Finally, if Rev. Robertson Were in Britain…
The good Reverend has evidently discovered the error of his ways, admitted that he called for the assassination of the elected President of Venezuela, and apologized. His flirtation earlier today, claiming that he really just meant that the US should kidnap the elected President of Venezuela, was evidently a mere trial balloon that turned out to be made of lead.
Meanwhile, to put things in some perspective, this week the UK government plans to release a list of people it will deport and ban from Britain, under new anti-terrorism laws, who "seek to create fear, distrust and division". According to this AP dispatch, the criteria for making the new Banned in Britain list:
…covers those who foment, justify or glorify terrorist violence; seek to provoke terrorist acts or crimes; or promote hatred between communities.
If the new law is applied fairly, it would seem that the Rev. Robertson should not be planning any trips too soon to visit the Queen.
Meanwhile, to put things in some perspective, this week the UK government plans to release a list of people it will deport and ban from Britain, under new anti-terrorism laws, who "seek to create fear, distrust and division". According to this AP dispatch, the criteria for making the new Banned in Britain list:
…covers those who foment, justify or glorify terrorist violence; seek to provoke terrorist acts or crimes; or promote hatred between communities.
If the new law is applied fairly, it would seem that the Rev. Robertson should not be planning any trips too soon to visit the Queen.
posted by The Democracy Center at 7:54 PM
The Democracy Center, based in Cochabamba Bolivia and San Francisco California, works globally to advance human rights through a combination of investigation and reporting, training citizens in the art of public advocacy, and organizing international citizen campaigns. If you like the Blog, consider becoming a subscriber to The Democracy Center's free e-newsletter by sending us an email at 
12 Comments:
There is a parallel between the previous US ambassador in Bolivia (Rocha) saying something stupid and helping Evo Morales as a result and this now, Robertson pretty much becoming a perfect PR man for Chavez.
Either Chavez is a lucky man or Robertson is the best extreme conservatism has to offer.
This is a true comedy, and you know, I think we need Pat Robertson out there to show us all what the fundamentalist right is all about.
I'll be called a commy, a pinko for this, I know, just wait..
Anyhow, thanks Jim for the postings. They are fascinating and thought provoking.
Our host, ever the gentleman, is being charitable in stating simply that Robertson "apologized" (as I mentioned in the previous post's comments). See: http://danmoriarty.blogspot.com/2005/08/for-robertson-saying-sorry-means-never.html
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Jim,
I can clearly see your very one-sided views of the situation in Bolivia, and this is merely from browsing just the August posts. I know that many people out there will not agree with me, but Bolivia is not ready for full control by the people. There is always the argument that when Democracy came to the U.S. we were less developed, had less resources, etc... etc... but that is exactly the problem. Bolivia is in a state of development (social / political / economic) that is FAR below that of most countries in this continent. Yet Bolivia is in the "eye of the storm" because of issues like what the White Elite call the "uprising" of the indigenous; the fairly recent discovery of HUGE gas reserves which no one in the country is equipped to properly handle; the many alleged ties to Cuban and Venezuelan figures; and the extreme segregation between the very cities that make up the country (Think "Nacion Camba"). The very poor have found a leader in people like Evo and Mamani, and they cannot be completely blamed for hearing the promises made by these two figures of being pulled out of poverty, having the same opportunities as the rich, etc.. If anyone one of us were at their education level, from their background and culture, and otherwise in their same situation, we would be ready to jump to the streets and throw a few rocks (or explosives). We also cannot completely blame the rich that attack the indigenous and make these "sweetheart deals" with foreign companies. The rich have found a niche in a society where the majority has been reluctant to change their ways because they were settled in their current state, and as a result the rich have grown richer and more powerful. The result is that the rich attempted to further push their limits with the "sweetheart" deals, foreign gov't ties, etc... and what was bound to happen DID happen, uprisings and struggle for power. The only reason that this struggle for power is continuing is because foreign involvement and simply globalization has reached a level where people