BS: Venezuela - 1933?

Subject: BS: 1934?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 07:53 AM

Mr. Chávez vs. the Jews
With George W. Bush gone, Venezuela's strongman has found new enemies.

Thursday, February 12, 2009; Page A16

VENEZUELAN President Hugo Chávez, who says he intends to remain in office for decades to come, lost a referendum 14 months ago that would have removed the constitutional limit on his tenure. When he announced another referendum in December, the first polls showed him losing again by a wide margin. Yet, as Sunday's vote approaches, his government is predicting victory -- and some polls show him with a narrow advantage.

How did Latin America's self-styled "Bolivarian revolutionary" turn his fortunes around? Not through rational argument, it is fair to say. Mr. Chávez's regime has mounted a propaganda and intimidation campaign of a ferocity rarely seen in Latin America since the region returned to democracy 25 years ago. Pro-Chávez rhetoric dominates the national airwaves, from which opposition voices have been almost entirely excluded. Pro-government thugs have targeted student demonstrations, the home of an opposition journalist and the Vatican's embassy, which gave shelter to one student leader.

Then there is the assault on Venezuela's Jewish community -- which seems to have replaced George W. Bush as Mr. Chávez's favorite foil. After Israel's offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip last month, the caudillo expelled Israel's ambassador and described Israel's actions in Gaza as "genocide." Then Mr. Chávez turned on Venezuela's Jews. "Let's hope that the Venezuelan Jewish community will declare itself against this barbarity," Mr. Chávez bellowed on a government-controlled television channel. "Don't Jews repudiate the Holocaust? And this is precisely what we're witnessing."

Government media quickly took up the chorus. One television host close to Mr. Chávez blamed opposition demonstrations on two students he said had Jewish last names. On a pro-government Web site, another commentator demanded that citizens "publicly challenge every Jew that you find in the street, shopping center or park" and called for a boycott of Jewish-owned businesses, seizures of Jewish-owned property and a demonstration at Caracas's largest synagogue. On Jan. 30 the synagogue was duly attacked by a group of thugs, who spray-painted "Jews get out" on the walls and confiscated a registry of members. Mr. Chávez denied responsibility; days later, the attorney general's office said that 11 people detained in connection with the attack included five police officers and a police intelligence operative.

It is fair to infer that Mr. Chávez doesn't care to dwell on more mundane domestic issues in Venezuela. The oil-based economy is crashing; inflation, at over 30 percent, is the highest in Latin America, and shortages of basic goods are common. Venezuela ranks 158th out of 180 countries in a global corruption index, and its murder rate has tripled under Mr. Chávez, making Caracas one of the most dangerous cities in the world. If Mr. Chávez loses the referendum, he could very well join the country's eclipse, which appears likely to accelerate in the next year or two. Apparently, he's already decided whom to blame.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 07:55 AM

sorry, that should be 1933.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: SINSULL
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 08:06 AM

1934 was a very good year - it gave us Captain Morse.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: kendall
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 08:11 AM

Thanks Sins.

BB what is the source of your info? How do we know it's reliable?

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 08:12 AM

Washington Post.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: kendall
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 08:15 AM

I'm always suspicious of anything I see posted without a credible source.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 08:18 AM

Fair enough- but I trust the Washington Post more than the NYT.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 08:43 AM

It's the history of Jews (as a group, with an identifiable culture of origin) to be invited into a country, treated well for a period of time (systemically), encouraged (systemically) to rise to certain positions in finance (systemically), and then-- when the Powers That Be need a scapegoat to divert attention from their own perfidies-- targeted for retribution (systemically and generically).

It can happen here, in the US, too.

BOLO.

In the current fiscal unpleasantness, especially BOLO for attempts to maneuver blame squarely onto the shoulders of jewish financiers specifically AS "Jews" because that is usually the leading edge of the next round of targeting and expulsion that has, in the past, also led to genocide.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 08:45 AM

http://www.adl.org/PresRele/ASInt_13/4925_13.htm


http://www.adl.org/main_International_Affairs/venezuela_anti_semitism_report.htm


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/06/venezuelas-jews-fear-more_n_164791.html


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100393143&ft=1&f=10

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 08:47 AM

http://www.forward.com/articles/12500/

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 08:56 AM

"Then there is the assault on Venezuela's Jewish community -- which seems to have replaced George W. Bush as Mr.Chávez's favorite foil." If so that would indeed be horrifying - but on the evidence included in that piece it appears to overstate the case.

