Opportunists
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
A few days ago Haiti was devastated by an earthquake that led to thousands of Haitians losing their lives while the survivors lost everything else. In this moment of great human tragedy, President Obama stepped up and offered help. And for the most part the politicians in Washington have set aside the bitter debates on domestic policy to see what we can do as a nation to help the people of Haiti. But as usual there are those who see tragedy as an opportunity.
Fellow Americans, I give you Rush Limbaugh, who took it upon himself to use this great human tragedy to appeal to his legions of "ditto-heads". Rush Limbaugh criticized President Obama for his quick response to the tragedy because Obama did not respond as quickly to the failed bombing of an airplane in Detroit. Then Rush Limbaugh couldn't help himself and threw race into the mix. Limbaugh decided that there was a correlation between Obama's response to Haiti and his skin color and stated that the President reacted quickly so he could use this crisis to bolster his credibility in the "light-skinned and dark-skinned black community in this country." I'm sure that statement will bolster Limbaugh's credibility in that tiny extreme right-wing racist fringe that makes up a small part of his audience.
I'm truly sorry that Limbaugh, while making millions sitting in that bunker spewing venom and hatred to fire up his legion of "ditto-heads" and contributing nothing to society in the way of new ideas or real solutions to our nation's ills, can't understand the difference between the speeds needed to save lives and the deliberate nature of a criminal investigation. Why is it that these right-wing pundits like Limbaugh want swift action when comes to bombing villages and killing people but criticize when swift action is taken to save lives?
But wait, it gets worse. I now give you Christian right-wing leader Pat Robertson who is constantly begging for money to prop up his personal fortune. The same man who agreed with Jerry Farwell's assessment that 9/11 was a result of the actions of the ACLU. The same Pat Robertson who told us that Hurricane Katrina was God's response to homosexuality in New Orleans.
Yesterday, Pat Robertson gave his view on the tragic events of the earthquake in Haiti. He stated that, "You know ... something happened a long time ago in Haiti. ... They got together and swore a pact to the Devil ... Ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after the other." There you have it, folks. The Haitians have no one to blame but themselves for the earthquake. Haitians lay dead or dying, yet Robertson offered nothing but blame.
Rush Limbaugh and Pat Robertson are the unintended consequences of the First Amendment. But if you want democracy, the First Amendment is essential. In fact, they are not the problem. The problem is the audience that grants them a forum to continue to spew their hate.
Pray for Haiti.
Robert Betances
Warsaw, via e-mail[[In-content Ad]]
A few days ago Haiti was devastated by an earthquake that led to thousands of Haitians losing their lives while the survivors lost everything else. In this moment of great human tragedy, President Obama stepped up and offered help. And for the most part the politicians in Washington have set aside the bitter debates on domestic policy to see what we can do as a nation to help the people of Haiti. But as usual there are those who see tragedy as an opportunity.
Fellow Americans, I give you Rush Limbaugh, who took it upon himself to use this great human tragedy to appeal to his legions of "ditto-heads". Rush Limbaugh criticized President Obama for his quick response to the tragedy because Obama did not respond as quickly to the failed bombing of an airplane in Detroit. Then Rush Limbaugh couldn't help himself and threw race into the mix. Limbaugh decided that there was a correlation between Obama's response to Haiti and his skin color and stated that the President reacted quickly so he could use this crisis to bolster his credibility in the "light-skinned and dark-skinned black community in this country." I'm sure that statement will bolster Limbaugh's credibility in that tiny extreme right-wing racist fringe that makes up a small part of his audience.
I'm truly sorry that Limbaugh, while making millions sitting in that bunker spewing venom and hatred to fire up his legion of "ditto-heads" and contributing nothing to society in the way of new ideas or real solutions to our nation's ills, can't understand the difference between the speeds needed to save lives and the deliberate nature of a criminal investigation. Why is it that these right-wing pundits like Limbaugh want swift action when comes to bombing villages and killing people but criticize when swift action is taken to save lives?
But wait, it gets worse. I now give you Christian right-wing leader Pat Robertson who is constantly begging for money to prop up his personal fortune. The same man who agreed with Jerry Farwell's assessment that 9/11 was a result of the actions of the ACLU. The same Pat Robertson who told us that Hurricane Katrina was God's response to homosexuality in New Orleans.
Yesterday, Pat Robertson gave his view on the tragic events of the earthquake in Haiti. He stated that, "You know ... something happened a long time ago in Haiti. ... They got together and swore a pact to the Devil ... Ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after the other." There you have it, folks. The Haitians have no one to blame but themselves for the earthquake. Haitians lay dead or dying, yet Robertson offered nothing but blame.
Rush Limbaugh and Pat Robertson are the unintended consequences of the First Amendment. But if you want democracy, the First Amendment is essential. In fact, they are not the problem. The problem is the audience that grants them a forum to continue to spew their hate.
Pray for Haiti.
Robert Betances
Warsaw, via e-mail[[In-content Ad]]
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