StemCell Therapy

Two women celebrated the cancer diagnoses affecting the others political opponent, revealing the cold, cruel side to our humanity.

In the kingdom of glass, everything is transparent, and there is no place to hide a dark heart. Vera Nazarian, author

What is it that prompts the human heart to venture into the deepest corners of darkness? To descend there willingly and zealously? To encourage death to snatch life from a foe over little more than crudeness and differing points of view? To celebrate a pending death proudly, to hope for it quickly? To rationalize it as justice being the executioner?

Just what causes humanity to become so incredibly twisted and strangled by unyielding cords of hate?

On the surface, the two women Tuesday morning appeared much like any youd see sharing a table in a coffee shop. It was only when they began to speak did their words and feelings reveal the worst of who we sometimes are.

One day earlier, right-wing radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh revealed he had been diagnosed with advanced, or metastatic, lung cancer. Last month, Rep. Jerry Nadler, a Democrat and a lead House impeachment manager urging the removal of Donald Trump from office for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, announced he would step away from the impeachment trial to be with his wife, who has metastatic pancreatic cancer.

The women, clearly on opposite ends of the political spectrum, discussed what both men are facing in their lives. My coffee went down with ease. Their conversation did not.

Limbaughs getting what he deserves, one woman said of the often caustic, occasionally unsympathetic radio host. Hes a rotten, evil man. I hate that anyone gets cancer, but theres some justice here with him. I remember he mocked Ruth Ginsburg when she got cancer. I bet its not so funny to him now.

Getting what he deserves. Getting cancer. Celebrating a mans possible, probable death. Unfathomable. As I found the distasteful opinion hard to swallow on World Cancer Day, of all days, I thought about my 88-year-old mom battling cancer today, and how the disease and the treatment are beating her up, and how I wouldnt wish the disease on anyone, especially because they wear a red tie and I wear a blue one.

Yet into the darkness the women tread. Zealously.

And then her friend followed her into the abyss. Eagerly.

Yeah, well, that Nadler is getting his, too, the other woman said. You dont survive pancreatic cancer; look at Alex Trebek. (Nadler) was part of the whole witch hunt on the president, and now this. I guess throwing Trump out of office isnt so important to him now.

Two women drinking hot coffee and revealing frozen hearts. I was hoping for better. The thaw never came.

Across the internet and on social media, cold hearts thumped out a drum beat of inhumanity, mostly against Limbaugh.

A 2006 video was recirculated of Limbaugh accusing actor Michael J. Fox of faking his symptoms of Parkinsons disease in a video ad endorsing a Democratic candidate for Senate, Claire McCaskill, who supported embryonic stem-cell research. Limbaugh also mocked Fox on air by impersonating tremors associated with the disease and charging that Fox was exaggerating them for effect. Insensitivity does not get much lower than that.

The intended message by those recirculating Limbaughs inhumanity shortly after he disclosed his cancer diagnosis was unmistakable: Paybacks are hell.

Religious scholar Reza Aslan also attacked Limbaugh, tweeting this Monday: Ask yourself this simple question: Is the world a better place or a worse place with Rush Limbaugh in it? Azlans answer was not a mystery.

I approached the two women with cold hearts. I introduced myself, told them Id overheard their conversation, and would like to talk to them about their casual discussion of cancer and death. They chided me for eavesdropping, then, predictably, refused.

While the cold hearts revealed by those women was likely an extreme perspective, it was, without question, reflective of the widening political divide in America, one in which disagreement doesnt represent the absolute ground floor. For some, it goes much deeper.

And darker.

Columnist Phil Gianficaro can be reached at 215-345-3078, pgianficaro@theintell.com, and @philgianficaro on Twitter.

See original here:
Gianficaro: Rush Limbaugh's cancer reveal brings out the darkest side of humanity - Bucks County Courier Times

This entry was posted on February 7, 2020 at 3:45 am and is filed under Death by Stem Cells. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |