I’m amazed that I have heard no statements from GOP politicians on this tragedy and Obama’s excellent response to it. However, the politicians are not the party leadership. In a poll conducted by 60 Minutes and Vanity Fair, Rush was voted most influential conservative, becoming the de facto leader of the GOP. He beat second place finisher, Glen Beck, by more that two to one. Under the Bush/GOP regime, graduates of Pat Robertson’s Regent University were several times more likely to receive federal appointments than Ivy league graduates, indicating that he is a spiritual leader of the GOP. Here is how they responded to the disaster.
First, let’s examine Rush’s response:
Mr. Limbaugh wasted no time trying to turn the horrific tragedy in Haiti into a sleazy partisan attack on the very people working around the clock to save as many lives as possible:
[Paraphrased via Media Matters here and here] I want you to remember, it took [Obama] three days — three days! — to respond to the Christmas Day fruit of ka-boom bomber … He comes out here in less than 24 hours to speak about Haiti … [later in same program] … they’ll use this to burnish ahhh their, ahhh shall we say, ahhh credibility with the black community, both the light skinned and, ahhh, hmmm … dark skinned black community …
Wow. At this very moment the streets of Haiti’s capital are still littered with bodies of the dead and dying. Thousands of men, women, and children — including an unknown number of Americans — are buried alive under tons of rubble, many no doubt crying out in agony for help that will come too late. And this sick twisted racist monster doesn’t even have the decency to wait for them to finish dying before equating their death and suffering to an incident where no one got a scratch except the bad guy… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Daily Kos>
I know that’s hard to believe, so here’s the video:
That just turns my stomach.
Next is Robertson’s contribution:
Every disaster that befalls a nation — hurricanes, floods, terrorism, earthquakes — constitutes God’s punishment of a people gone astray, according to Pat Robertson, who famously blamed feminists for 9/11 and gays for Hurricanes Katrina and Andrew. In the case of Haiti’s devastating earthquake, he blames an ostensible deal that black Haitians made with the Devil in order to win their emancipation and independence from the French colonials who enslaved them. So, in Haiti’s case it might not be God who did the nation in, but rather the Devil calling in his chit.
From today’s edition of "The 700 Club":
[S]omething happened a long time ago in Haiti and people might not want to talk about it. They were under the heel of the French, uh you know Napoleon the third and whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the Devil. They said we will serve you if you’ll get us free from the French. True Story. And so the Devil said "Okay, it’s a deal." And they kicked the French out. You know, the Haitians revolted and got themselves free. But ever since they have been cursed by one thing after the other, desperately poor. That island is Hispaniola is one island. It’s cut down the middle. On one side is Haiti, on the other side is the Dominican republic. Dominican Republic is prosperous, healthy, full of resorts, etc.. Haiti is in desperate poverty. Same island. Uh, they need to have, and we need to pray for them, a great turning to God and out of this tragedy. I’m optimistic something good may come.
Because, of course, black people couldn’t possibly have the wherewithal to defeat their white oppressors without a little supernatural help — and it sure wouldn’t be coming from God, right?
The association of black people with the devil goes back to Puritan times — remember the role of the slave Tabitha in the Salem witch trials? — and it lives in the unconscious of a certain sort of white evangelical Christian. The sort like Pat Robertson… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Alternet>
And, because this is so incredible, here is the video:
What a hypocrite!
I remember a few years back, Disney World adopted a policy not to discriminate against openly gay employees. Robertson called on his sheeple to pray that a hurricane would hit Orlando to show God’s judgment against Disney World. The next hurricane to hit the US made landfall at Virginia Beach, Robertson’s HQ. Doesn’t God have a divine sense of humor?
As I was doing my research this morning I felt so angry that I was considering how to express my outrage without coming off like a wing-nut. Then I heard Keith Olbermann’s comment, so I’ll leave you with that.
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22 Responses to “GOP Leaders Respond on HATEee”
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The ambassador from Haiti had an interesting response to robertson on Maddow's broadcast.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#34851879
I would like limbaugh and robertson to come down to my neighborhood for a visit. Might make for a less boring afternoon.
I have always said Robertson and the 700 Club was nothing but scam artists and this just reaffirms my belief… As for El Rushbo… what more could anyone expect from a gas bag…
Rachel had one of the Ministers of Haiti on last night too… He answered Robertson.. Very classy response I thought.
Robertson is heading for his own brand of special hell after all the damage he has done here on earth. I am not judging him, just saying he has caused so many people such misery, I believe he has reserved his place.
These slugs need to be rebutted but the dummies they pander to love it and listen to nothing else. It's like the stupid soap operas they watch and live on a daily basis.
Pat Robertson is a deluded individual and he appeals to people who are just as deluded as himself.
