My response to Rush

I am a small businesswoman who owns a few internet shops under the name
Scarebaby Design. When President Obama asked people to tweet what $40 means
to them, I replied with a tweet that said "$40 means I can pay my internet
bill and keep my tiny small business going." To my surprise, the White House
retweeted my tweet, to its nearly 3 million followers.

What happened after that was quite bewildering. Rush Limbaugh, the
conservative radio talk show host, took to the airwaves to call my tweet "BS",
"a White House-generated response" and "ignorant". (1)

After I protested on Twitter and in Democratic Underground that, in fact, I am
a real person with a real business, Mr. Limbaugh called me "an idiot" and
tried to imply that the name of my business, Scarebaby, had something to do
with "terrorizing babies in the womb." (2)

A few clicks of the mouse would have revealed that I am a real person, my
business is real, and the name Scarebaby has nothing to do with pregnancy, but
rather is a fond reference to the movie "It's a Wonderful Life".

Meanwhile, some of his listeners began tweeting that I was a liar, a fraud,
stupid, and other choice hate comments. They posted personal information,
including my real name, address, phone number, political donations, etc on
conservative forums in a threatening manner. They called me "a target" on
Twitter.

It would be great if I could make anti-Limbaugh tshirts. It would be great if
I could sue him for slander, for spreading malicious lies, and for inciting
others to acts of hate.

But I am bound by the law of the land. I'm not allowed to use his name or
image for profit. I'm not allowed to sue for defamation, slander or libel,
because he considers himself an 'entertainer'.

I am also bound by something alien to Mr. Limbaugh: the law of common decency.

All I can do is demand an apology and a correction from him.

If you agree that Rush Limbaugh owes me an apology, and needs to stop his
campaign of spreading hate through lies, then please repost and link to this
piece wherever you can.

Thank you.

Holly Hertzel
Scarebaby Design

ps-- It's my understanding that the self employed DO
get the payroll tax cut as a reduction in our self employment tax aka FICA.
The self employed pay both the employer and employee shares, and get a 2%
discount on the employee share.


Links:

(1) "...it's BS. Nobody actually sent that. That's a White House-generated
response. And do you know how I know? You may not know how I know. But this is
the level of ignorance that we have that is associated with this. Mr.
ScareBaby cannot possibly have a small business and get this payroll tax cut.
The self-employed don't get it....
"...So Mr. ScareBaby, this is obviously not a real person. This is somebody in
the White House getting this Tweet ball rolling."

(http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2012/02/14/distressing_day_in_obamaville_gop_caves_on_payroll_tax_bam_brags_about_40_bucks)

(2) "ScareBaby, you're an idiot. You're self-employed! You don't qualify for
the payroll tax cut." No self-employed person gets the payroll tax cut. You
gotta be an employee. If you're a small business owner -- a "very" small
business owner, a "tiny" small business owner -- you're not an employee. Well,
guess what? ScareBaby posted on the Democrat Underground that she's upset
because I'm "sliming" her. It turns out Mr. ScareBaby is a woman and says, "I
got slimed by Rush today on his show. Need your help." So somebody from the
White House is feeling that I'm sliming them. ScareBaby.

"RUSH: Hey, ScareBaby? I understand you're trying to find tape of me saying
what I said about you. I'll say some more about you. You are the Democrat
mascot: ScareBaby! The Democrat Party's entire political agenda depends on
fear of pregnancy. Stop and think about that. Not to mention literally
terrorizing babies in the womb. Fear of pregnancy. Stop and think what the
Democrats are putting out there."

(http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2012/02/14/distressing_day_in_obamaville_gop_caves_on_payroll_tax_bam_brags_about_40_bucks)

(3) Daily Kos

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/02/14/1064895/-Condemned-as-Not-a-Real-Person-By-Rush-Limbaugh-a-Small-Businesswoman-Speaks-Out?via=siderec

(4) Politico

http://www.politico.com/politico44/2012/02/wh-dollars-project-draws-conservative-backlash-114488.html