A Window on our National Insanity

When Fox News starts to encroach upon the Christianist, theocratic, ideological space that was formerly the province of Pat Robertson’s 700 Club, one begins to wonder: what does this mean for the 700 Club? How does Pat Robertson distinguish his “TV ministry” from what has now become the conservative mainstream? Well today Robertson answered that question the way only he can: by making an outrageous proclamation that, once again, leaves no doubt as to the man’s clinical insanity. In the wake of a devastating earthquake in Haiti that has left possibly 100,000 or more dead, Robertson informed his viewership that the reason for the earthquake lies in a pact with the Devil that Haitians made in the 18th century to free themselves of Colonial rule. No, seriously. I shit you not:

Now, I wish I could claim that Robertson is a symptom of a very localized and largely benign insanity, but sadly the man is more than just a festering pimple on the nation’s ass. He is, in fact, a manifestation of a cancer that has become quite widespread. And it is not just the creationsim loving, Sarah Palin idolizing, Democrat loathing teabaggers on the Right who are to blame. Just look at how USA Today Religion Columnist Anne Godlasky describes Robertson’s bizarre screed:

He also seemed to blame the nation’s pervasive poverty — it’s the poorest in the western hemisphere — on a deal with the devil they made to get out of French rule, saying Haitians have been “cursed” since then, while the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola, hosts resorts.

Now, to recap, this is what Roberston said:

Something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it. They were under the heel of the French. You know, Napoleon III, or 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. They Kicked the French out, they revolted and got their freedom. But ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after the other.

Now, I wonder… if I were to crap a stinking pile of doody right on the top of Godlasky’s head, would she describe the event thusly: “Today Serolf Divad seemed to take a huge crap on my head” or would she instead dispense with mealy mouthed fudge words like “seemed” and simply acknowledge that the smelly pile of excrement staining her neatly coiffed head leaves no room for doubt that I crapped a real stinker atop her furrowed brow?

Because when I hear Pat Robertson affirm that it’s a “true story” that the Haitian people entered into a pact with the Devil to rid themselves of the French, I find qualifiers like “seemed” to be completely superfluous… indeed, outright misleading.

If the religion reporter for a semi-respectable mainstream media publication such as USA Today cannot bring herself to admit the obvious for her readers for fear of offending the sensibilities of “religious conservatives” , I worry that America probably faces a very bleak future. We are all victim to this generalized insanity that grips, not just lunatics like Pat Robertson, but a mainstream media apparatus that is too timid to call people like him out.

23 Comments

More silly religious people, r/e the NJ gay marriage thing:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-january-12-2010/dreaded-bliss

Bit @ 3:25 is priceless – new-school anti-ghey meets old-school anti-Semite. But the best part’s at about 4:10 – a short quote:

…just as our forefathers had envisioned – that one day, people who had been discriminated against because of their religion, or the color of their skin, could come together to discriminate against people for their sexual orientation – without the slightest sense of irony.

His show is unspeakably stupid, yet no hurricane has hit Virginia Beach and wiped out his studios. Let us pray ….

TJ/ I feel weird posting this with all that’s going on, but we got the reorg announcement this morning. We all have meetings scheduled with the VP. Mine is a group of about 5, which is hopeful.

I think.

Just realized San Fran Lefty brought this story up in the initial Haiti post. Oh well… still deserves its own entry, I think… for posterity’s sake.

@Serolf Divad: Yes, yes it does deserve its own entry. I am thisclose to flying to Virginia and going Chainsaw on him.

@Tommmcatt is hunkered down in the trenches: Buena suerte my dear.

@Tommmcatt is hunkered down in the trenches: I’ve managed to survive most of those I’ve faced, and so will you.

On the brighter side, Shepard Freaking Smith. The sheer contempt in his voice is really comforting. Good for him.

@Tommmcatt is hunkered down in the trenches: Kick ass, Tomm. Grab that mincing piece of shit by the lapels and let him know if he doesn’t straighten the fuck out, you’re not going to save his shithouse company.

@chicago bureau: This Smith guy, hmmm. I will bet you a beer that he has a picture with Roger Ailes fucking a donkey or something.

The name of that country is just so negative; why can’t they call it something more positive, like Lovey?

@Original Andrew: Obvsly they’re called “Haiti” because God hates them.

@Tommmcatt is hunkered down in the trenches: Good luck.

As to Robertson, he is only stating the obvious if one subscribes to his brand of Christianity. Just as New Orleans was destroyed because of the sodomites and the Trade Center was destroyed because of… Well, that was the sodomites, too. It all makes perfect sense. However, I have a feeling that this one might just tip the scales – as of course it should. After all no one cares about the sodomites but these pictures coming out of Haiti are horrifying and are stirring profound feeling.

OH FOR FUCKS’ SAKE #2:

Rush in 2009:
Reacting to ex-President Bill Clinton’s appointment as UN special envoy to Haiti, radio personality Rush Limbaugh had this to say:

“I’m just gonna tell you, if I was named envoy to Haiti, I’d quit government. Envoy to Haiti? You can’t even pick up a prostitute down there without genuine fear of AIDS.”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2009/05/21/2009-05-21_hostile_to_haiti_rush_limbaugh_is_classless_in_attacking_hemispheres_poorest_cou.html#ixzz0cYQ4NRCi

And then today:
Rush stated that the Obama administration would benefit politically from the disaster in Haiti because they would “use this to burnish their … credibility with the black community, in … the both light-skinned and dark-skinned black community in this country. It’s made to order for them.”

ADD: Oh, Keiff Oh, how I heart you.

@SanFranLefty:
That’s why he hits the DR with a bottle of viagra.

Hard to have heart problems when one doesn’t have a heart.

@Benedick: Hey now, don’t try to grab all the credit for 9-11. We abortion-loving feminazis helped too.
@SanFranLefty: You can’t even pick up a prostitute down there without genuine fear of AIDS.
And he would know.

@Tommmcatt is hunkered down in the trenches:
Feel for you. It’s a shitty situation to be in, but it is a sad fact of corporate life.

In the “way-too-late” advice category, I’ve found that a key to long term survival is being no one’s “boy.” I just do my job and don’t curry favor among any execubots.

@ManchuCandidate: Another key is to be a fucking brat, go freelance, and continue working for the same institution at a respectable distance. Your mileage may vary.

Patsy also thinks North America has gone downhill since the Colonials teabagged Satan to gain their independence.

@Mistress Cynica: OK. I’ll give you the North Tower but we took down the South.

@SanFranLefty: Thanks for sharing.

Now I have to ride a bus to Sodom on the Hudson to eat quiche and drink chardonnay and talk about musical theatre. Let me tell you, I feel pretty damn relevant.

@Benedick: Hey, you talking to people about ‘Going Rogue: the Musical’ ? I’ve got a Rosemary’s Baby aspect to tie into the main theme of Talibunny’s life in cackling delusion. Check it out: she is the bride of satan (played by a guy in a Pat Robertson mask) with whom she has cut a deal to become president. Lucifer plants her a heart-beat away, she takes out the old main with a Sears overunder in a ‘hunting accident’, assumes the presidency and orders the demolition of all houses of worship and, in trade, she will rule with satan in hell for eternity. This will guarantee mobs of Talibunnitard-700 Club protesters and Christian Identity snipers at the opening.

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