Posted on 05/29/2007 2:25:17 PM PDT by agooga
I have a very good friend from Caracas who moved away a few years ago. Her family still lives in Caracas and visits frequently, so she has very good knowledge of the culture and events there. I emailed her this question after hearing (unbelievably) that there are some Americans who are making excuses for the RCTV takeover.
My email:
Something I wanted to talk to you about last night but didn't get around to--
Was there any legitimate reason for Chavez to take RCTV off the air? Did RCTV actively call for insurrection, coup d'etat, assasination?
Some apologists for the action, here in the US, are saying that the move was justified in that RCTV was actively seeking overthrow. How true is this?
Her reply:
Let me explain to you what he did....This channel is being on the air for 48 years; it is the most popular and loved channel in our country. They don’t like Chavez at all, and for the last 8 years they showed their opposition to the regime. Nothing to do with any other actions except for using the right to say what they think….
They had a license and their concession supposed to end on may 27th of 2007.Chavez told RCTV that the government won’t renew the license (what is legal and looks legal) but he didn’t tell them the government will take over the whole channel (building, equipment etc...) based on AN SOCIAL INTEREST.
They had a meeting with the RCTV executives on Sunday morning and they never mentioned anything different but the ending of the license, later the same day (Sunday afternoon) the executives received an order from the Supreme Court saying they must leave the property and all equipment for the new CHAVISTA channel ( what is totally illegal)
Did RCTV actively call for insurrection, coup d'etat, assasination? Not at all, they were using their freedom of speech (but do you think that exist in Venezuela?)
The problem here is the government has every single institution on its side, making all decisions look “LEGAL” and making hard for foreigners to understand... when things are in reality “ILEGAL”. Already the goverment onws 4 channels out of 10 on public TV.(Dont you think 4 is enough to distribute their propaganda? )
Unfortunately Chavez and his servants has been changed little by little many laws and institutions, and everything became CHAVISTA lately. People here who defend him and his servants, are probably on the government side and they will never show USA the other side of the coin.
For me, is very sad to tell you Venezuela is going unstoppable to become the CUBA of South America and the future for my people is dark and miserable.
i also have a good friend from Venezuela whose family is still there and she tells me the same thing. leftists here do NOT get it. what is happening in Venezuela is absolutely tragic.
Leftists NEVER get it. In the days immediately following 9/11 they didn’t ‘get it’ but saw such a fever pitch from those who did that they had no choice but to go along and hope no one noticed they were faking it.
They will get it only when they are staring down the barrel of a gun or see the sword poised to behead them.
I spoke to my friend’s father, when he was visiting a few months back. He lays this situation squarely at the feet of Jimmy Carter, who put the imprimatur of legitimacy on the election of this dictator.
Venezuela’s loss is Panama’s gain. Many Venezuelans are settling in Panama and bringing their money with them...lots of it.
The Venezuelan actress (Conchita whatever) on Desperate Housewives was recently on FNC (O’Reilly or Hannity), is a total liberal on everything else, but she explained many things happening there in the same terms....this hadn’t happened yet, it was about 2 wks ago...
But the whole damn thing is SO unecessary. Can we never expect people to lose their sick infatuation with dictators?
Rush is very smart. He will be very hard to take off the air. The "EIB Network" may seem like a joke, but it's not. Even post fairness doctrine I think he will survive. The cookie cutter hosts on Warner-owned-front-networks may not. (IE: Westwood One, etc.) Those owners may CHEER at the chance to instantly dump 1/2 of their hosts (the effective half) and replace them with leftists.
Remember the 'professional managers' at these companies are not creators of anything. They are flunky caretakers with six and seven digit salaries who contribute the maximum to Clinton and Obama. They will implement 'fairness' with pleasure! Who cares what it costs the shareholders. They are part fot he problem.
And believe it or not, the fine lady who wrote this email to me is no conservative either. But you wouldn’t know it from her thoughts on the subject of Chavez.
Say it isn’t so!
“But the whole damn thing is SO unecessary. Can we never expect people to lose their sick infatuation with dictators?”
I know exactly what you are saying, and I feel the same way.
There is so much poverty in these Latin countries that I have always thought, and I have nothing to back this up, that if there is some lying crook promising these poor folks something better, they will vote for that crook who is for the most part a socialist. Morales is a good case in point (Bolivia). All they want is to be voted into office to be closer to the “till” that will enrich them even more. Talking about poverty reminds me of Edwards giving a speech on poverty a few days ago and then raked in $55,000 for it.
Over a year ago, I was in an out of the way area in Panama. I came across this young mother who raises a few chickens, and I do mean just a “few,” to support herself and her 10-year-old deaf daughter. Her daughter, because of her disability, has never attended school. And Panama is far better off than most Latin countries.
Take note politicians, you can take away whatever freedom you please, just don’t mess with our T.V..
Sounds a little like the US gov't too.
“Sounds a little like the US gov’t too.”
I was going to say that and draw a comparison, but I didn’t know how to work it in without shooting off my mouth forever.
Dang it this makes me angry! As you said, the same thing is going on in our country. No difference, except…but I don’t really know…the poverty level does not seem to be as awful. There are food stamps for one thing, which I don’t agree with, etc., etc., etc., because it is easier to go on food stamps than it is to find a job.
ML/NJ
Expect a very bloody revolution during the course of this summer because the people have had ENOUGH.
Excellent post. Another example of why the FR is great.
Bolivia, Nicaragua and Brazil are not that far behind Venezuela.
With Rush, yes he will survive but those who dislike will do all they can to try to sully his good name in an attempt to try to take him down. I did hear some time ago that Micheal Savage will take out a lawsuit. Expect big fights down the road with conservitive talk radio.
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