outside Bolivia have very legitimate interests in the future of the country. And the key here is that the outcome is CLEARLY NOT in the best interest of Bolivia in almost every case. The U.S.'s Drug War and push for democracy is mostly crap (in terms of being for the benefit of Bolivia), as we clearly know that the U.S. Gov't could care less if everyone in Bolivia (that is not American) drugged themselves to extinction, as long as those drugs are kept out of the U.S. borders. Democratic push is simply a P.R. campaign to keep the "power of the people" dream alive HERE in the U.S. with the added benefit that a Democratic Gov't will allow more benefits to the U.S. from Bolivia (and the gas reserves). Although we are clearly aware of the problems that a Gov't like Chavez's and Castro's can (and DO) cause, we have to be realistic in the ability of a country like Bolivia to be able to handle anything more than that. Democracy, in its great and true form, is a Gov't that is too developed, complicated, and otherwise overwhelming for a country at the development level that Bolivia is in. For it to work, Bolivia would basically have to be invaded, because there is no one in the country right now capable of instituting such a Gov't. I love Democracy, I love the U.S., I love Bolivia (I was born in La Paz, lived there for 14 years), but Bolivia lacks an internal leader that has the resources, ideals, or understanding of what it takes to truly institute a democratic gov't. Trying to do that now with foreigners is only going to cause more problems. The current foreign influence and foreing "push for change" in Bolivia may even create a new CUBA. And I don't mean Cuba as in great education and medical expertise. I mean Cuba as in a country with an embargo, left almost entirely to its own devices. And in that state, Bolivia, having no ocean access, no current ability to develop its internal resources, and no sense of direction, will wither...
Bolivia needs a strong leader, trusted by its people, and if we (foreigners and the very small "upper" class in Bolivia) hate that leader at the moment, too bad, because the hope is that more leaders will emerge eventually and lead the country in the right direction. What happened with the U.S.? A great leader, the monarch of England, turned out to be NOT so great eventually, and leaders arose and challenged that power, leaders from INSIDE the States; NOT leaders from a foreign power! So what about Cuba some may ask? Castro is despised by many foreign gov'ts and people, but look at the situation inside Cuba... apparently the Cubans don't think he's that bad, because if things were truly that bad even Castro's army would turn on him following another Cuban leader. And if someone wants to argue that he has overwhelming power to prevent that from happening... read a little history on any country that had a revolution.
I say let Evo or Mamani come to power, and once in that position they will no longer blame everyone above them for the mistakes and problems they create, (in fact the same problems they are currently creating). Their followers, and everyone else, will see what many of us currently see, that Evo and Mamani are NOT the right people for leading Bolivia. And if by some miracle Evo or Mamani hold true to their boasts and promises to the people, and in fact improve the situation, then GREAT.
Feel free to post, use, reproduce, critique, bash, ignore, or otherwise do anything with the comments above... as long as any direct quote is clearly stated as being from me, AA - fercalatino@yahoo.com
For newbies to this blog, go here first:
http://www.publiushpundits.com/?p=1308
and/or here
http://bolicarreras.blogspot.com/2005/07/
ngos-shenanigans-what-is-behind-bolivia_06.html
thanks japaza, for the joke.
I don't know much about your country, and even less about the current issues except for what I've seen on CNN.
However, I will still tell you what you should do, because I am smart, educated, and from a first world democracy, so I know best!!
I guess clarification is needed.... I was referring to AA, not the blog master. Como todo en la vida, hay gringos buenos y malos!
A.A., when everything is said and done, the one ruler who genuinely and forcefully tried to attack Bolivia's problems was Goni.
By killing the inefficient state apparatus he effectively cut off the biggest source of patronage to the Alte~o middle class.
And, he instead of simply cutting and doing nothing, he diverted resources directly to the communities where they were needed. He envisaged that local control would also yield a significant growth in direct citizen participation, and creating civil society. Ironically, this may have helped do him in, when local municipios and neighborhood committees, were key in organizing the blockades.
But anyway, it was an interesting experiment, and by some accounts it is succeeding.
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