Based on his comments from a recent program, here and here, Rush Limbaugh evidently believes liberals are the only ones eating organic food. Or, minimally, he believes eating organic food turns people into snobs or is the result of a desire to feel superior. I will have much more to say on this topic in the coming days. But for now I’m just posting this photo of myself taken today when I drove my HYBRID CAR to buy ORGANIC EGGS from pastured chickens from my neighbor. Note the Limbaugh Letter in my hand since I am a subscriber and long-time listener! I drive a hybrid because I like the car and I like saving money on gas and enjoy the efficiency of the technology. I eat organic, pastured eggs because they are good for my health. These are choices I make in a free society and I want to continue to be able to make these choices.
Rush needs to understand there are plenty of us who eat and live this way for reasons OTHER than we are liberals and/or trying to tell others how to live.
I’m not sure where I first read it, but someone pointed out that farmers at farmers markets are more likely conservative, and the shoppers are liberals. Personally, I am a liberal, but I support what I would think are conservative food values: 1) I should be able to buy food from the people who produce it, with little government interference, 2) I think food made by nature is superior to food created by science, and 3) I think local food economies will succeed through capitalism and offering superior products.
Hi Amanda,
I agree with all three of your points. Food and issues around food freedom do often bring people of different points of view together. I don’t want to tell anyone else what they should do or believe but I also want the freedom to make my own choices too. In that way I may be considered more of a libertarian and libertarianism can be a place of agreement between both ends of the spectrum.
Thanks for your comments. I really appreciate your point of view.
Lea
Like you, I am a conservative that drives a hybrid and only eats organic (mostly local) food. This incident with the comments that Rush made are part of the reasons I am not a fan of his. I sure am a fan of yours and I support you letting him know the truth!
Yes Kiki, Rush really irked many of us with his comments. The strange thing was he started out by saying he thinks food freedom issues will make people rethink government involvement in their lives. Okay, I agree. And that’s a good thing IMHO. But then he started saying there’s no difference between an organic chicken and a factory farmed chicken which just showed some ignorance. When he insisted a caller who follows the paleo diet is trying to force his views on others he really lost me. I don’t appreciate being presumed a snob just because I eat organic food.
Another conservative, Rush fan here who eats organic and buys as much as possible from farmers locally. It’s kind of funny, my sister is extremely liberal politically, but our view on food is exactly the same now. Before I discovered Paleo/Primal eating (less than a year ago), I would have been one to make fun of those “crazy, organic hippie tree hugging vegan liberals” out there (I’m not vegan, love my organic meat, and I’m not proud that I had that attitude). Finding out the truth about the food I eat has turned out to be life altering for me in so many ways, not just in the way my health has been affected for the positive, but also for the way I view the world/people/politics, etc. I think I’m more open minded now, and less likely to “label” people.
Hi DJ,
I feel very much the same way. That’s why I had such a reaction to Rush’s comments, especially after having called his program back in March about this very issue. I don’t know about you, but the woman who bragged about her use of “harsh chemical cleaners” as being a mantle of Conservatism made me nuts. Just as you said, I reconsider all similarly held views now that I am more informed. (Although I would never have been as absurd as that!).
OK, those transcripts made no sense whatsoever.
The one thing he might be right about is about the feds wanting to regulate what organic chickens eat. And what they want organic chickens to eat is GMO feed direct from their good friends at Monsanto.
And when organic farms are completely destroyed by GMO cross contamination, then where is our freedom to choose to eat organic? And why is big government not concerned? So what if the food I put on my plate makes me look like an “organic hippie” according to Rush? Does that make my right to choose organic grass-fed pastured beef less important than Rush’s right to choose to eat antibiotic-hormone-neon slime-laden-grain-fed beef?
He’s dead right in his predictions about government’s move to regulate everything to death. But he doesn’t seem to understand how much it is already happening – i.e. laws against raw milk. He predicts this trend will change the minds of the people who might not have previously been opposed to big government. (Something I pointed out to him when I called his program in March https://paleospirit.com/2012/food-activist-or-freedom-fighter/ ) but rather than embracing that as something positive, per his worldview, he goes on to criticize. You’re right, it didn’t make sense. And btw your comment “antibiotic-hormone-neon-slime-laden-grain-fed beef” made me and my husband laugh out loud. Perfect. 🙂
I am a conservative, Paleo organic meat eater, fan of Rush (and Mozart by the way) eating mostly organic locally grown fruits and veggies. We raise our own chickens because we want them to be fed greens and bugs. I’m just feeling like I want to join you, Lea, in educating Rush. He has such a strong influence on so many, and in this respect, he is uneducated. I hate to say he is wrong, so I will say unaware. I support your view and hope we can find a way to set him straight.
