Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Hugo and the Devil
I had been thinking about addressing the comments of Hugo Chavez at the UN earlier today. And since someone, sarcastically based on the ‘tone’ of the comment, asked for the comment here are my initial thoughts.
I am really rather blasé about President Chavez’s comments. I don’t think they were particularly appropriate to the forum that they were made in, but on the other hand you have to look at the source of the comments as well. Hugo was playing to his ‘constituency’ in the Third World. He was trying, and probably succeeded, in gaining points at Junior’s expense.
In truth I don’t feel what he was attempting to accomplish was really all that different from what President Bush, or other speakers for that matter, are attempting to do in a forum like this. They are trying to communicate with a real constituency at home or a perceived constituency around the world. (And probably both.) President Bush communicated about the ‘War on Terror’ and about ‘democracies in the Middle East.’ (In Iraq and Afghanistan) This was aimed at the 35% to 40% of the US population that makes up the basic constituency of the President, and it was also an attempt to demoralize the ‘terrorist elements’ in the Muslim countries.
I wonder if anyone would have really taken any notice of the ‘Bush as the devil’ comments if say a less vocal ruler of a small ‘Unaligned Nation’ were the one to say it. Probably they would, but the question would then be, would anybody really care?
I am really rather blasé about President Chavez’s comments. I don’t think they were particularly appropriate to the forum that they were made in, but on the other hand you have to look at the source of the comments as well. Hugo was playing to his ‘constituency’ in the Third World. He was trying, and probably succeeded, in gaining points at Junior’s expense.
In truth I don’t feel what he was attempting to accomplish was really all that different from what President Bush, or other speakers for that matter, are attempting to do in a forum like this. They are trying to communicate with a real constituency at home or a perceived constituency around the world. (And probably both.) President Bush communicated about the ‘War on Terror’ and about ‘democracies in the Middle East.’ (In Iraq and Afghanistan) This was aimed at the 35% to 40% of the US population that makes up the basic constituency of the President, and it was also an attempt to demoralize the ‘terrorist elements’ in the Muslim countries.
I wonder if anyone would have really taken any notice of the ‘Bush as the devil’ comments if say a less vocal ruler of a small ‘Unaligned Nation’ were the one to say it. Probably they would, but the question would then be, would anybody really care?
Labels: Commentary
// posted by Little Wolf @ Wednesday, September 20, 2006 
Comments:
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O PA leeze.
Get a sense of humor. I only come here because it is during my potty break, I get the real news from somewhere else.
Get a sense of humor. I only come here because it is during my potty break, I get the real news from somewhere else.
# posted by 
: Thu Sep 21, 07:53:00 PM 2006
: Thu Sep 21, 07:53:00 PM 2006
Stingray, I'm hurt deeply that you don't come here to get the real news. I feel my sporatic commentary on the news is of great importance.
Actually what Hugo said was quite funny. The humor of it doesn't necessarily make it appropriate for the place that it was said.
If someone tells a particularly funny sex joke at a church or synagoge, it may be funny but it isn't appropriate. (Not that this is the same, after all the UN is a bit of a joke itself.)
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Actually what Hugo said was quite funny. The humor of it doesn't necessarily make it appropriate for the place that it was said.
If someone tells a particularly funny sex joke at a church or synagoge, it may be funny but it isn't appropriate. (Not that this is the same, after all the UN is a bit of a joke itself.)
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