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Politics : Just the Facts, Ma'am: A Compendium of Liberal Fiction -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Brumar89 who wrote (78923)	4/6/2010 8:27:38 AM
From: jlallen	4 Recommendations Respond to of 90947

You will have to translate that article into Moronese so Thomas can understand it...

To: Brumar89 who wrote (78923)	4/21/2010 1:44:13 PM
From: Thomas M.	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 90947

Let me just get this straight: 1. In America, when someone vaguely considers the idea of overthrowing the government (get together 50 people and some guns), the US government massacres those people (Waco, Ruby Ridge, etc). 2. In Venezuela, when someone successfully overthrows the government (but then the coup is reversed the next day), that person continues to hold office and walk the streets. Why are you calling Venezuela totalitarian but not America? Tom

To: Brumar89 who wrote (78923)	4/21/2010 1:48:01 PM
From: Thomas M.	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 90947

So, your hero is a terrorist. Congratulations! Alvarez Paz, who participated in the April 2002 coup d’etat against the Venezuelan government and has consistently promoted publicly the violent overthrow of the Chavez administration, stated on live television that the Venezuelan government was supporting terrorist groups and facilitating drug trafficking. In the context of his statements, Alvarez Paz was supporting allegations from a Spanish court and several right-wing international organizations that were calling for international condemnation of the Venezuelan government. Those defending Alvarez Paz shield themselves behind concepts of freedom of expression. But are citizens free to go on live national television and accuse the president of a nation of drug trafficking and terrorism without presenting any evidence? Would that happen in any other country without consequence? Imagine a former governor in the United States going live on NBC news and accusing President Barack Obama of terrorism and drug trafficking with no evidence to back such dangerous claims. The individual would be immediately arrested by Secret Service and prosecuted to the full extent of the law for not only spreading false information, but also for endangering the life and image of the US presidency. In most democracies that recognize and cherish the right to freedom of expression, limitations are imposed when it comes to jeopardizing the security of a nation or its leaders. Furthermore, no one has the freedom to defame and slander others publicly with no evidence and no consequences. Hence, Alvarez Paz’s actions violated not only Venezuelan laws, but also international principles of free speech. Freedom of expression is not absolute under international law – it’s limitations are imposed when such speech clearly infringes on the rights and safety of others. But in Venezuela, many believe they are above the law, especially those from the ruling class that dominated the nation during the last century. Most of those involved in the April 2002 coup d’etat that overthrew the government, for example, haven’t been prosecuted for their crimes, and they continue to organize to bring down the Chavez administration. Only three police commissioners were brought to justice for the April 2002 coup, after a court ruled they were responsible for ordering the massacre of Venezuelans protesting in the streets eight years ago. venezuelanalysis.com Tom