Denouncing what Israel's forces did in the Gaza episode is not in itself evidence of scapegoating of the Jewish community. Nothing Chavez is quoted as saying there appear to go as far as some Jewish critics of Israel's actions have done. (For example.) Nor should the actions and words of thugs, including police officers who happen to be thugs, be taken as firm evidence of a government stance.

Mr. Chávez denied responsibility; days later, the attorney general's office said that 11 people detained in connection with the attack included five police officers and a police intelligence operative. What might be significant is to see an update in due course about what happens to those people detained for attacking Jews.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: CarolC
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 10:32 AM

What they're doing to Jews in Venezuela is wrong. It was wrong when people did it to Muslims in the US after 9/11, too.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 10:34 AM

Very true, CarolC.

But it is the government controlled media in Venuzuala, not just some right-wing groups.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: CarolC
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 10:37 AM

In the US, the government was definitely pushing that particular attitude.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 10:37 AM

And if they did it was wrong.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: CarolC
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 10:38 AM

Yes, it was.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 10:40 AM

But that does not make the actions of the government of Venuzuala any less undesirable, or not notable.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: CarolC
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 10:58 AM

Nope. They're both just as bad.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 12:07 PM

This kind of bad is seldom fully intentional. It's worse-- institutionally convenient.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: robomatic
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 12:24 PM

I seem to remember this from the old movie "Pied Piper of Hamelin"

"If you can't pay the piper, scape the goat!"

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 12:57 PM

This isn't an uncommon attitude in Latin America. All one needs to do is to look up the web-site of "The Nation of Aztlan." They've had this outlook for years.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: GUEST,jts
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 02:12 PM

The brutality of Israel's government is often the most frequent and striking story about Jews in a given year in any country. It is the worst possible PR; made worse when local Jews support it. Apparently Chavez is scape-goating. But isn't it time Israel adopted more sane and realistic values?

Killing over a thousand, mostly civilian, in response to a handful of deaths; using white phosphorus and cluster bombs (Lebanon) on populated areas; collective punishment is a war crime. When you support such things you place yourself outside of the bounds of normal morality.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: pdq
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 02:34 PM

Venezuela's Hugo Chavez has been a close ally of Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Syria's Hafez Assad for a long time.

All three use their "petrol dollars" to do anything they can think up to damage the United States and Israel

Chavez funds and sponsors Marxist gurillas in several countries throughout Central and South America. Hundreds of civilians killed by now, perhaps thousands.

Chavez also helps funnel Islamic jihadists into the US trough the wide-open border with Mexico. Estimates are are least 10 to 15 thousand are in the US now.

Chavez is an enemy of the United States and Israel. He is a friend of Jimmy Carter. That says something, I suppose.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: GUEST,jts
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 02:39 PM

Chavez funnels millions of dollars in heating oil to poor Americans every year for free.

Chavez is not America's enemy. He is Bush's enemy. Isn't that understandable since Bush tried to have him killed?

>>>Estimates are are least 10 to 15 thousand are in the US now.

Estimates by whom? Halliburton irrational fear mongering division? Faux News?

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: kendall
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 03:57 PM

I love my country. I don't love my government. That's not too hard to grasp, is it?

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: robomatic
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 09:02 PM

Chavez is mainly a threat to his own country. He has tried to alter the constitution to remain in power, the people saw through this and he is trying everything he can to yet become dictator.

Isn't One Robert Mugabe enough, or one Kim Il Sing?

Scapegoating Jews is scapegoating Jews reGARDless of one's feelings about what is going on in Israel. Using it to justify persecution is to support persecution and become the thing that one ostensibly opposes (unless, in reality, one doesn't really oppose scapegoating Jews).

It is evidence of intellectual cowardice.

Subject: RE: BS: 1934?
From: Ron Davies
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 09:19 PM

BB is dead right on this. It smacks of Kristalnacht.

Subject: RE: BS: Venezuela - 1933?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 20 Feb 09 - 12:11 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: BS: Venezuela - 1933?
From: robomatic
Date: 20 Feb 09 - 05:35 PM

let's chase the Russian thread