Rush Limbaugh recently scoffed at Japans ability to be responsible despite all of the devastation from the earthquake and tsunami. He started with a caller asking him, “If these are the people that invented the Prius, have mastered public transportation, recycling, why did Mother Earth, Gaia if you will, hit them with this disaster?”
Limbaugh thought that this was an “interesting question” considering how responsible they seem, why would such a devastating event happen to the people of Japan? If “Gaia” wanted such responsible living, why would this be allowed to happen?
Limbaugh then continues on to a clip of Diane Sawyer surprised at Japans ability to maintain a recycling program despite the devastation, where the people of Japan are sifting though the rubble and organizing the mess. He then mocks her excitement for their resilience by saying that “she sounds like she saw her husband for the first time in six months.”
He ends the topic by saying, “They’ve given us the Prius. Even now, refugees are recycling their garbage.” He now begins laughing, “and yet, Gaia levels them! Just wipes them out!”
Not only does he mock the disaster, he mocks responsibility to the planet and the resilience of an entire people. Then on top of that, someone who is proud of them.
Posted from Media Matters:
LIMBAUGH: Does anybody know how much it cost to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina? Anybody have the number? Snerdley, they have started it. I have been to New Orleans. They have started rebuilding. It’s got to be several hundred billion, right? Has to be. I have been to New Orleans. They have started rebuilding. Don’t start getting snarky on me like that. When are they going to start rebuilding? They have.
Chris in Indianapolis, great to have you on the program, sir. Hello.
CALLER: Great to be on the program.
LIMBAUGH: You bet, sir.
CALLER: [Inaudible] conservative dittos.
LIMBAUGH: Thank you very much.
CALLER: I need some of your wisdom. I’m confused. At the top of the first hour, you played a clip. Diane Sawyer, I believe, about the recycling that is still going on in Japan.
LIMBAUGH: I did. You’re right.
CALLER: If these are the people that invented the Prius, have mastered public transportation, recycling, why did mother earth, Gaia if you will, hit them with this disaster?
LIMBAUGH: Well, that’s an interesting question. Let’s go back and grab Diane Sawyer. Audio sound bite number nine. This is her report on a shelter for refugees in Japan and how they are handling their waste management.
[PLAYS CLIP]
DIANE SAWYER: This is a shelter. Some of these people here for days, and look, it’s recycling. Organized for recycling.
GUEST: Plastic, combustible, burnable, canes.
[END CLIP]
LIMBAUGH: Did I really hear this? Did I really hear — Diane Sawyer is in a refugee camp in Japan. Play this again. This is almost like a kindergarten teacher talking to the four year olds. That is how old you are in kindergarten, right? Five? Five? Four? Alright. This is — some of these people here for days and look, look it’s recycling, organized for recycling.
[PLAYS CLIP]
SAWYER: This is a shelter. Some of these people here for days and look it’s recycling, organized for recycling.
GUEST: Plastic, combustible, burnable, canes.
[END CLIP]
RUSH: My god, she sounds like she saw her husband for the first time in six months there. Oh, it’s recycling, look, organized for — these people are in the midst of earthquake devastation and the credit they’re getting is for recycling and our caller Chris with a great question. The Japanese have done so much to save the planet. He’s right. They’ve given us the Prius. Even now, refugees are still recycling their garbage, and yet Gaia levels them [laughs], just wipes them out. Wipes out their nuclear plants, all kinds of radiation. What kind of payback is this? That is an excellent question. They invented the Prius. In fact, where Gaia blew up is right where they make all these electric cars. That’s where the tsunami hit. All those brand new electric cars sitting there on the lot. I like the way this guy was thinking. It’s like — it’s like Gaia hit the Prius in [inaudible]. It’s like they were in the crosshairs, if we can use that word, it does. What is Gaia trying to tell us here? What is the mother of environmentalism trying to say with this hit? Great observation out there, Chris.
Here’s Tom in Naples, Florida. You’re next on the EIB network. Hello.
CALLER: Hey, Rush Limbaugh, how you doing?
LIMBAUGH: Fine sir, thanks much.
CALLER: Hey, I know, I’m calling about and I was trying to just add a little levity to the day. My issue is that I don’t want Obama to pick Ohio State in his brackets, because that’s who I’m picking.
Find the original article from Media Matters here (VIDEO)
Do you think maybe Rush is being particularly mean in saying that “What is Gaia trying to tell us here? Don’t you think its because the Japanese aren’t Christian, but probably mostly Buddhists. He usually picks on a certain person or group because he wants his super conservative base to love him.
I guess making fun of Buddhists is within the realm of “OK” if you are a red-neck, ignorant Rush supporter. Even if these people have suffered so much and even one of their more hostile enemies, the Chinese have offered them help with the rescue & financial aid.
But American druggie Rush has to keep up the rhetoric so he can laugh at his own followers all the way to the bank. The laugh is on them. He doesn’t believe any of the bullshit he speaks…..he just likes the money.
I think ole Rush got too dosed on that hillbilly heroin he loves so much.
Wow! Rush being Rush! Now there’s an eff’ing surprise!
So they should be out looting stores in the Drugster’s opinion?
Dear Lowlife, Loser Limbaugh,
The earth isn’t making choices here. So Gaia didn’t “do” anything. A kindergartener knows better. It must have been your ridiculous insane God that “caused” the disaster you freaking lightweight mental moron. Shut up already.
Is it OK if we dump all our garbage on YOUR lawn? You’re asking for it by the ton.
Mark my words: at some point in the future, we will learn that Limbaugh and all the GOP climate change naysayers have been receiving significant funding to off-shore accounts from the fossil fuel industries. When one considers this, it makes all of their self-destructive lunacy make sense. They are being paid to sell everyone out for oil, coal and natural gas.
Either that or they are aliens who want the Earth terraformed so they can survive here without artificial means.
That makes perfect sense Laura…I’d add the nuke industry to that…
another comment to the effect that we ignore him…i kinda think we should. he uses up a lotta liberal energy (no pun intended)
No, Rush is fulfilling his real duty, teaching people how to be ignoranuses.
I cant believe this heartless old creep. He has no empathy?? Sad
Normal human beings feel empathy for people suffering from disaster.
If this transcript is accurate, Rush is mentally ill.
An awful lot of people have known this for a long time – what is unique about this particular emission that finally woke you up?
Maybe we should stop complaining about him. Maybe if we fell silent and had no reaction to his remarks he would stop trying to anger everyone. They say the devil feeds off of hate. This would be one of those times. Shhhhhhh……
No, it’s running away like you call for that got us into the mess in 2010. The answer is to fight harder, throw bodies and anger at it until it or we are gone.
I agree. This is no time for apathy.