Lol, I’ve noticed this common attitude that Prius drivers are all holier-than-thou environmental snobs, and a conservative Prius driver is a chimera. Whatever. I’m very conservative, and my decisions to eat organic and to drive a Prius are based on common sense. What foods taste better and are more nutritious? Organics, that’s what I choose. What is easier on my wallet — a gas-guzzling SUV that uses 20 gallons of gas a week or a Prius that uses around 10 gallons of gas every two weeks? Um, I’ll be the one cutting my gasoline bill in half, thank you.
Conservative as I am, I don’t care for Rush Limbaugh. My values were carefully chosen by me for me, and I think that he chooses to denigrate those who disagree with him. I don’t think that’s necessary, or even useful.
No, it definitely is not necessary or useful. And I don’t really understand his reason for going down that route either. It’s hard for me to believe he doesn’t know there are people who share many conservative/libertarian views who eat/live this way. But he sounds like he’s convinced we’re all trying to FORCE our views on others. There was a 67 year old “paleo” guy who called in and specifically said he wasn’t trying to impose anything on anyone but thinks people should be informed about what they are putting in their bodies. Rush just cut him off and insisted he was trying to make everyone eat a certain way. I don’t get it.
I heard him going off on the free range chicken thing the other day when I got in my car (not a hybrid) to go get my grass fed beef with organic vegetables. I had to change it because it made me angry. Very angry.
I know what you mean, Nicole. My mother, who is a long-time listener of his, was really ticked off by it too. She told me she thought he sounded really ignorant about that stuff – which, evidently, he is.
You all make great points and Rush’s stance is confusing.
There seem to be only two basic political issues surrounding food – government regulation and (enforced) government recommendations. A few months ago Rush was railing away at the First Lady’s foisting nutrition on us and that’s when I contacted him. I thought he could use the fact that her nutrition advice could be completely wrong and actually be hurting people’s health.
Maybe his attitude toward the Paleo groundswell, food in general, is a highly personal issue.
And although I am crazy about Rush as a rule, I do tend to agree with Bev who said “I think that he chooses to denigrate those who disagree with him. I don’t think that’s necessary, or even useful.” But, boy, is he smart and brave and hardly anyone can make me laugh as hard as he does at times.
Hi Jaynie,
I think you’ve really hit on something about the personal nature of the topic of food. I’ll put on my amateur psychologist hat and say Rush, like many people, has a complex relationship with food. I know he’s yo-yo dieted quite a bit over the years and that has to be very frustrating. He’s probably sick of being told how he should eat when, as he sees it, it ultimately makes little difference in his weight. Not to mention there’s a natural tendency in most of us to rebel a little at being told what to do.
I wish he would listen to the ideas behind Paleo because not only do I believe it would work for him but it also appeals to anyone who thinks freedom in all areas is important. He’s got such a huge audience that he could make a difference. Rush is the master of illustrating absurdity by being absurd. This gets him in trouble with people who only get snippets rather than listening to his program in its entirety. He has taught me a lot. The most important being to question everything and look at all sides of an issue. And yes, he IS super smart and hilarious.
Thanks for your comment.
Lea
Ok, so you had my attention at “apple cider donuts!”…but I was completely sold when you identified yourself and an “organic conservative.” We do exist! We’re a lot more open minded than most give us credit for. Thank you. I’m now going to “pin” this. xx
Donuts and conservatism, what a combination! I’m glad you found me here and please feel free to pin away.
Lea
I sent an email to Rush asking him to stop mocking people that call up about food because at the heart of it these people are the conservative of the conservative most of the time, and if they are not, they will be the more they learn about where there food comes from!
I don’t know if that will ever get to him, but we all need to also let him know that we are out here!
I don’t drive a hybrid, I have a Subaru and a pick up for doing work (hauling stuff, pulling horse trailer…etc…) I grow as much as I can, I buy from people I trust and I want the government out of my food!
Hi Angie,
I agree that if someone is not already conservative, seeing the dangers of and damage from government intervention will often lead to a change in opinion. Good for you that you emailed him. I want government out of my food too!
