consciously choose to fish from this toxic cesspool for its profits? Certainly, no CEO of a company that size can honestly say he wasn't aware of it.

It's no secret what Limbaugh stands for with his blatantly bigoted opinions. He gladly satisfies his bloated ego through sexism, intolerance, misogyny, and homophobia, just to name a few qualities.

One only need check out his Feb. 12 explanation for why he quit college in his freshmen year to understand the bile he spews daily.

He says he “quit the University of Southeast Missouri after refusing to take ballroom dance taught by a lesbian drill sergeant in the WACs. That happens to be true.[...] I left college because I didn't want to be accused of rape someday. [] So I wanted to remove myself from this culture that might have turned me into a very mean guy.”

So I guess we should all thank Rush for his concern for women?

Back to Vermont Teddy Bear Company's support for this gentleman, to his responsible decision about how to avoid being a rapist, and to “feminazis” and all the rest: Companies that choose to take advantage of the Vermont brand need to think about what that means. Is it just about “made in Vermont”? Or Vermont quality? Or does it go deeper?

Is it all the more ironic that a maker of teddy bears openly hugs Rush Limbaugh?

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