These letters appeared in today's Seattle Times:
I am shocked by [Monday's syndicated column] regarding Venezuela's lawfully elected leader ... Venezuela is a democracy, and its leader truly cares about the poor people of his country ... I would trade George Bush for Hugo Chavez in a minute, but no Venezuelan would be stupid enough to make the deal.and
To compare [Chavez] unfavorably to President Bush and his cronies (they can't be separated), whose war, tax cuts and ignorance regarding international relations have severely wounded our country -- both within and beyond our borders -- over a similar period, is to utter a sad and stupid joke.It's shocking that any person would take the time to write a letter in support of Hugo Chavez. But I suppose less surprising in a community that keeps electing Ron Sims. Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at March 30, 2007 10:43 AM | Email ThisChavez is no angel. No politician is.
Then pack your effin' bags and go live with Uncle Hugo. I'll drive you to the airport.
Posted by: jimg on March 30, 2007 10:50 AMSo they have plenty of existing experience in breaking out the knee-pads and mouthwash for dictators.
Posted by: cadrys on March 30, 2007 10:59 AMFinding a true believer in socialism is pretty easy - all you have to do is shake a tree full of democrats and see what falls out....
Posted by: H Moul on March 30, 2007 11:02 AMPeople of faith and conservatives deal with the propoganda of public education by fleeing to private and parochial schools or homeschooling. That has left the leftist propoganda machine in control of public education from K-12 to College.
The coming battle is the mayorial takeover. Can you imagine having school children pawns in a political campaign, with the prize being curriculum content and control.
Eventually, beause there is nothing to stop it, for better or worse, the US will become like Europe.
Besides, if you dug deep enough I'm sure you would find a lot of mid-1900 conservative scholars who would have written letters praising the rise of Hitler in Europe (pre-holocaust of course).
Does that country have a 1st Amendment?
NOT!
Can Hugo throw you in jail or have you killed (yes)
Yep sounds like Cuba to me.
We can see how the left just loves this guys.
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on March 30, 2007 11:29 AMYeah, because conservatives are such big fans of government-controlled industry. But hey, in your world Hitler = Right Wing, ergo conservatives love Hitler.
Hey bunky, Hitler was a member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party.
Socialist. Workers. Two terms that fit lock-step (pun intended) into your philosophy, not mine.
But since you seem to think there's a lot of conservative scholars who penned love letters about Hitler, I'm sure you'd have no trouble finding one, right? Just one.
Posted by: jimg on March 30, 2007 11:34 AMCan one draw make moral judgements in your world view? Do you agree with each of the following statements, why or why not?
1. Hitler was evil, the Holocast occurred and it was wrong and evil.
2. A country that has no middle class and 99% of the resources are in the control of an oligarchy is bad. I am not talking about the US, so don't use that example. We could be talking about Venezuela or even Mexico.
3. Presidents that actually suspend or re-write the Costitution of a country are bad. I know that you think that this is what Bush is doing, but the real life examples are Chavez and Mugabe.
4. Carlos Slim, the Mexican billionare who got his billions by a government monopoly
given to his business enterprises sees nothing wrong with exporting the poverty of his country to the US. He thinks Gates and Buffet are stupid to give away their money as it has no impact ultimately on poverty. Do you have a comment on:
a. The manner in which he got his billions
b. The fact that the monopoloy system and corruption in Mexico is causing one of the largest voluntary migrations in history.
Is it possible for you to make a moral judgement on anything?
Posted by: WVH on March 30, 2007 11:40 AMEvan taps in to the Nihilism and irrational and backwards philosophy of the Left and how that often is diametraically opposed to what is good and right. The Left chooses its evil collectivist ideologies precisly because they are the opposite of individual freedom and decent morality.
The Left really does hate America, and that's why Seattleites view Hugo Chavez as a hero.
Posted by: Jeff B. on March 30, 2007 11:45 AMAre you sure the numbers can go that far? (-:
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on March 30, 2007 11:53 AMYour becoming another David M. 0-:
What next Cato, will you spouting great words from Rosie O.
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on March 30, 2007 12:03 PMOne of the best accountings of Deomcide. 20th century death of countries killing there own 262 million. This is not war dead this is victims of there own government. Communism accounts for around 160 million, the rest are totalitarian of various stripes.
Posted by: JCM on March 30, 2007 12:13 PM
Hitler also hated the Communists. =)
Does that country have a 1st Amendment?
No, but we do. That means people are free to post Pro-Chavez letters or even say crap like this:
"We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity." - Ann Coulter
I don't agree with Chavez but I agree with the 1st Amendment. =)
Can Hugo throw you in jail or have you killed (yes)
True, and so would our good friends Vladimir "Pooty-Poot" Putin & President Musharraf.
Yes your quite right, but I just couldn't pass up the Dave M comment. (-:
Now he is the TROLL of TROLLS.
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on March 30, 2007 12:22 PMWhat comment was this? Who's wrath are we talking about?
True, and so would our good friends Vladimir "Pooty-Poot" Putin & President Musharraf.
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Good friends, or just people we have to deal with just like Stalin in WII.
You really should brush up on your history.
Plus Cato, Hitler & Stalin were friends too.
But keep trying.
