Is Rush Limbaugh mocking refugees in Japan or Diane Sawyer ... or both?

 

In these days of political incorrectness, it's becoming harder and harder to rate the offensive remarks being made about the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Or in the case of shock jock Rush Limbaugh, maybe it's just tough to decipher what the heck he's mocking now. Is it the Japanese refugees themselves? Or is it ABC news anchor Diane Sawyer and her on-the-ground interviews with survivors? Does Limbaugh really think it's funny that an environmentally advanced country such as Japan has been hit with a natural disaster of epic proportions?

"What is Gaia [Mother Nature] trying to tell us here?" he said on his show Tuesday. "What is the mother of environmentalism trying to say with this hit?"

No, Rush, what you are trying to say?

If you figure it out, Show Tracker readers, would you let us know?

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-- T.L. Stanley

Comments

[Zoe Townsend]

For any people defending Rush in this situation. I just want to ask you to do something. Write the comment. Wait. Read what you wrote. Wait. Think about what you wrote. DELETE IT. Write something else. You are rationalizing a statement from Rush Limbaugh. Whatever you are going to post is going to sound ludicrous. Like Rush. So I implore you. You cannot rationalize crazy. Thanks!

[Ratchik]

My interpretation of this was that he was mocking both Sawyer and enviromentalists. Sawyer for the obvious reason of being estatic over something as simple as recycling. He was mocking some environmentalists for thier believe in some sentient mother earth spirit aka Gaia. He pointing out that if such a thing existed why would it's fury be unleashed on those who are putting so much effort into helping it. No one seriously thinks that Limbaugh actually believes in Gaia. So why would anyone think that Limbaugh believes that he/she/it is punishing the Japonese? He's poking fun at those who see natural disasters as divine intervention. His monologue there practically drips with sarcasm.
I think his comments were rude, and uncalled for in light of the seriousness of the situation over there, but I don't think they were meant in any way to be insulting or derogatory to the Japonese. He's slamming the media and environmentalists, which is par for the course with him.

[mike]

The japanese have been recycling for centuries. Do to there limited resources. when japan was discovered by europeans they we amazed by how the japanese recycling in the great city of Kyoto(tokyo)

[Pamela Troy]

It's quite simple. Like many on the right (Freepers, Glenn Beck listeners, most Fox News watchers) Rush relies on ignorance to the point that he and his listeners are reduced to making fun of liberals, not based on what liberals actually say and believe, but on what these right wingers TELL each other liberals say and believe Hence, this thudding "witticism" about Gaia.

As is so often the case, stupidity and callousness walk hand in hand here.

[Dan]

Many have missed his point entirely. He is mocking the silly enviromentalists and their insistance that WE (humans) can somehow destroy the planet.
You "HATE RUSH!" fanatics need to stop getting all your Rush news from short internet clips and learn the broader context of what he is saying.
There is a reason he has the largest audience in American radio; his listeners, actually listen.

[Michael Waugh]

The only thing Rush would be keeping safe would be his stash of pills! He should go over there and see what the word Catastrophe looks like! These people have been shaken to the core, and he makes fun of them! Shame on you Mr. Limbaugh. Any one who supports you contributes to the decay of the American Spirit!

[Joan in Michigan]

Rush Limbaugh is a total Idiot. Instead of looting, raping etc like in New Orleans, civilized people in Japan are trying to maintain some sense of normal life....but then in some areas of the USA looting and raping is normal life.....

[jon galt]

sawyer...heard a similar one. Fox News, Harris (the info babe) sez to xpert.."Earthquake,Tsunami....what went wrong?

Xpert responds....Hit by an asteroid!! What went wrong?????

I laughed till I hurt.

[Dorien]

From what I have read of the posted comments I can tell that most of you did not even hear Rush make the comments. He has made fun of those that continue to blame "Mother Nature" and / or God for "paying Japan back for its WWII activities and for the past waste or for even using nuclear plants". He also, as did I and others, found it incongruous and humorous that Ms Sawyer chose to make such a big deal of the recycling containers while such devastation surrounded her. I still shake my head in disbelief. And those of you that resorted to name calling and personal appearance attacks, such as whale references, I ask, who is the juvenile illiterate? Certainly not Rush.

[Pamela Troy]

I listened to him, Dorien. I've listened to him for years. Even before Media Matters began documenting it, I knew that the man has a habit of treating human suffering as if it were funny.

