Limbaugh: Haiti earthquake "made to order"
Rush Limbaugh could never help showing his true colors. In this political climate, he no longer has to try. In matters of race, Limbaugh’s responses are nearly as predictable as the Pavlovian support he enjoys from the right. As I pointed out in a recent post, the current political climate has allowed some conservatives to show their racist fangs with near impunity (and no, I’m not saying they are all racists). The exceptions among these I mention are those that still need Democrats or progressive Independents in some way, for example politicians with constituencies that require cross-spectral political support for re-election.
Other conservatives who have decided that they do not need to appeal to non-whites or Democrats in general have taken the gloves off. Worse, Fox News has taken the lead by demonstrating that racially charged, anti-Obama programming such as the Glenn Beck show not only maintain their viewership but are among Fox’s highest rated shows. Because of these factors, do not expect Rush to feel any pressure to tone it down. His previous antics have only made him more notorious so if anything, expect him to continue to test the limits of racial intolerance.
The Media Matters page that posted this clip has angry comments by members who feel that Rush has finally crossed a line that might get him canned. All I can say to these individuals is that in this new political climate, you need to recalibrate your understanding of the depths to which the “patriots” over at Fox and the conservative talk radio crowd are willing to sink in their effort to denigrate anyone who does not think like they do. Most importantly, you need to understand that while speaking these reprehensible words, these people genuinely believe that they are doing what they must do to defend what they perceive as the way the world should work. As vile and racist as this is, you are doing yourself a severe disservice by not recognizing that these misguided souls actually believe they are right. No serious discourse about tolerance or social progression is possible with such individuals unless you first understand this.
Let this be the context from which you derive your understanding of how a clip like this can be so well-received by ANYONE calling themselves an American in the year 2010.
I normally listen to Rush. I must admit he is trying my patience lately. Normally I would take exception to your use of the term “patriots” in quotations as to imply that conservatives are not real patriots but I don’t want to say anything defensive after what I consider an indefensible statement by Rush, especially the light-dark aspect.
Well I’m glad you have at the very least some limits as to what you can stand from Limbaugh.
I think you misinterpreted the “patriots” comment. I don’t mean to confer anything other than that Fox has a flag waving in the background and conservatives talk about the direction of “this country” as if they are the only ones who care about it. They always use divisive and nonsensical terms like “the REAL America” as if there is a fake one, preach to us about values, and talk about liberals “destroying” our culture. Keep in mind that they said the same think about Dr. King and the so-called communists behind the Civil Rights and Women’s Movements. Can you say, McCarthyism? How many times must conservatives be guilty of this before they learn that they do not hold a monopoly on patriotism? To claim that they do is ignorant.
Yea, sometimes Rush gets a little crazier than he probably should.