What about my questions to you? When responding you make the logical fallacy of secular progressives by comparing Putin and Muhsaraf to the argument. The question to you and all secular progressives is this - is there a moral standard which can be applied to behavior? Is there some behavior when practiced by a secular progressive is OK, but when practiced by a conservative is wrong? Are you totally morally relative?
Posted by: WVH on March 30, 2007 12:38 PMYes, but we're not talking about Stalin & Hitler being friends.
But keep trying.
Thanks, I will.
The reality is that there are good ideas and bad ideas in this world. Communism, collectivism, socialism, Marxism and the totalitarian-light dictatorship as practiced by Hugo Chavez have led to untold suffering, mass murder, poverty and strife when compared with the Capitalism of the US.
Capitalism has not only given Americans the highest standard of living of anywhere in the world, but it's helped millions of others throughout the world that benefit from its enormous ability to produce wealth. As bad as it is under the horrific regime in Darfur, those people are better off for some of the Western Science that has trickled in to their lives, even in small ways.
And that's why folks like David Mathews and Cato talk a big talk, but choose to remain in the US. It really is better here, and we really do have a better system of leadership and a better leader than Venezuela. As much as anyone may disagree with George Bush, he will be gone for good in 2009, and that won't be the case fro Hugo Chavez or any other dictator, barring a bloody rebellion.
Posted by: Jeff B. on March 30, 2007 12:53 PMYou better brush up on your history and say FDR.
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on March 30, 2007 12:55 PMI believe that morality is in the eyes of the beholder.
I think I will politely dodge the rest of the question because:
1) I really have better things to do than answer essay questions.
2) I really don't have any information on Carlos Slim. I've personally never heard of him.
Getting back to your comics is much better.
Posted by: Army Medic/vet on March 30, 2007 01:09 PMPeople have the right to express their views in
Some people write letters supporting Chavez while others post rants on blogs accusing Democrats of massive voter fraud. To each their own and more power to them (regardless of whether I agree with either side).
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And we have pointed out to you sir, that if people like Hugo and the left were in charge. There would be NO free speech.
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on March 30, 2007 01:20 PMAnd if people like Ann Coulter (based on her quotes, I can't say how much is her actual belief vs. for ratings/shock value) were elected we would have no free speech either. All liberals/non-Christians would be locked away as traitors to the Republic. It goes both ways.
No sorry Cato. Ann Coulter has never said to put you lefties in jail of stop your free speech.
She gets a big kick out of zinging the left.
Did you forget a lady for GW who wanted just that. People who didn't buy into this so called warming thing.
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on March 30, 2007 01:51 PMI'm with you buddy. The left would waste no time in putting us all away.
Something Cato & DM would never understand.
Funny how they forget it was FDR who put Americans in camps. Not Bush.
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on March 30, 2007 02:13 PMI'll take W and THIS country ANYTIME. I invite said letter-writers to move to Venezuela and experience the wonders and ways of Chavez for a good, long time. I'm sure (sort of) that they'll be happier.
Posted by: Michele on March 30, 2007 02:42 PMFrom WikiQuotes:
"They're [Democrats] always accusing us of repressing their speech. I say let's do it. Let's repress them. Frankly, I'm not a big fan of the First Amendment"
- University of Florida speech; October 20, 2005
"My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times building."
- New York Observer article; August 26, 2002
Funny how they forget it was FDR who put Americans in camps
That is true, Republicans have softer ways of oppressing people they disagree with.
Republicans also have this obsession of listening in to what innocent Americans are saying.
"I believe that morality is in the eyes of the beholder."
That statement says it all. One cannot argue with someone whose standards are always evolving, there is no North Star for these folks. By politely refusing to answer my "essay" questions, I can assign you a place on the next edition of Jay Leno's Jaywalking. Hope you do better than the typical contestant.
Posted by: WVH on March 30, 2007 03:18 PMGuess what buster, I am not nearly as nice as I let on. Given the opportunity to do so I would give a great deal of thought to handing the likes of you, and the rest of your fellow tracvelers, over to the leadership of either one of these hateful societies just to see how you like living (dying) in a society you think of as being morally equivalent or even morally superior to what we have here.
Posted by: JDH on March 30, 2007 03:20 PM
Originally it was that difference of opinion is a good thing. Now it's bogged down to some sort of pissing match with Army Medic/Vet.
She's a pundit, for crying out loud
John Carlson & Al Franken are Talk Radio Hosts both of whom have decided to run for elected office at one point or another. What's the difference? You implying that she doesn't actually believe what she's saying?
Bush suspended Habeas Corpus. With a stroke of a pen Dubaya could declare anyone an 'unlawful enemy combatant' and have them sent away and not heard from again. It's the same type of power that Chavez has, only Bush has wisely chosen not to use it.
God forbid what Richard Nixon / J. Edgar Hoover would have done with that kind of power.
Your comment and your initial wrath - followed by a fast oops, I stepped in caca shuffle. Think about it. You're the genius, you find it.
The common denominator of all the above, in this context, it that they hated the United States. Just as the letter writers do. However the writers still possess some dim instinct for survival that inhibits them from flocking like lemmings to the sacred homeland of their heroes. They prefer to worship from afar.
Posted by: Bill K. on March 30, 2007 10:25 PM