A Letter to Rush Limbaugh

Mr. Limbaugh blames Icelandic volcano on America's passage of Health Care Reform. Meanwhile Iranian clerics blame same incident on pre-marital sex. Apparently dogma runs through every religious radicals' rants.

I would like to take a second to preface this blog with a quick disclaimer on my own political/religious views. As far as, politics are concerned I'm an independent and as for religious views I have a background in Christianity but would consider myself a spiritual being. When I pray it is to the Creative Force behind the universe not Jesus, Allah or any other name most religions chose to call their version of God.


Over the past several years Rush has been known to make outlandish claims about all sorts of topics. In his recent rantings, Mr. Limbaugh has been extremely vocal about his dislike of our current administration and what he considers "socialistic undertones." We've gotten used to his exploitation of his position of public trust and unfettered access to mass media. However, Rush's latest statements about the volcanic eruption in Iceland are beyond strange. Yesterday on his popular radio show Rush said:

"You know, a couple of days after the health care bill had been signed into law, Obama ran around all over the country saying, "Hey, you know, I'm looking around. The earth hadn't opened up. No Armageddon out there. The birds are still chirping." I think the earth has opened up. God may have replied. This volcano in Iceland has grounded more airplanes -- airspace has been more affected than even after 9/11 because of this plume, because of this ash cloud over Northern and Western Europe. ... It's got everybody just in a shutdown. Earth has opened up. I don't know whether it's a rebirth or armageddon. Hopefully it's a rebirth, God speaking."
Let's take a moment to pause and let Rush's words sink in... Okay, if you have half a brain your head should be throbbing with frustration, or at the very least, astonishment. Does he really believe that God is punishing the world for a Law that was passed in the United States? Is he that American-centric or is he back on Oxycontin? Either way, his statement is ridiculous.  


If recent history has taught us anything its that political pundits like Rush Limbaugh will use any disaster to serve their own gains. We haven't forgotten that hurricane Katrina was because of Gay people and that America's Haiti relief effort was a way for "President Obama to get closer to light-skinned and dark-skinned voters" in this country. (.... Long Pause). I'm not sure what God Mr. Limbaugh prays to but its obviously not the same compassionate, color-blind, accepting entity that I do. It is one thing to voice your political differences over the airwaves but I'm pretty sure that Rush's comments violate every semblance of journalistic integrity that he claims to have. (I could have sworn that Rush said he was going to stop broadcasting and leave the U.S. if "socialist, health care reform passed." He must have just been blowing smoke again). I could go on ad-infinitim about Rush and his crazy mouth, but the heart of the issue is that Rush has one quality that he shares with fanatics around the world: They all use tragedies  as a platform to re-enforce their views and create some form of credibility from coincidence. 


To demonstrate this point I would like to reference an article about the previously mentioned volcanic eruption by another lunacracy (that's a made up word, but if you think really hard it makes sense). This story comes straight out of Iran, you know that country that is run by fanatical, religious clerics that call God by another name but deploy the same propagandist methodology. Apparently Islamic fundamentalists (including the Ayatollah) think the Icelandic Volcano erupted because their "women are having too much pre-marital sex." 


Apparently it doesn't matter what natural disaster occurs, all that matters is how you want to spin it. Its sad that Rush doesn't like Islamic extremist because they have so much in common they would probably have a great time hangin' out, spreading fear and oppression.