So what’s going on?

Is all this being used as a smokescreen to distract from us other things the Regime is doing? And do not doubt that one. Do not doubt this is designed to get all the social issues people all ratcheted up and loaded for bear and energetic, to start writing pieces and going on TV to talk about it, while the Regime is over here unobserved doing whatever it is that’s really on their mind. So is this just a distraction? Why impose this on schoolchildren? Now, look, I can hear some of you screaming: “Rush, you know the answer to this. You’re the one that that’s told us.

“This Obama trying to transform the country. This is payback. This is cultural overthrow.” Yeah, I know it’s all that. But why? And who put Obama in charge of sexual education, and why this issue? Is it about continuing to get gay money for the Democrat convention and the election? Is this about fundraising? ‘Cause there’s not much more to do on the gay agenda. They got gay marriage, and we’re close to putting you in jail if you won’t bake a cake for a gay wedding. We’ve got pretty much everything, but you have to keep the group happy.

I mean, the militant leftist gays, you need their money. Is that what this is? I mean, this, obviously, is important to Obama for some reason. It affects every public school in the country, and as you sit around… You know, I analyze people’s ideology, and I know leftists and liberals like the back of my hand. But I still want to throw this out because this is way, way over the top. This… I mean, this is… You want to talk about Trump or anybody on the right wing being extreme? What the hell is this? This is so far out of the mainstream that…

Obviously, they’re trying to bring it in and make it the mainstream. This is bizarre. Don’t tell me, for example, that somebody like Trump is not presidential when this kind of stuff is going on. Obama is presidential as defined by this kind of stuff? Ordering open bathrooms in schools and demanding that a new bathroom is a little bit different than what’s going on in the states of North Carolina, for example. They are actually — in the schools — demanding that the districts build a third bathroom: One for boys, one for girls, and the other for whatever you think you are today, I guess.

Is this an effort on the part of the left to encourage people who might be confused about their sexuality to remain confused because there’s some sort of political benefit? You’re confused about your sexuality and government’s got all the answers; is that what this is? Why isn’t this offensive? We hear Trump says this — or any other Republican, take your pick — and they say, “It’s offensive! That’s over the top.” Why isn’t this? I mean, this is so far out of the mainstream, and yet there aren’t a lot of people that want to buck this.

I had a story. I’ve actually done it twice. I had it in the Stack on Wednesday. Let me get to it. Let me see if I saved it. I did; I’m sure. Here it is. Is it second in the…? Yeah, I mentioned this. This goes back to June of 2015, almost a year ago. It’s a Cybercast News Service story. “Johns Hopkins Psychiatrist: Transgender is ‘Mental Disorder;’ Sex Change ‘Biologically Impossible.'” You remember when I did this story originally? It’s about a doctor, Paul McHugh, and I said, “This guy has no idea what he’s in for now,” and nothing’s happening to him.

“Dr. Paul R. McHugh, the former psychiatrist-in-chief for Johns Hopkins Hospital and its current Distinguished Service Professor of Psychiatry, said that transgenderism is a ‘mental disorder’ that merits treatment, that sex change is ‘biologically impossible,’ and that people who promote sexual reassignment surgery are collaborating with and promoting a mental disorder. Dr. McHugh, the author of six books and at least 125 peer-reviewed medical articles, made his remarks in a recent commentary in the Wall Street Journal,” which is where this all originally ran.

Cybercast News Service just saw it and decided to do a piece on it. It was an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal last year/last summer, and in the op-ed Dr. McHugh “explained that transgender surgery is not the solution for people who suffer a ‘disorder of “assumption”…'” That’s in quotes. It’s a medical term, his term. It’s “a ‘disorder of “assumption”‘ — the notion that their maleness or femaleness is different than what nature assigned to them biologically.

“[Dr. McHugh] also reported on a new study showing that the suicide rate among transgendered people who had reassignment surgery is 20 times higher than the suicide rate among non-transgender people. Dr. McHugh further noted studies from Vanderbilt University and London’s Portman Clinic of children who had expressed transgender feelings but for whom, over time, 70%-80% ‘spontaneously lost those feelings.'” A-ha. We may be on to something here. Dr. McHugh and his boys have studied all this, and young kids, 70 to 80% of them, eventually grow out of this confusion. Maybe that’s what they don’t want to happen is for kids to outgrow it.

I think whatever is going on here, folks, one part of it has to be that this is a made-to-order issue for the left and for Democrat Party to be able to point to Republicans — once again — as intolerant and insensitive and unfeeling because these are human beings and they can’t help who they think they are. They can’t help who they love. They should not be punished for it, and it’s a built in… They might say it’s a built-in opportunity to once again trash Republicans and conservatives. But whatever, it’s over the top, and I’m just asking:

What the heck?

Why is this so important to Obama?

