At a hotel in Ann Arbor,MI.There was a sort of a roundtable discussion on Fox News where several financial types were arguing and shouting about what a lousy dictator Chavez was.Each one wanted the US to overthrow Chavez for having the temerity to insult our “democratically elected” President! (I kid you not!). The phrase “tin horn dictator” was liberally used by all.None of them saw any irony in what they were saying.
Reality check: Chavez has been elected by large majorities in his country in fairly conducted elections, validated by international observers.He has not muzzled the Press,he has not even incarcerated his opposition which mainly comes from the entrenched oligarchy in Venezuela.That oligarchy, with help from the US, tried to overthrow Chavez and failed in its coup attempt.Their main gripe seems to be that Chavez is using oil revenues to bring education, housing and health to people long denied these benefits by the oligarchy in cahoots with US oil companies.
While the US has tried to overthrow Chavez, he has a been a model neighbor, offering low prices gasoline, through his oil company, Citgo, to poor people in New England and to the people who were victims of Katrina.Even this neighborly act was denounced by the panelists on Fox as something we should be wary of.
We are now in Twilight Zone territory where no good deed goes unpunished, least of all by anyone we have set out to demonize.No facts need to interfere.
All in all a pathetic display of ignorance, arrogance and prejudice.Ina more sane world, these people should be hanging their heads in shame.
