Posted on 12/26/2010 2:59:43 AM PST by Scanian
Like the canary in a mine shaft who dies at the first sign of toxic gasses, journalists are often the first creatures to suffer when a totalitarian dictator is ascending to power. There are few developed nations in the world that show the methodical approach to smothering free speech, but Venezuela's "great leader" is demonstrating the process in our very own hemisphere. Since other leftist heads of state are watching with dreamy eyes, it might be a good preventative measure if we all start paying attention to his techniques.
Signaling darker days ahead for that county's free press, Venezuela fell from 124th to 133rd out of 178 countries in the 2010 version of the Press Freedom Index (http://www.rsf.org/). In 2008, they were ranked in 113th place and they held 77th place as recently as in 2002. That was early in the Chávez reign, but he has grown with the job. To prevent any misunderstanding, I should clarify the Press Freedom Index ranking system: Just like a golf score, the higher number is normally considered bad for elected leaders . . . but they work pretty well for dictators fostering a climate of fear among their people.
And "fearful" is an accurate description of conditions in Venezuela after their government announced last week that they have used taxpayer funds to purchase a 20 per cent ownership stake in Globovisión and are on their way to gaining even more control. Reporters Without Borders calls Globovisión the only remaining over-the-air TV channel in Venezuela still critical of President Hugo Chávez. The network has long been under attack since showing support for the losing side during an April 2002 coup attempt against Chávez. Just last July, Diosdado Cabello, head of the Venezuelan Communications Authority (Conatel), said the state was planning to obtain "administration"
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
To this outsider, it looks like a duck and it quacks like a duck.
Don’t know when but I think Chavez’s will suffer the same fate as Mussolini, I hopefully sooner than later.
The man oozes arrogance.
And what of the recent attcks on FOX news coming from American politicians.
Like a certain POTUS we all know???
Indeed - right down to that Mussolini chin jut.
It would be rather poetic if it happens at a Citgo station.
This is potentially a big issue for 2012... here in the good old USA... and I’ll tell you why:
Because of Obama’s and Hillary’s Honduras problem.
The Republicans and the Tea Parties have to get the word out (the press won’t) about how Obama and Hillary REFLEXIVELY sided with Chavez against a constitutional democracy during the Honduran Crisis.
Sounds like small stuff compared to economics and unemployment... but it’s really not.
Kidding, now I'll read your post... Cheers, sir.
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