Lea
Louise MarcelloPaleo Spirit
·
Hi Lee, I may be Liberal thinking on most political issues, (Please don’t hold that against me) but I am in total agreement of everything I read from your Limbaugh transcript. Other than your admiration for Rush Limbaugh, I see we have a lot in common. I became Paleo only a few months ago, but it has been an evolutionary and life-changing experience. After Hurricane Katrina, having only MRE’s as a food source, I became quite ill. When my computer and the local Library was up and running I became voracious in my pursuit for a healthy alternative of eating. The MRE’s made me feel dead inside…I was determined to feel better. I found vegetarianism which evolved into veganism and vegan raw foodism. Over the next few years I became excited about my new lifestyle, but my blood sugars and blood pressure stayed continually high, my 50ish year old inflamed bones and joints still shouted to me every day, my cholesterol remained off the charts, and moods swings were a way of life as I understood it because I was going thru menopause. I still struggled with obesity and became disheartened because I gave this lifestyle such an honest shot. Then a few months ago I became so lethargic I threw in the towel and broiled myself a piece of chicken that my daughter had left in my freezer one weekend after visiting from college. Along with that scrumptious chicken breast, I made a salad with a homemade Greek yogurt dressing. (Also something she left behind.) I felt so guilty at 1st until I noticed my mood had begun to change and I had a burst of energy. I realized immediately I was onto something so I began Google-ing. I immediately rejected the Atkins Diet and similar sites because none advocated clean eating. Then, I came across something I never heard of in my vegan world…The Paleo Diet and the rest was history! I have lost over 30 lbs in 2 mos, my blood sugars and blood pressure are in normal range, mood swings have disappeared, joints feel much better, etc… I can also incorporate many of my past healthy raw vegan go-to’s including green smoothies, almond butter, cashew anything, nuts, seeds, raw veggies, all healthy and very clean. I don’t touch dairy much, but I’m not afraid of it anymore. I hope my story can be an inspiration to others. Your site and FB page sure inspire me! I could get into my theories of why and how our country is so unhealthy, but you cover it pretty well in the Limbaugh transcript. I’m not so close-minded in my Liberal political beliefs that I don’t see what part our govt has taken in helping to ruin America’s health. Some would say we have become unhealthier ever since the Neolithic era began and the domestication of plants (agriculture). I don’t know about all that especially since Monsanto didn’t exist back then, crops weren’t subsidized by govts the way they are today, and the food pyramid hadn’t been invented yet, but it’s hard to argue with the fact that Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Neurological disorders, Asthma, Arthritis, and a slew of other afflictions are on the rise. So, blessings to you Lee for your contribution on educating the public!
Like ·
Paleo Spirit
It is a pleasure to meet you Louise. It’s nice when people who otherwise have different world views can agree on something as important as health. I have a good friend whose family went through the Katrina ordeal and aftermath so I know tha
t was extremely difficult. Sounds like the good thing that came out of it for you is it led you to discover the path to health. The fact that you’ve lost 30 lbs in two months is amazing! Good for you. My mood is also much better now that I eat this way. There are so many people who will appreciate reading your story. You should copy and paste your message into the comments section on my website – maybe on the Food Freedom post? That way more people would see it who find that article. There are lots of people who are stuck in vegetarianism/veganism because they think it is the path to health which, as you know, it is not.
Louise Marcello
It’s also a pleasure to meet you Lea! I agree one’s health is probably THE most important issue! If everyone understood it IS possible to become and stay healthy naturally we wouldn’t have to worry about higher insurance premiums, climbing
cost of prescription drugs, etc…I truly thought I was on the right track when I turned to veganism and I would rather stay vegan than consume meat, dairy, and farm grown seafood that has been tainted by hormones, antibiotics, and the unnatural feed given to animals all to see bigger profits so, veganism has had it’s advantages. Before I practiced veganism I didn’t know much about healing naturally and trusted only my Dr.’s whom btw were taught by medical schools where the biggest funding probably came from Pharmaceutical co.’s. My own Dr. admitted that there wasn’t as much focus on prevention as there was on meds. Veganism helped me brake away from what is killing us (the standard American diet) and the misinformation we are all fed, but veganism has major flaws! And yes, I still hate the inhumane mistreatment of animals and misguided factory farming practices and I’ll always be an advocate for that cause, but in the end I realized my body was missing something important to my health…B12/protein. Some may ask, what about high cholesterol? Guess what? My cholesterol is in normal range today and only in two months! Go figure that? Unfortunately, I don’t believe we will be able to convince the whole world. Everyone has their own path to follow, but I am grateful to God that the path He has chosen for me has lead me to this point. So, I’m now a “Happy Omnivore” and loving life!
I am a vegetarian purely for health reasons. But sometimes I fall off the wagon. I also buy organic for health reasons. I disagree with Rush on many health issues. But he is not a health care professional.
You’re correct, Rush is not a health care professional. And I agree with him on many things but often not on health matters.
Remember that Rush is simply a man. A human, like all of us. We are all flawed and most of us have very strong opinions. But we can ALL learn and listen. He does too. You will note from the dates on some of these comments, that he has changed in 5 or 6 years. The agreement on food values is one of those glues that holds us together as a nation. I am what you might call a conservationist conservative – open space, organic foods, take care of nature. On the same note, provide opportunity and foster un-slanted learning. You can’t legislate conscience. Money is still too strong a driving force, but it feeds us. No profits – no farms. very simple.