There are people out there who blamed things like this on Global Warming, not very sane individuals in my opinion, but after the Earthquake that smashed up Haiti a number of people did blame that on Global Warming, and actually the President of the European Economic and Social Committee issued a statement in regards to Japan calling for solidarity to fight climate change:

On behalf of the EESC, I should like to express my sympathy with all the families of the victims in Japan. We stand shoulder to shoulder with all the people now struggling with the unfolding devastating effects of the earthquake in the Pacific region.

The human and material damage is immense, and the EESC members’ thoughts are with the Japanese people and government.

We express our support to our partners in those ACP countries potentially affected by this natural disaster.

This is a time for solidarity, and we urge the EU and other international organisations to provide immediate and appropriate assistance, if needed, to help governments and civil society organisations in the region deal with this tragedy. We also call on humanitarian civil society organisations to react quickly to provide support to Japan and all the other affected countries.

The earthquake and tsunami will clearly have a severe impact on the economic and social activities of the region. Some islands affected by climate change have been hit. Has not the time come to demonstrate on solidarity – not least solidarity in combating and adapting to climate change and global warming? Mother Nature has again given us a sign that that is what we need to do.

So, would kind of seem his priorities are messed up. That's the complete statement because I'm a big believer in context, its not quite as whacky as when I first saw it, with only the bolded part, I'd be curious if anyone would want to dig up the 30 seconds or so before and after Rush's comments. In his case though, he has the advantage that there are a lot of loons out there who say thing like:

Everything we have developed over the last 100 years should be destroyed. -- Pentti Linkola, respected ecologist

Phasing out the human race will solve every problem on earth, social and environmental. -- Dave Forman, Founder of Earth First!

If I were reincarnated, I would wish to be returned to Earth as a killer virus to lower human population levels. -- Prince Phillip, World Wildlife Fund

So it is kind of hard to accept the humanitarian sympathies of groups who regularly go around talking about the need to kill off much of humanity.