Same Shit, Different Hemisphere

[Robbien]

How can a leader of a country who instituted a program that has taught almost two million former illiterates to read and write within a year be called a tyrant? How can a leader of a country who incorporated land reform that has been a huge success be called evil? How can a leader of a country who has been instrumental in eradicating diseases that once ravaged the nation be called troublesome? By having the name of Hugo Chavez; that’s how.

In past few years, Hugo Chavez has worked wonders with the nation of Venezuela. He has endured assassination attempts; a failed coup; and an illegitimate recall vote; all sponsored by either the U.S. administration or its stooge allies within Venezuela. Today, even former opponents of Chavez begrudgingly admit he has done a wonderful job at the helm of their country. All the horror stories of the rich being raped of their money have proven untrue. The country is now prospering and for the first time, a member of the indigenous population that encompasses 80% of the country is in power. And, his efforts have benefited, for the first time, the majority of the 80%.

This success is becoming too much for the U.S. Chavez has run afoul of all that the U.S. looks for in an allied leader. He is friends with and has collaborated with President Fidel Castro of Cuba. In the past couple of years, his influence has been profound in other Latin American countries. His message is that the should be independent of the yoke of Washington. And, this thought process is being welcomed all over the southern portion of the Western Hemisphere.

<snip>

I find it sad that many people in the Arab world, as well as many non-Arabs who are aware of the plight of Iraq, know little or nothing about the politics of Latin America in general, or those of Hugo Chavez in particular. Techniques the U.S. used in Latin America to prop up violent regimes and deny the people any form of humanity were the same being used today in Iraq: torture, deceit, stooge government appointees, etc. Now, the U.S. will thrust on Latin America the same techniques used against Iraq: techniques taken from the U.S. 1970s and 1980s Latin America playbook.

http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m10699&l=i&size=1&hd=0

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. An enemy of corporate hegemony, a bane to the concentration of

monetary power... off with his head... we need a few dozen more like him to put an end to Amurka's corporate global hegemony. The sooner the better.....

[Wright Patman]

2. Chavez is not a bad guy

but, OTOH, I wouldn't credit him for the $55 a barrel price of oil. That kind of price can do wonders for any energy-based economy. You should have seen Texas at the height of its oil boom in the early 1980s.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. He is not buckling uinder to Bush, and is making the US look bad by

being successful in spite of that... Uh Oh..That is asking to be suicided.

[peacetalksforall]

4. The irony...it seems the feared leaders, Castro and Chavez, don't

fear their citizens getting an education. They don't need to dumb them down and bring the big thumb down on their needs, as is happening in the U.S.

Maybe they could name one of their programs Pell so we can know something by that name is alive and kicking somewhere.

[blindpig]

6. education is the key

I suppose any nation state is going have a certain amount of prejudice in its presentation of history but what passes for primary & secondary education here is socialization, propaganda and job training. A truly educated populace is anthema to the ruling class.

Sometimes I think that if the Left would seriously change society that it must develop an education system independent of the State. Perhaps something akin to the system described by Herman Hesse in his Magister Ludi. What has been achieved in Cuba and is being achieved by Chaves is most excellent, literacy is the beginning of an educated populace.

The quality of US education and the result of the 2004 election are not unrelated.

[bemildred]

7. Well, let's put it this way:

It is no accident that funding for education, both higher and lower,
has been gutted since VietNam, and that education systems have been
hamstrung with all sorts of state and federal government meddling,
e.g. the "Let Every Child Kiss My Behind Act", and that tenured
professors are a dying species, and I could go on, but I won't.

But, if you were there as I was in the 60s, it is easy to see how
education has been made expensive and focused entirely on making
money and away from what used to be called "liberal education", and
away from learning how to write and think for yourself, and away from
the lifelong learning idea towards specialized job skills, and thats
all.

[Selatius]

9. Education in the US = trying to whore yourself out to your employer

I agree. It's not about turning out well-rounded, conscientious citizens, at least not anymore. It's about making you look attractive to your next employer, and citizens who don't question authority are preferred over citizens who are more likely to blow the whistle on the boss when he commits a crime.

[Warpy]

5. It's because he made the rich uncomfortable

and deprived some of them of a small part of their hoarded wealth, that's why.

Funny, whenever a real reformer is elected democratically and starts to do small reforms, the rich always scream "Communism!" and the US military and intelligence departments are at the ready to depose him in favor of some right wing dictator who will allow the rich to go back to getting richer.

[RedCloud]

8. Gloria al bravo pueblo!!

Spanish Words

CHORUS

Gloria al bravo Pueblo
que el yugo lanzó,
la ley respetando, la virtud y honor.
(repeat chorus)

¡Abajo Cadenas! ¡Abajo Cadenas!
gritaba el señor; gritaba el señor;
y el pobre en su choza
Libertad pidió:
A este santo nombre tembló de pavor
el vil egoísmo que otra vez triunfó.
A este santo nombre, A este santo nombre tembló de pavor
el vil egoísmo que otra vez triunfó.

CHORUS

Gritemos con brío: Gritemos con brío:
¡Muera la opresión! ¡Muera la opresión!
Compatriotas fieles,

la fuerza es la unión;
y desde el Empíreo
el supremo Autor, un sublime aliento
al pueblo infundió.
y desde el Empíreo
el supremo Autor,
un sublime aliento
al pueblo infundió.

CHORUS

Unida con lazos, Unida con lazos
que el cielo formó, que el cielo formó
la América toda
existe en Nación;
y si el despotismo
levanta la voz,
seguid el ejemplo
que Caracas dio.
y si el despotismo, y si el despotismo
levanta la voz,
seguid el ejemplo
que Caracas dio.

CHORUS

English Version

CHORUS

Glory to the brave nation
Which shook off the yoke,
Respecting law, virtue, and honour.
(repeat chorus)

"Off with the chains! Off with the chains!"
Cried the Lord, cried the Lord,
And the poor man in his hovel
Implored freedom.
At this holy name, there trembled
The vile selfishness that had triumphed.
At this holy name, at this holy name, there trembled
The vile selfishness that had triumphed.
(repeat)

CHORUS

Let's cry out aloud, let's cry out aloud:
Down with oppression! Down with oppression!
Faithful countrymen,

Your strength lies in your unity;
And from the heavens
The supreme Creator
Breathed a sublime spirit
Into the nation.
And from the heavens, and from the heavens
The supreme Creator
Breathed a sublime spirit
Into the nation.
(repeat previous two lines)

CHORUS

United by bonds, united by bonds,
Made by heaven, made by heaven,
All America exists
As a Nation;
And if tyranny
Raises its voice,
Follow the example
Given by Caracas.
And if tyranny, and if tyranny,
Raises its voice,
Follow the example
Given by Caracas.
(repeat previous two lines)

CHORUS

Their national anthem!