Media Matters Angry Over Limbaugh's 'Savages' Remark

SEEING RED

Lefty Anger Over Use Of 'Savages' To Describe Tribe







Once again seeking to censor media content not to their liking, the Soros- backed thought police are predictably out in force, this time over a single word uttered by talk titan Rush Limbaugh. The OUTRAGE (!!!) machine is fired up.

El Rushbo's use of "savages" to describe the isolated and "uncontacted" indigenous tribe recently discovered in a remote corner of Brazil has Media Matters seeing red. Coincidentally, that's the same color some of the tribesman have painted themselves.

From Media Matters:

Limbaugh called Brazilian indigenous tribe "savages"

On the May 30 edition of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh referred to "[o]ne of ... South America's few remaining uncontacted indigenous tribes" -- recently photographed by the Brazilian government from an airplane -- as "these savages." Recounting the story, Limbaugh said, "[T]hey've spotted an isolated tribe in Brazil. An airplane flew over this hut, this thatch roof hut or something, and these savages are body painted in red and they're trying to shoot the airplane down with bows and arrows."

According to the BBC, "The Brazilian government says it took the images to prove the tribe exists and help protect its land" from illegal logging operations.

Limbaugh further stated, "Wait a minute. Why do we have to help protect the land of this tribe? Aren't they the essence of purity, according to the environmentalist communists? ... Why do we need to protect their land? They're doing a better job of it than any of us ever could protect our land. ... I mean, I'm sure these people -- not only don't they have to get rid of their incandescent light bulbs and go to these compact fluorescents, they don't have light bulbs. They don't have electricity. They don't have running water. This is the ideal. These people need to be contacted. We need to learn from this civilization, because this is where we're all headed if the extreme environmentalist communists get their way."

Here's Rush's own transcript of the segment in question.


What the Media Matters entry doesn't mention is why exactly it is politically incorrect to use the word "savages" to describe this tribe. In fact, based on this definition from Answers.com, it seems to fit perfectly:

sav·age (săv'ĭj)
adj.

1. Not domesticated or cultivated; wild: savage beasts of the jungle.
2. Not civilized; barbaric: a people living in a savage state.
3. Ferocious; fierce: in a savage temper.
4. Vicious or merciless; brutal: a savage attack on a political rival. See synonyms at cruel.
5. Lacking polish or manners; rude.

n.

1. A person regarded as primitive or uncivilized.
2. A person regarded as brutal, fierce, or vicious.

tr.v., -aged, -ag·ing, -ag·es.

1. To assault ferociously.
2. To attack without restraint or pity: The critics savaged the new play.
[Middle English sauvage, from Old French, from Late Latin salvāticus, from Latin silvāticus, of the woods, wild, from silva, forest.]

From that definition, it would appear "savage" is precisely how one would describe this group. What other word would the Media Matters censors prefer?


Beyond that, your Radio Equalizer had a different reaction upon seeing photos of the tribe. Could the whole thing have been staged? Those "natives" look like they're right out of central casting or an old Bugs Bunny cartoon.

Whose interests are served by promoting this possible fakery?


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Images: BBC, AP