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We Should Be Mad

It is improbable, ridiculous, and insulting to compare the devastating flooding currently occuring in the Midwest with the unprecedented tragedy of Hurricane Katrina.(H/t New Orleans News Ladder).

In scale and impact, Katrina was significantly bigger.

As Crooks and Liars points out, Rush Limbaugh attempted to make a false comparison between the flooding in the Midwest and the devastation of a significant portion of the American Gulf Coast. (H/t Oyster):

Limbaugh: I want to know. I look at Iowa, I look at Illinois—I want to see the murders. I want to see the looting. I want to see all the stuff that happened in New Orleans. I see devastation in Iowa and Illinois that dwarfs what happened in New Orleans. I see people working together. I see people trying to save their property…I don’t see a bunch of people running around waving guns at helicopters, I don’t see a bunch of people running shooting cops. I don’t see a bunch of people raping people on the street. I don’t see a bunch of people doing everything they can…whining and moaning—where’s FEMA, where’s BUSH. I see the heartland of America. When I look at Iowa and when I look at Illinois, I see the backbone of America.

Seriously, how can any honest, objective, or ethical human being make such an absurd and insulting comparison and public statement?

By the way– Jesus– I never realized how terrible most of talk radio is until today. Against the people of Louisiana.

Oyster broke it open over a year ago, though.

Responses

  1. liprap Avatar
    liprap

    And we are horrifically inundated with talk radio here. Quite the godawful state of affairs.

    Midwestern flood and 8-29 comparisons are indeed bullshit – until one gets to see what the government organizations and insurance companies will do. I feel very, very sorry for what those folks will be facing when the waters recede.

    Reply
  2. Maitri Avatar
    Maitri

    It’s one person who did the comparison. Everyone else up there doesn’t care about Katrina or even their own future; they’re simply trying to get through today while trying to save their families and as much of their belongings as possible. The Midwest and southern Louisiana must not be maligned for boorish talk by the few who have microphone access and love self-inflating soundbytes.

    This person does himself a disservice by conducting the comparison because it takes away from that particular disaster which is horrific unto itself. No one compared Katrina to Myanmar, at least no one that I heard of. Not seeing each situation as independent, global data points also clouds future decisionmaking.

    I don’t see Rush F****ing Limbaugh out there helping. All drug-addled fat boy can do is talk. So, you are right in not shutting up and pointing out the fallacies in Limbaugh’s talk, but remember that all Fox News and talk shows like his have to do is exist in order to sow seeds of discontent in Americans and to foment hatred.

    Lastly, where are the Bible-thumping fundies screaming up and down the pulpit that that part of the Midwest is immoral and thus got the thrashing? Just goes to show how contradictory and irrational these people are and why America cannot reason with them and should watch them like hawks before they make public policy, but not take their vitriol to heart.

    Reply
  3. Drew Ward Avatar
    Drew Ward

    Of course the one big difference — just like the wildfires in very wealthy california is that the Feds will rush in to give the midwest more money than they can handle while New Orleans still waits for most of the funding it was promised to be delivered.

    Reply
  4. The Mighty Favog Avatar
    The Mighty Favog

    I read through the flame war between Iowa and New Orleans on the Des Moines Register site.

    Three words of advice to New Orleans’ combox warriors:

    Leave.

    Iowa.

    Alone.

    One ignorant Iowegian writes a letter to the editor, and the whole city of New Orleans wants to open a can of Whoop-Ass on Iowa. Way to kick people while they’re down, right?

    Remember that little “do unto others” thang?

    Just shut the #$&* up, and leave Iowa alone. That state deserves your empathy, not a flame war. And you wonder why the country has had it with N.O.

    Let it go. There’s no percentage in it for you.

    http://revolution-21.blogspot.com/2008/06/slingin-bile-at-iowa-while-new-orleans.html

    Reply
  5. Lamar White, Jr Avatar
    Lamar White, Jr

    Of course we should have empathy for Iowans, and no one is kicking them while they are “down.” What an absurd construction.

    This is about acknowledging and denouncing those like Mr. Limbaugh who exploit the ongoing tragedy in order to superfluously bash New Orleans. And perhaps the letter in the Des Moines Register is not worth making an example out of, but Limbaugh has an audience of millions. He also has a history of patronizing and diminishing the plight of New Orleans.

    I think it’s appropriate to pile on Limbaugh when he’s wrong… but don’t confuse that with somehow piling on Iowa. Just like Limbaugh doesn’t speak for Louisiana, he also doesn’t speak for Iowa.

    Reply
  6. T. Wong Avatar
    T. Wong

    The real shame is that so many people consider Limbaugh’s hateful comments to be entertaining and that his show is wildly successful. We will never be what we can be as a country if Limbaugh’s brand of meanness enjoys such prevalence.

    The unsaid yet implied line in Limbaugh’s diatribe is thus: “And hey, I don’t see very many black people either.”

    And people enjoy that?

    Reply

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