The USA invaded Iraq … to bring them “democracy.”
<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Monday, April 14, 2003 By: Oscar Heck
VHeadline commentarist Oscar Heck writes: True democracy no longer exists.
Now, the USA is thinking of invading Syria … and bring them “democracy.”
Will they invade Venezuela … and bring “democracy”?
According to Jim Krane, from the Associated Press, a USA-based information buyer/seller called ChoicePoint Inc., is collecting and selling personal information from people in Central America and South America, including Venezuela. This information is being sold to some three-dozen US government agencies, without the consent or knowledge of the people.
Democracy?
Krane states: “ChoicePoint says it buys the files from subcontractors in Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua. But it refuses to name the sellers or say where those parties obtained the data.“
and:
“If ChoicePoint can sell foreigners' details to Washington, it is also in the position to sell data on US citizens to foreign governments. It won't, for policy reasons. We don't think it's the right thing to do, so we're not doing it.”
Democracy?
Krane goes on to say: “In Colombia, ChoicePoint buys the entire country's citizen ID database, including each resident's date and place of birth, passport and national ID number, parentage and physical description”. (31 million Colombians)
What would Colombians say if they knew this? What would Venezuelans say if they knew that their private information is being sold to the US government?
Is this what the opposition wants as a “democracy”?
- A “democracy” that allows for unleashed purchase and re-sale of other people’s privacy? A “democracy” with double-standards?
Meanwhile, the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference (Bishops?), are criticizing the present Venezuelan government … claiming that the rule of law and political coexistence has been damaged by the struggle centering on the government's legitimacy and institutionality … "Polarization has paralyzed the country sinking us into growing poverty and an increase in division and social violence …violations of the right to life, citizen security and property have become so apparent that everyone can see them as they develop.”
Do these bishops (?) have short memories? (about poverty in Venezuela).
Maybe they never went to the slums in the 1970s? In general, the slums of today, have water, sewage systems and electricity (25 years ago, most didn’t). The homes in today’s slums are mostly made of red brick (25 years ago they were mostly made of cardboard and sheet metal). The slum area I usually live in has daily garbage collection! (25 years ago, there was no garbage collection ú and where I am in Canada at the moment, we have garbage collection once weekly).
In the 1970s, about 80% of the population was under the poverty line. (You can get statistics from the US government State Department) Today, the figure is about the same. Even if the per-capita income has decreased, the drop has not affected the 80%. The people that have been affected are the middle to upper-middle classes. Of course the poverty (?) level has increased amongst these classes! (They can no longer afford to take vacations to Disney World!).
In addition, these bishops (?) mention that citizen and property security (lack of) are evident. Yes, they are correct when speaking about the middle classes. Personal and property security in the slums is today no different than in the past. In fact, I find certain slum areas to be safer than ever.
Why do I bring this up?
Because 80% of the Venezuelan population live in slum-like conditions or worse. Therefore, when the bishops (?) make their statements, they are addressing a problem that in affecting the minority of the people, not the majority! They are manipulating opinions in favor of the minority classes that have always abused the 80%. (Typical!) In addition, there has always existed a class difference. What has changed is that a good portion of the 80% will no longer sheepishly accept to be squashed by the 20% … and rightly so!
Democracy?
Is this what “all” Venezuelans want … a “democracy” (such as the one implied by these bishops(?)) … that neglects and ignores a clear and real class difference, as if it did not exist?
In other words, a “democracy” that would continue to allow the 20% to abuse of the 80% and where the 80% continues to smile sheepishly and says “yes sir, yes sir”, like the American slaves did in the USA!
Democracy?
- A “democracy” where opinion and event manipulation is propagated as fact?
I do not want to be insensitive here, but I feel that I must mention the following:
Kayla Markert, in a letter to VHeadline.com, writes about the assassination of her friend’s father. S/he states, “…Gustavo recognized he was being taken to a place where those who oppose President Chavez are murdered, so he fought back…”
I read and re-read her letter and I am still not clear as to the “facts.”
Did Gustavo have a gun? How was he able to have a shoot-out with the kidnappers? Why was this person kidnapped? By whom? Was she there? Was her friend there (the son)? Did the kidnappers say, “ We are taking you away to kill you because you are against Chavez?” I bring up these points because what Kayla says is typical of opposition rhetoric … assumptions and manipulations that are transmitted as facts! She certainly forgets to mention that rich Venezuelans are sometimes kidnapping targets, and have been for years. She forgets to mention that many deaths in Venezuela are due to “resisting muggings or kidnappings!”
A few weeks ago another government person got kidnapped (along with a businessman) and their car was hijacked. They were taken away to the mountain. They did not resist, and lived to tell the story (a factual one). I encountered a person in Merida who was kidnapped at 7 a.m. on a Sunday in January 2003. He was also taken up to the mountain (at gun point), he was dropped off there, and the thieves left with his brand new Jeep. He did not resist, and came away only with injured pride (as he has just bought the Jeep).
The above are examples of the kind of manipulation that occurs on a daily and regular basis at: Globovision, Venevision, RCTV and TeleVen … the four privately-owned Venezuelan television stations that are in full support of the supposed “democratic” opposition!
If they (the opposition) are “democratic,” then what are the pro-Chavez people?
What are the anti-opposition people such as myself?
True democracy no longer exists.
Oscar Heck oscar@vheadline.com
Note: Choice Point’s home page contains the following statements:
- Choice Point has assisted in the recovery of 777 missing children
- Choice Point honors the brave men and women of the coalition armed forces
How many children were murdered and/or injured in Iraq due to the USA “democratic” invasion?
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