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: The reason I was asking the question about why does Obama care so much about this transgender school business, bathrooms and all that… (interruption) No, this is this is why here’s the story. This is from it’s from the New York Times. “White House…”

This happened yesterday. I caught up with this last night when I got back into the country. “White House to Issue Sweeping Decree on School Restroom Access.” I saw that and I said, “What the Sam Hill?” I think I actually went, “Oh, my God. ‘White House to Issue Sweeping Decree on School Restroom Access’?” This is above and beyond whatever the federal government’s trying to do — well, what Charlotte is trying to do — in North Carolina. And let me give you a pull quote from this story.

“Schools want to do right by all of their students and have looked to us to provide clarity on steps they can take to ensure that every student is comfortable at their school, is in an environment free of discrimination, and has an opportunity to thrive.” “No student should ever have to go through the experience of feeling unwelcome at school or on a college campus.” Are you kidding me? “No student should ever have to go through the experience of feeling unwelcome at school or on a college campus.”

In what world do these people live? How in the world…? I don’t care if you’re talking about gay, straight, black, white, how in the name of hell can you guarantee that nobody will ever feel unwelcome? I have felt it unwelcome everywhere I’ve been in life. Everybody else has, too. I mean, not everywhere, but it happens. You show up someplace, you feel unwelcome. “Unwelcome” is not the word. But not everybody greets everybody with open arms. “Hey, great to see to see you! Hey, great to…” The world doesn’t work this way.

Let me read to you the rest of the sentence: “No student should ever have to go through the experience of feeling unwelcome at school or on a college campus,” if you are liberal, gay, or transgender. (chuckles) See, that’s what they mean. That’s not in the sentence. I’m adding my own words. That’s what they mean. I mean, forget about being comfortable at school if you’re straight, if you’re conservative, if you’re Christian. If you’re made to feel uncomfortable, mission accomplished! That’s what this is really all about.

“We want to make some of you uncomfortable ’cause you’ve been so mean since the country was founded. You’ve been so discriminatory! You’ve been so arrogant. You’ve been so condescending. Well, we’re gonna reverse comfort you! And all these people who have felt uncomfortable and unwelcome, well, now we’re gonna transfer that to you — and how does that feel?” That’s what this is all about. I tell you, I can’t sometimes… Even I, El Rushbo, have trouble following these people.

Because one day we are told that women are at risk of their lives every day on every college campus from rape. And then the next day, they don’t see any potential danger whatsoever in allowing this kind of bathroom confusion. The only way that you can properly understand this is to know it’s not about bathrooms. It’s not about trans… That’s just the vehicle. That’s just the instrument to get people to capitulate and to stop opposing them. And when they flower and attach all this to civil rights?

And then they go further and try to attach it to civil rights legislation like Title VII and Title IX of the Civil Rights Act, when neither Title VII or Title IX make the slightest reference to transgendered anywhere. “Administration to issue decree today to every public school district in the US. Educators to be told to let transgender students use bathrooms matching their gender identity. Ruling will not have the force of law, but noncompliant districts could face penalties.” What the hell’s that? “Ruling will notice have the force of law,” but we’re still gonna threaten you anyway if you don’t comply?

“A letter to school districts will go out [today] will describe what schools should do to ensure that none of their students are discriminated against. It does not have the force of law, but it contains an implicit threat: Schools that do not abide by the [Regime]’s interpretation of the law could face lawsuits or a loss of federal aid,” and that is the universal threat. Do what we want in any area of your school — curriculum, bathrooms — and if you don’t, we’re gonna take the money away from you.

And they can’t get by without federal money because once the federal money started coming in they grandchildren to budget for it each and every year and it’s spent years in the future. “Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest released the following statement in response to President Obama’s bathroom policy directive: ‘North Carolina will not stand by and let our locker rooms and high school showers be used for social experimentation at the expense of the privacy and protection of our young boys and girls. I do not think it is appropriate for teenage boys and girls to share the same bathroom. I don’t think…”

How many people…? Let me ask you a question. You conservatives out there, how many of you run into fellow conservatives saying, “Will you let this go? This is not a hill to die on! Come on, it’s bathrooms. Nothing goes on in there. People get in there and get out of there as quick as they can. Don’t makes this…” You know, the social issues crowd, the people that hate the social issues like abortion, get scared to death. “Let this go. Don’t make a big deal out of it,” and this is how the left wins all this time.

The left are responsible for all the turmoil and the “social issues” of politics, because they’re the ones constantly trying to corrupt it. And if people stand up and try to explain it, they are said to be the problem. For example, in the Republican Party, “Social issue driving people away.” What are we supposed to do, just stand down and let all this stuff sweep every aspect of our culture? Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest says, “I don’t think it is appropriate for male coaches and male teachers to have access to girls’ locker rooms and showers while the young girls are naked and exposed.

