WHAT'S NEXT FOR RUSH?

Has Rush Limbaugh's admission of an addiction to prescription painkillers
and acknowledgment of an investigation surrounding his drug use damaged his
appeal? Or will his fans forgive and forget? At Issue wants your opinion.

Limbaugh is AM radio's most popular personality, the standard bearer of
conservative broadcast commentators. Limbaugh regularly castigates liberals,
Democrats, feminists ("feminazis"), environmentalists ("whackos") and
others. Among those who have been the subject of his verbal wrath are users
of illegal drugs.

Is Limbaugh's drug use hypocritical considering his views? Does his apparent
lack of sympathy for people who fall in a number of categories make him a
target of ridicule? Or has Limbaugh merely proved he is human and deserving
of the same degree of empathy as anyone else with a medical problem?

If, as has been alleged, Limbaugh took prescription drugs without a proper
doctor's authorization, is his drug use the same as if he had used cocaine
or heroin? Or should misuse of pain medication fall into a different
category? Will his alleged drug use bring even more attention to the
widespread illegal misuse of Oxycontin, a very powerful pain medication that
habitual drug users grind into power and inject with a needle ?

Do you think Limbaugh's experience in a rehab clinic will change his views?
He has acknowledged being treated in such clinics before. If Limbaugh is
successfully treated for addiction, should he face criminal charges if
allegations he illegally misused drugs appear to be probably true?

If you are a Limbaugh fan, has his experience caused you to change your mind
about how the system should handle drug addicts? Will you continue to listen
to and support Limbaugh, or will the reports of his drug use cause you to
turn him off?

If you have disliked Limbaugh in the past, are you enjoying watching a man
who has expressed animosity toward so many groups of people take legitimate
criticism? Or do you think he is unfairly being attacked?

At Issue wants your opinions about Rush Limbaugh's misuse of prescription
drugs. Send your replies to At Issue, The Journal Gazette, 600 W. Main St.,
Fort Wayne, IN., 46802, Box 88, or fax them to 260-461-8648. You can send
them by e-mail to letters@jg.net (mailto:letters@jg.net). Please include
your name, address, and daytime telephone number.