"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; 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"

I don't typically like calling people names, but when you read this along with his comments about Haiti, ("we've already donated to Haiti. It's called the U.S. income tax,") South Asia after the 2004 Tsunami ("I have been suspicious of these numbers [of deaths in the tsunami] from the get-go. First day, 12,000; then 14,000; then 50. Then 60, then 100, then 140 -- there was even a number, 400,000 thrown around out there. And it just -- who's verifying this?") his famously "funny" imitation of Parkinson's sufferer Michael J. Fox -- There's only one conclusion.

The man is a pig

[EA Harris]

Tim and other Limbaugh defenders...

I heard him. This is what he said:

'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?'

And then he LAUGHED, and said: 'What is Gaia trying to tell us here? What is the mother of environmentalism trying to say with this hit?'

How is this "Only the ignorant left would would try to flip his comments"? He's making a joke of their suffering.

[kris moore]

envelope please....and the winner in the UglyAmerican catagory is Rush!!!

[Jean Swackhamer1]

I've been listening to Rush for years and of late have become very bored. He used to give political analysis now, the content of his show could just be phoned in. He gets on a topic and rambles. Sometimes one topic goes on for days. He has finally joined all of American media. I think most of the media personalities have become fat and lazy.

[Lori]

This man is a pig, no matter WHAT he is talking about. You know what's worse? That there are so many pigs listening to him, giving him ratings of ANY kind. Anyone (and I do mean ANYONE) who would laugh and mock people in the aftermath of a disaster, which they had NOTHING to do with, is a true piece of garbage. Period. The end.

[Shef Rogers]

A few months ago a tornado leveled a church in the midwest. Did Limbaugh make fun of that? Did he say, "Oh, there they are praying to Jesus and he just wipes them out?"
We all know he'd never say that. His listeners are mean, bitter hicks who like to laugh at anyone who isn't like them, but would be murderously outraged if Limbaugh applied the same mockery to them.

[Anne Norskog]

Rush Limbaugh has to be the most deliberately offensive dolt on the face of the Earth. Obviously, he will glean "garbage" for his broadcasts just to pad his own wallet! His sense of decency has been utterly abandoned!

There is only one word to describe Rush Limbaugh: evil!

[erin]

Holy Moses! To think that the Japanese people in the shelter want to keep a clean and orderly environment--that's what Japanese people do, even under great stress. Rush probably hoped they would have been living in filth, chaos, with piles of garbage around them, fighting over food. You bet he would have mocked them then. He just didn't have anything to mock--just another cheap shot from the bloviator.

[David Kessler]

Under the guise of "inappropriateness" and the like, liberals continue to try and shut up conservatives thereby going against the grain of what they hold so dear- free speech. Why don't you write an article LA Times of your own opinion and get off Limbaugh's back. Don't act like you don't know Limbaugh's not a fan of mainstream media and neither am I. Why should I be. If you don't understand Rush, say something. Otherwise, stop trying to quiet/shush the man;)

[wooooozee]

There can be no good without evil. I believe folks like Limbaugh are a reminder to stay vigilant in fighting for the rights of the poor and the least among us. If you've noticed, they speak the word of God upside, down. There is no love in his comments and always, in between, there is something for you to buy - a mug, a swivel chair. We each made a little human by comments like his but they also offer an opportunity to make different choices, to stand up and use our one man, one vote. My voting rule is - if someone is a fear mongerer, telling me somehow my neighbor is the reason for everything bad...I'm voting for the other choice.

[wooooozee]

re: Gilbert or anyone in times of tragedy. you do what you can. the problem is, most people spend time focusing on how others are reaction as opposed to sussing out their own feelings/actions. These folks in the media are not reporters or activists or documentarians. Gilbert is a comedian for goodness sakes - known by everyone on the planet for his inappropriate comments. Gilbert has it so bad, when he's heckled, he gets even more offensive. That's part of his charm (imho), why these corporations hire him and then walk away from him when the heat is on. I love Gilbert's irreverance and don't expect him to be pc in any situation. In terms of Rush, he'll a pill head with alot of nonsense to say. By his own rules, he should be broadcasting from prison. Diane, diane - she's pretty isn't she? Isn't that her job? Are we seeking insight and compassion from these people? I'm pretty sure they're required to check those at the door before they get that fat check.

Our brothers n sisters in Japan are took busy suffering and trying to keep living for us to let these bubble heads distract us from the real issues. The Indian Point Nuclear facility is in my back yard. I'm trying to get a sense of what the heck we should be doing/thinking about locally? Anyone here working on that, please drop me an email for some leads. It would be very much appreciated.