The Hypocrisy Chronicles: Mr. Kerry, Stop Bullying Venezuela

[Judi Lynn]

Weekend Edition May 23-25, 2014
The Hypocrisy Chronicles

Mr. Kerry, Stop Bullying Venezuela

by JOHN GRANT

I don’t believe in the dogmatic postulates of Marxist revolution. I don’t accept that we are living in a period of proletarian revolutions. Reality is telling us that every day. But if I am told that because of that reality you can’t do anything to help the poor, then I say, “We part company.” -Hugo Chavez, 2004

The hypocrisy of the government of the United States seems to know no limits. The current posture it’s taking toward the elected government of Venezuela is simply shameful.

Secretary of State John Kerry and two powerful US Senators are threatening economic sanctions unless the duly elected Venezuelan government changes its tune in on-going talks between itself and a collection of disgruntled right-wing parties and business elements. The headline in the New York Times reads: “Kerry Calls on Venezuela To Talk with Opposition.” [1] What it should have read was: “Kerry Threatens Venezuela With Sanctions: Do It Our Way, Or Else.”

The headline misleads because talks are already in process mediated by representatives from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and the Roman Catholic Church. Venezuela is talking; the opposition just hasn’t gotten what it or the US wants — hence the threats. Encouraging fair diplomatic talks is a good thing; but threats of an economic attack? The hypocrisy is laughable.

Can you imagine John Kerry threatening Israel with economic sanctions if it did not “demonstrate good-faith actions” or “honor the dialogue process” or “restore the civil liberties of [Palestinian] leaders who have been unjustly imprisoned.” Kerry’s Israel/Palestine diplomacy crashed and burned last month, and as most of the world knows, the Israeli decision to pursue new West Bank settlements in the midst of the talks had a lot to do with their demise. The Israelis failed miserably at “good faith actions.” So why not economic sanctions against Israel? You gotta be kidding.

More:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/05/23/mr-kerry-stop-bullying-venezuela/

[tech3149]

1. Thanks for sooo long for sooo many of your posts

There are a few people here that don't buy into the demonizing of Venezuela and especially the Bolivarian revolution. I grew up in a small mining community that my grandfather raised his family. I dealt with the corruption of unions in my job.
It pisses me of to no end that people don't get the information needed to make smart decisions.
We've been spending decades, so many decades fighting(as a national government) against nations and people that want nothing more than us.
When will we learn that if we don't treat the rest of the world as equals we don't deserve equal respect?
I run in to the same sort of discussions re: I/P, I try and avoid them because it's like beating my head against a wall. I try but I still hope, it's just harder when you're just trying to get by and you don't have anyone whose welfare depends on you.
I may not reply often or have comments that I think are worth any consideration but know that your posts and comments are appreciated, at least by this old fool.

[Judi Lynn]

3. I have no doubt the reason the US public doesn't get the information it needs to make better choices

is that people living handicapped without the information they need are so much easier to handle.

All that's needed is misinformation spread liberally to keep them paralyzed with fear, not knowing how to protect themselves, afraid of everything that moves, afraid of their neighbors and afraid to say or do anything which would get them noticed, or in the direct line of scrutiny of someone who might want to shut them up.

I'm sure you've noticed that when progressives get the opportunity in leadership they always, without fail start finding ways to get education to those who've not had the opportunity to go to school. We also know in Latin America it became the way things were done to only have private schools so the poor NEVER got a chance to overcome their poverty and hardship as it was determined they would remain poor from birth. As our own country moves to the right, to our great horror, we see the right-wing working day and night to start tearing away public funds to enrich the private schools while simultaneously decreasing the funding needed for education for the poor.

You're most definitely not alone in your convictions.

With enough time people will awaken everywhere, especially at the rate things are going downhill now! When that happens, the world will have to start operating in ways that bring healing to everyone, instead of unnecessary luxury to those who've lived off the sacrificed lives of those less powerful than they are.

Your post is deeply appreciated. Thank you.

[DeSwiss]

2. The ''Hugo is a Marxist'' BS was always intended for the dumbs.

The Capitalist Pigs of Wall Street want what Venezuela has and they're used to getting their way. They use any and all methods to achieve their ends.

That is why this world is physically and psychologically scarred. Damaged by man-made disasters everywhere you look. Kerry is just one of them.

Fascism (US) is Vampirism. Life maintained by sucking the blood and life force of others.

- One cannot have a democratic state for humans within the land of the living-dead.

K&R

[Judi Lynn]

5. So well expressed. Exactly as it is.

What a shame it is it has taken so long to start seeing through their thick layers of protective insulation which has concealed them all so long. It's time the oligarchs started learning to live honestly like human beings.

[tech3149]

6. So often these days I go back to Upton Sinclair

So many of his observations seem to have been so prescient. If the oligarchs had to do an honest days work, I'm not sure they could make it.

[snot]

4. K&R'd.