“I feel confident,” he writes, “the vast majority of North Carolina parents feel the same. the president needs a reminder that the United States Constitution grants education decision authority to the states and localities not to the president of the United States. … Opening all showers and all restrooms to all sexes at all times as the president is suggesting, is not a reasonable solution, but an invitation for violations of privacy and personal safety.” Solution to what? What? What? When did the problem pop up? What is the problem? When did this become a problem, anyway?

Is it a manufactured problem or is it a real problem? Are all kinds of…? Are there feelings of discomfort and unwelcomeness in bathrooms all over America all the sudden? When did this pop up? (interruption) Well, that’s the thing: The president’s kids are never gonna have to deal with this. I was just asked — you know, by a smart aleck — “Are the president’s kids, are his daughters gonna have to shower with the with the football team?” You know as well as I do that that’s never gonna happen, and it would never be permitted.

And the only time there’s gonna be a transgender bathroom in the White House is during a gay rights ceremony. You know as well as I do that that’s not going to happen. Of course he wouldn’t. North Carolina… Back to Lieutenant Governor Forest here. “North Carolina public schools in receipt of the president’s letter are reminded that there is a binding state law on the books governing bathroom policy and the President’s non-binding directive is merely his attempt to push his version of a social policy on our state with no Constitutional authority to do so. It should be rejected as a matter of principle and policy.”

Amen.

I happen to agree with that 100%. But still, when… You know, people on our side say, “Come on, let it go! This is not a hill to die on.” I’m hearing that phrase: “This is not the hill to die on. Don’t this.” Okay, fine. I know you don’t want to object to it. I know people get all nervous. But when did this become a major issue anyway? When did all kinds of discrimination and unwelcomeness…? When did this manifest itself? When did all of this all of a sudden reach its tipping point? (interruption) They’ve been in the shadows? Right.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: Well, here you go. Right there it is, folks, from the Chicago Tribune. Headline: “Man Accused of Choking Girl, 8, in Restroom of South Loop Store.” The Chicago Tribune: “A West Town man is accused of choking an 8-year-old [little] girl until she passed out inside a bathroom of a restaurant in the South Loop neighborhood last weekend. The girl was inside [the store] in the 1200 block of South Canal Street with her mother around 1:15 p.m. Saturday when the two became separated, according to police. “The girl went into the bathroom.

“At some point, Reese M. Hartstirn, 33, came into the bathroom and started choking the girl with his hands, causing her to become unconscious, according to the Chicago Police Department. He then picked up the unconscious girl and carried her into a bathroom stall, closing the door so she couldn’t leave, according to the release. Hartstirn pushed the girl’s mother when she came into the stall to rescue her daughter, police said. The girl was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital for treatment. Her condition was not immediately available, according to police.

“People inside the [store] held Hartstirn for police after they were alerted to what happened.”

(crumbling up story)

There’s a lot of things I want to squeeze in here, folks, if we can, including your phone calls.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: Andrew in Akron, Ohio, thank you for waiting. It’s great to have you on Open Line Friday. Hello.

CALLER: Hi, Mr. Limbaugh. Good afternoon. How are you?

RUSH: I’m fine, sir. Thank you very much.

CALLER: I’d like to kind of start off by telling you that today’s actually the first time I’ve ever been accompanied in a male restroom with a female. It’s pretty stunning. But the reason I called —

RUSH: Wait. You just can’t say that and then move on. You were accompanied by a female in a restroom?

CALLER: Yes, sir. I was at a truck stop and a lady — I take it a lady — walked in. She had hair about three-quarters of the way down her back.

RUSH: Well, what happened? What did you do?

CALLER: I just kind of froze because there was no attempt to even cover it up and look like a male, and everybody just kind of walked out of the bathroom.

RUSH: Yeah, I guess so. Making them the bigots now.

CALLER: But I’d like to really tell you, thank you very much for your book. I’m 22 years old. I was taught in our horrible public schools. But, man, they are just full of information. It’s just so amazing. Somebody like myself can learn from that, and I just really want to thank you. You know, you have a lot of support here on the road.

RUSH: I appreciate that. It’s still surprising to hear this, Andrew. But I have heard from people your age and even older who’ve said that there are things in these books that we write for children — you know, eight to 12, sometimes 13 — that they weren’t taught in school, especially the first one, Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims. That’s one of the most mistaught. The First Thanksgiving.

But I’m gratified every time I hear this, to have 22-year-old people tell me that they learn something reading children. I’m really gratified and we’d like to send you a little something here, Andrew. If you would hang on, Mr. Snerdley will get your address so we can send a little surprise goody package. Well, it won’t be a surprise since you know what’s coming, but what’s in there will be. I have to run. I appreciate it, Andrew. Thank you so much.