Rush Limbaugh is a mean spirited, cynical, angry individual, just like his audience.
It never surprises me what a few idiots will say. It does surprise me how many millions of people believe what they say.
As I've stated before: when the 700 Club comes on the television channel gets changed! To listen to that hateful, self righteous drivel makes me nauseous.
And which party was it that drummed up political donations with the "Obama's not keeping us safe from terror" campaign after the Christmas bomber debacle?
I've got some shocking news for Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh: both are haters, and both are going to hell for it. Take THAT. o holier-than-thou Robertson!
"Every disaster that befalls a nation — hurricanes, floods, terrorism, earthquakes — constitutes God's punishment of a people gone astray, according to Pat Robertson"
Just like the Puritians in the 14-1500s said God was punishing the Natives with Small Pox. Ugh.
I love Keith.
I can't watch Rush – just reading his comments makes me physically ill.
And I'm with everyone here – there's a special hell, that they haven't even thought of yet, for these people. God created it himself.
As usual, Keith's comment was right on point.
Thanks Mark. I missed this. It's well worth watching.
Annette and Jack, I do not care to reflect on his eventual destination, but I'd love to see him reincarnated as a flea on the butt of a gay camel.
Amen twice, Holte.
Tom, that is a wonder indeed.
Judi, I occasionally watch Faux Noise to see what the enemy is doing. 700 club is another matter.
Jeri, we have that in common.
Amen, Lisa.
I'm always surprised when I see comments by these people. I always ask myself "did they really say that?"
The only problem with them is that the real conservatives take advantage of their religious and right-wing base and give their comments validity for support. The GOP are the ones who have made a pact with the devil, because I am certain that the teachings of Christianity do not coincide with the hate speech coming from the right.
TomCat,
These guys make me sick.
These guys are pathetic. But it's tragic that they have so many followers, and so much influence. Neil Postman is rolling in his grave. May he haunt them.
Apologies for the OT but regarding your comment in my blog, it's a deal, Tom. I'll personally take care of the Palin issue you brought to my attention, as long as the job is strictly non-violent.
Let's see: I might keep her busy with a dildo, but you must pay me a lot of money for the disgusting duty (although I do accept horses in FarmVille), or I might crash an old keyboard on her head (no damages to Ms Palin, just a broken keyboard in the bin which you'll pay for recycling).
Any other suggestion I'm ready to discuss
Going to add you right now. Take care.
Jason
DEBATEitOUT.com
Keith always says it better than I could. Especially since I'm sputtering and screaming and feeling my veins popping from high blood pressure when these assholes just blithely get away with their outrageous and and and… See, I just run out of explicatives…
You know, I was thinking about this. The Devil is supposed to be the craftiest being in all of Christianity. Furthermore, according to Evangelicals, his sole purpose is to lure people down the path of evil to claim more souls for himself than God. And another thing, I don't think that the Devil is a complete idiot.
So, following that logic (THEIR logic, I might add), why would the Devil make Haiti a terrible place? Why wouldn't it be hedonism Mecca that mysteriously never gets hit by hurricane, natural disaster, and has enough money to buy and sell Wall Street firms and their CEOs with pocket change? The Devil is usually associated with sales and marketing (I am not disparaging those careers, just stating a perceived stereotype!) did Satan accidentally hire Bristol Palin's marketing firm? Maybe that is where Bristol got her experience from…
Seriously? What planet do these 'Christians' come from? It is these type of people and their self-rightous BS that has made me renounce religion altogether. I actually read most of the Bible. Well, that actually helped the case against religion, but what I did read doesn't sound like the right-wing clap-trap crap that they spout.
And the assholes at the Heritage Foundation are already finding ways to suck money out of Haiti..thank gawd for capitalism right!
http://www.naomiklein.org/articles/2010/01/haiti-disaster-capitalism-alert-stop-them-they-shock-again
Kevin, you are correct. The gospel of fear, greed and intolerance foisted by the GOP are antithetical to Jesus' teaching and example.
Mycue, me too!
Amen, Benji.
LOL, Miss W. That will do just fine. Folks I suggested that that since the US ousted Mussolini for them, Italy should oust Mooseolini for us.
Thanks, Jason.
Marva, that gang of hypocrites tends to cause EDS: Expletive Deficiency Syndrome.
Otis, if the supposed 'real' devil were behind it, the Haitians would be much better off. However, much of their cursedness came from Bush and the GOP overthrowing their government, cutting off their aid, blocking loans to them, etc.
Thanks Dusty. How obscene! My donations went to CARE and Doctors Without Borders.
Been told that curry is good against dementia. Those two need a good dose of strong, red hot curry to cure them of the illness.
Supplied in suppository form, I hope? 😉