Comments on: That’s So Hugo

By: Random Guy

Random Guy — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 18:52:07 +0000

What’s that you were quoting from, Jim? Sounds like the Press Freedoms Index.

By: Marq

Marq — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 18:15:16 +0000

I think that the “the friend of my enemy is my enemy” is defendable enough when it comes to say, Cuellar-type pro-Shrub Dems, for instance.

By: Major Woody

Major Woody — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 14:47:28 +0000

Yes, Jim, we can all agree that “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” is a dangerous fallacy. However, the friend of my enemy is my enemy’s friend. And my friend’s friend’s enemy is my enemy’s friend’s nemesis, while my enemy’s friend’s next-door-neighbor plays his music way too loud.

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 06:45:41 +0000

“Bombings, physical attacks and threats to journalists and media hostile to President Hugo ChÃ¡vez were fewer than last year in Venezuela but remained frequent and partly explain the country’s low place (90th) on the list. However tension has eased a little since ChÃ¡vez won a 15 August referendum confirming him in office.”

What up girls with the “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”? Mr. Chavez is whack, and U know it!

Not every socialist is a saint. Lukashenko was elected too. He also just passed law last year to stay in power forever.

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend” is a dangerous fallacy.

By: Jillian

Jillian — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 00:49:23 +0000

The Central Committee for the Oversight of Liberal Humor in Pursuit of Revolutionary Goals for the Furtherment of the Cadre Program for the Political Advancement of the Masses toward Enlightenment will overlook your rightist deviationism this time, Brad.

But it’s going on your permanent record. Don’t let it happen again.

By: Brad R.

Brad R. — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 00:40:18 +0000

Guys- I know that Chavez was democratically elected while Kim was not. I chose them b/c they’re both hated by the administration, and for the sake of the joke, not because I think they’re the same thing.

Lighten. Up. Humorless. Lefties. Please.

By: Major Woody

Major Woody — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 22:58:49 +0000

Good points, Jillian!

Chirac: “We will work together to defeat Monsieur Bush’s plans, unless he delivers us the sum of… One… Million… Dollars!”

By: Jillian

Jillian — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 22:31:35 +0000

To further add to the silly metanarrative which has developed, I saw the juxtaposition of El Hugo and El Kim-o as a subtle commentary on the current administration’s tendency to tar with the same brush all those who oppose the administration, no matter how disparate their governing styles are.

It’s kind of funny to think that inside the little cartoon brain that fills the parts of Dubya’s skull not filled with old liquor, everyone who isn’t on board with his agenda all have some sort of nefarious connections with each other. It’s like he must think that Chavez, Kim, and, say, Jacques Chirac all get together at a big Legion of Doom style table and plot to use their global freeze ray on Crawford or something.

By: Anna in Cairo

Anna in Cairo — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 15:59:14 +0000

I find Chavez entertaining as well. And given that he is a democratically elected leader and seems quite politically astute although he is opposed to the Bush Admin, I dont’ see he has much in common with a crazy hereditary dictator like KJIl who I don’t even find very funny. Now if you had used Qadafi I might have felt it to be a more germane comparison because that dude is really funny (in a batshit crazy way).

By: RETARDO

RETARDO — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 15:44:29 +0000

i have to say that i took it as a two-peas-in-a-pod comparison, as well.

By: Marq

Marq — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 15:39:18 +0000

I’m just eternally grateful that Dumbya hasn’t ever done a PSA in which he demonstrates a low-flow showerhead while showering in his tighty-whities, ‘cos that’s a sight that no one should have to see.
Or, worse yet, Darth Cheney doing the scrub-a-dub-dubya. Eeew!

By: Major Woody

Major Woody — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 14:33:57 +0000

OK, put down the knives and step away from the table, people. The equivalence that I drew from the juxtaposition of Chavez and Kim was not “two evil dictators” but “two prominent foreign leaders who say/do things that can be quite amusing from time to time”. I found the whole thing funny and didn’t see any slur of Chavez, and I’m a socialist commie who’d fax all your credit card numbers straight to the Politboro if I had the chance.

I didn’t think anyone was maligning Chavez until after a couple of strident “he’s a hero of the people, how can you make sport of him” posts. I get the sense that the comments critical of him that came after were intended not to contribute to any useful discussion, but merely to further enrage those who did not appreciate Brad’s humor, causing hurt feelings, anger, and further pointless arguments. Good work, carry on!

By: Random Guy

Random Guy — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 12:41:26 +0000

Lighten up, people!

By: ran

ran — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 12:39:56 +0000

“George W. Bush (who was elected)”

So you say.

By: Ex-Fed

Ex-Fed — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 12:11:45 +0000

I agree with all these other comments. I will brook no criticism of Mr. Chavez. Let us not forget that he opened his people’s eyes to the fact that Hallloween is “gringo terrorism,” and that he explained to them that their economic woes are the fault of the descendents of Christ’s killers. That’s real democratic action!

By: Balzac

Balzac — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 10:47:13 +0000

This is stupid. Chavez is not like Kim Jong Il. Ignorant bullshit. Chavez was elected. He has the guts to put Condoleeza in her place.

Democracy and socialism are not mutually exclusive. Get a clue, moron!

By: db

db — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 10:36:34 +0000

I am just as amused as anyone else by some of President Chavez’s comments. But I don’t think having the balls to stand up to George Bush and tell Tony Blair to go to hell makes him crazy. (Many Labour MP’s feel the same way, after all.)

But my main point, which I guess was acknowledged in a half-ass way, is that Chavez’s demcoractic credentials are much stronger than those of his coup-plotting, election-fixing, illegal war-starting critics in the Bush Administration.

Socialist Worker, eh? Oh, I get it. I defend Venezuelan demcoracy, so I must be a humorless Commie. OK, very funny. Ha ha. Didn’t see that one coming.

Since my sense of humor has been called into question, I would say in my defense that for web humor I go to The Onion. That, and Scott McClellan’s Press Briefings.

By: Freaked-Out Canadian

Freaked-Out Canadian — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 10:25:44 +0000

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised is an astounding doc, one of the best I’ve ever seen for putting you right on the ground and contextualizing a story that’s hard to understand from the outside. It’s especially damning of the so-called “free press” that Chavez is accused of supressing. When you see the private media channels lying, manipulating, urging their citizens on to violence, and plotting with the coup planners, it’s easy to understand why Chavez might not have handed them unlimited freedom post-coup.

The US administration – and CNN – are seen lying egregiously while the clear democratic will of Venezuelans is thwarted. It is a must see for any anyone, especially Americans, who are willing to have their pre-conceptions overturned. If you think you are getting even close to the real story from network news, watch this doc and weep. Our own media and our politicians were either ignorant or seemed so – crafty – and that’s not good.

I was a bit sceptical of Chavez before I watched the doc, but it’s hard not to empathize with the guy and his struggle to serve his constituency.

I wonder…hmm… if a bunch of American businessmen and generals had failed in a coup attempt against Bush, would George have been as forgiving as Hugo was, or would they have disappeared into Gitmo?

By: jeff

jeff — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 10:18:00 +0000

DB: Granted, Chavez is no L’il Kim Jong, but he’s funny and nuts, too. (Yes, our Bush is funny and nuts also.)

Socialist Worker Weekly might be more fun for you than Sadly, No! is all I’m saying.

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 10:08:48 +0000

I mean, right-wingers keep calling him a dictator, but just how does that really wash?

http://www.watchingamerica.com/eltiempovz000001.shtml

To Thwart Washington, Chavez Suggests ‘Indefinite Extension’ of His Term