I was tempted yesterday to write a post about September 11, maybe linking it all to the original failure of the West in condemning early enough what was happening in Germany in the mid 30ies... Or earlier, or later, as one wishes. But the day is sacred enough now that one should not write with any hint of frivolity on such occasion, limiting our admiration to world wide ceremonies to commemorate the victims of that date, which include every continent and too many countries to count.
For example in Spain they commemorated the day by remembering the lone Spanish victim by planting a small grove of North American Oaks. Or they did continuous coverage of ceremonies as the French overseas TV-band did. But in Venezuela, well, nothing worth noting.
True, Globovision did at least note the day. But chavista media was as involved in its usual propaganda activities to even notice.
In a rare instance for me I scanned a couple of times VTV just to see. One was PM show which was, well, a show. There was a talk show format but there was no pretense of emitting real opinions. Some gringo middle aged woman, all wrapped up, with sun glasses and hat was talking with a rather thick accent even as her Spanish was acceptable. But on cue she was ready to condemn this and that political Venezuelan figure as if the woman (covering some strange skin disease or trying to retain some incognito?) lived in Venezuela enough to be familiar with all of these details. Spontaneity it ain't.
Later an Assemblyman who used to be education minister of Chavez was hosting yet another talk show where a former AM anchor of VTV, now promoted "philosopher" (I kid you not), were proposing thick books that looked rather unread, and which title promised to retain that status.
Now, I certainly do not expect chavismo to commemorate an event that they actually celebrate. However I would have expected someone among the opposition to do something more. After all there was at least one documented Venezuelan victim, Howard Boulton. Maybe an opposition held town-hall could have held a ceremony. Or the MUD made a short communique.
But no, or not that I know.
The thing is that the miserableness of chavismo is even affecting the opposition which does not dare to commemorate September 11 victims, or condemn sternly Chavez support to Qaddafi and what not. Chavez loud mouth prevails and is even able to affect what should be the normal and moral reactions of people that should know better.
The miserableness coefficient of chavismo eventually will eat us all.
"Chavez loud mouth prevails and is even able to affect what should be the normal and moral reactions of people that should know better"
ReplyDeleteNot meaning to "hook onto your last words" -all well-spoken- I am reminded of Sociology class about the "perils of group think"-
normal, thinking, moral people get caught up in some sort of fear/angst reaction - I keep screaming WAKE UP- !!
You are so right-the people -but also the free press silenced and spewing out propaganda. The only voice left for truth in Venezuela is the bloggers.
As they say, the silence is deafening.....
ReplyDeleteI love this post and also agree with Rabbibulla here - Groupthink is very powerful, and not just in Venezuela, but everywhere it is something we can count on.
ReplyDeleteI took your last paragraph, put it in quotation marks,indicated where I got the quote, and posted it on FB as a status update.I don't normally talk politics on Facebook, I tend to use it as a way to keep in touch with family and friends in Venezuela, and other places,but the truth is I should, even though some of my Venezuelan family are Chavistas, and I hate to offend them , but truthfully this situation has to be confronted on all levels therefore I changed my mind.
Politics thrive on group-think, fear, hostility, and shame.Without GROUP-THINK there would be no politics, only government.We can work as a group in a conscious way rather than an unconscious one....automatic groupthink based on fearful emotions dooms us.
A conscious way of working would be if each of us remain individuals who are able to express our opinions without fear or shame, even if they go against the status quo then we consciously decide to come together with others to make a compromise befitting the group as a whole.
The sorry part is that we who make these immoral choices, are not even aware just how immoral they are.Why was I afraid to offend? Answer : because I am a coward when it comes to family.....something I decided to change.Thanks Daniel.......
firepigette
Try to imagine yourself
ReplyDeletebeing a psychiatric patient
like Hugo Chavez. And,
your psychiatrist is -Fidel Castro.
huh,,, so those 2 Hugos are actually related? Victor Chavez reincarne??
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Mis%C3%A9rables