While one might argue that telling the truth should never be regarded as irredeemably uncivil, fascists do not deserve civility, in life or in death.

With significant caveats with respect to abuse and harm done, “Speak no ill of the dead” may be a decent enough general maxim for private individuals.

Apply it to public figures, however, and you only end up protecting unjust power and privilege.

Now that Rush Limbaugh is dead, we’ll be hearing a lot about how “talented” he was. “Charming.” A big tipper. I haven’t read the @nytimes obituary yet, but I noticed the headline describes Limbaugh as “relentlessly provocative,” which makes him sound “cool” in an “edgy” way.

Sure, Limbaugh had some talent. There’s a reason his hate radio career took off nationally in a way Mike Pence’s didn’t.

I mean, the most ordinary goldfish in a bowl has more charisma than Pence, so that’s a low bar, but...

Two things. Firstly, as @Lollardfish has aptly observed, talent is much more widespread than opportunity. Limbaugh really wasn’t anything particularly special in the talent category.

Second, talent and opportunity can’t be separated from how they’re used. And Limbaugh did harm.

Limbaugh was one of a handful of selfish, bigoted, anti-social, frankly disgusting white men who are most singularly responsible for bringing America to the state in which January 6 happened.

A man who pushed “alternative facts” and stoked hate in defense of unjust hierarchy.

He made ridiculous amounts of money doing it, and he did immense harm to marginalized groups by encouraging fellow bigots to embrace their bigotry instead of trying to become better people who could learn to accommodate others equally in a changing America.

So, don’t buy the hype that always comes when a household name dies. Don’t enable the whitewashing of Rush Limbaugh, a horrible person leaving a legacy of hate and harm.

Buck pious platitudes like “Speak no ill of the dead.”

Instead, speak the truth. Our future depends on it.